- Adding Open to Work to your LinkedIn profile on a computer
- Turning on Open to Work in the LinkedIn app
- Choosing who sees that you're open to work on LinkedIn
- The privacy caveat if you're still employed
- The #OpenToWork photo frame and how to remove it
- Editing or switching off Open to Work
- Getting more from Open to Work on LinkedIn
- Open to Work for freelancers and small business owners
- If you can't find Open to Work on LinkedIn
- Frequently asked questions
To add Open to Work on LinkedIn, go to your profile, click the Open to button, choose Finding a new job, fill in the roles you want and choose who can see it before saving. The decision that matters: All LinkedIn Members adds the green #OpenToWork frame, while Recruiters only stays discreet.
When you're job hunting, the hardest part is often being found. LinkedIn's Open to Work feature tells recruiters you're available, and you choose whether the whole network sees it or only recruiters do. It's one of the simplest settings on the platform, but the visibility choice deserves a minute of thought, especially if you're still employed.
I'll walk through LinkedIn's steps on computer and phone, explain the green #OpenToWork photo frame, and cover the privacy caveat LinkedIn itself spells out. If you're a freelancer or consultant looking for clients rather than a job, I'll touch on that too.
Adding Open to Work to your LinkedIn profile on a computer
- Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Click View profile.
- Click the Open to button under your name.
- Click Finding a new job.
- Fill in the pop-up: the job titles you want, location types, locations, start date and employment types.
- Choose who can see it.
- Click Save.
Turning on Open to Work in the LinkedIn app
- Tap your profile photo, then tap it again to open your profile.
- Tap the Open to button in your intro card.
- Tap Finding a new job.
- Complete the screen with the roles and locations you're after.
- Pick your visibility setting.
- Tap Save.
LinkedIn also lets you set it up from the Jobs tab: click Preferences in the left-hand rail, then the arrow next to Open to work, and update your details there.
Choosing who sees that you're open to work on LinkedIn
| Setting | Who sees it | Photo frame? |
|---|---|---|
| All LinkedIn Members | Everyone, including recruiters and people at your current company | Yes, #OpenToWork |
| Recruiters only | Just people using LinkedIn Recruiter | No |
If you're between roles and happy for everyone to know, All LinkedIn Members casts the widest net, and your network can help by sharing. If you're quietly looking while employed, Recruiters only is the discreet option.
One tip from experience of watching people job hunt: whichever setting you pick, keep your preferences realistic. Listing a dozen unrelated job titles makes it harder for a recruiter to see what you're best at. Three to five closely related titles, plus the locations you'd honestly consider, tells a clearer story and tends to bring better-matched messages.
The privacy caveat if you're still employed
With Recruiters only, LinkedIn says it hides your status from Recruiter users at your current company, based on the company you've marked as your current employer. But it's also clear that it can't guarantee complete privacy. If your search would cause real trouble at work, bear that in mind before you switch it on, and keep your job titles and preferences general.
The #OpenToWork photo frame and how to remove it
Choosing All LinkedIn Members adds the green #OpenToWork frame to your profile photo. Some people love the visibility, others feel it looks a little desperate. It's your call. To change it later:
- Click your profile photo on your profile.
- Choose Frames.
- Select the original photo, then Apply.
- Choose what to do with the existing frame: remove Open to Work completely, or share it with recruiters only so other members no longer see it.
That second option is a neat way to stay findable without the frame.
Editing or switching off Open to Work
Your situation changes, so your settings should too. On your profile, click the Edit icon on the Open to Work box, update your information and save. To switch the feature off completely, click Delete. LinkedIn says you can turn it on again at any time, but your previous preferences won't be saved, so you'll need to fill them in again.
LinkedIn may also switch it off for you. Its help says that if you stop responding to recruiter InMails, it'll email you to check you're still open to work. If you don't confirm, the feature is removed until you turn it back on.
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Getting more from Open to Work on LinkedIn
- Be specific with job titles. Recruiters search for roles, so use the titles they'd type.
- Reply to recruiter messages, even to say no thanks. It keeps the feature active.
- Refresh your headline and About section so they match the roles you've listed.
- Post now and then about your work. Recruiters look at activity, not just settings.
When a recruiter does get in touch, a warm, short reply makes all the difference. My LinkedIn DM swipe file has message templates you can adapt.
Open to Work for freelancers and small business owners
Open to Work is built for job seekers. If you're a freelancer or consultant hunting for clients, your profile itself does the heavy lifting: a clear headline, services in your About section and regular posts. I've written about what your LinkedIn profile says about your business, which is a better starting point than the job-seeker frame.
If you can't find Open to Work on LinkedIn
- Look for the Open to button under your name on your profile, on desktop or in the app.
- Some members see different wording. LinkedIn's help mentions alternative labels, so look for a similar option.
- Try the Jobs tab route: Preferences, then Open to work.
- Update the app or refresh the page if the button is missing.
This guide is part of my LinkedIn Help: 28 Guides to Profile Views, Impressions, Algorithm and Account Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add Open to Work on LinkedIn?
Go to your profile, click the Open to button, choose Finding a new job, fill in the roles and locations you want, choose who can see it and click Save.
Can I hide Open to Work from my current employer?
Choose Recruiters only. LinkedIn says it hides your status from Recruiter users at your current company, but it can't guarantee complete privacy.
How do I remove the green Open to Work frame?
Click your profile photo, choose Frames, select the original photo and Apply, then remove Open to Work or switch it to recruiters only.
Does Open to Work switch itself off?
It can. If you stop replying to recruiter InMails and don't confirm when LinkedIn emails you, the feature is removed until you turn it back on.
Will my settings be saved if I turn Open to Work off?
No. LinkedIn says you can re-enable it at any time, but your previous preferences won't be saved.
