[FAQ]

Hi,

I’m starting a discreet job search and I want to signal to recruiters that I’m available. I’ve seen the green ‘Open to Work’ photo frame, but I’m obviously very hesitant to use that as I don’t want anyone at my current company to see it.

I know there’s a setting that supposedly only shows your ‘Open to Work’ status to recruiters. My question is, how safe and reliable is this feature? Does it effectively block people from your current company from seeing it? I’m just very nervous about my manager or a colleague finding out I’m looking.

Has anyone used this feature successfully without their current employer being alerted? Any advice on how to navigate this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Jeff Bullas]

That’s a delicate situation that requires a careful approach.

Quick Answer: You use the recruiter-only setting, not the public photo banner. While this feature is designed for discretion, it is not foolproof, and you should never rely on it as your only job-seeking strategy.

The key is to understand the difference between a public visual signal and a private data signal.

The most harmful practice is to use the green ‘Open to Work’ photo frame, which is a public visual content format that anyone can see. You must instead use the setting that shares your status only with recruiters. When you activate this, the primary content that signals your availability is the text within your job preferences, which is fed to recruiters as data, not broadcast on your profile. However, you must be aware that LinkedIn cannot guarantee one hundred per cent privacy, as it works to hide your status from recruiters at your current company, but may not catch recruiters from affiliated companies. Therefore, the safest strategy is to combine this discreet setting with proactive applications. Rely on the text-based content of your tailored resume and cover letters for specific roles, as this gives you full control over who sees that you are looking for a new opportunity.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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