Key Takeaways:
- Harness the Power: Use LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” feature to target job seekers who are ready and willing to engage directly.
- Combine and Conquer: Enhance your search accuracy by combining “Open to Work” with other LinkedIn filters and Boolean searches.
- Engage Effectively: Focus on building relationships and personalizing communications to convert potential candidates into actual hires.
If you are on a quest to find tools to help you identify potential candidates you are in the right place. In this article, we will cover how to use the Open to Work feature to target those who are actively signaling their availability and interest in new opportunities.
Understanding LinkedIn’s Open to Work Feature
What is the Open to Work Feature?
Imagine you’re browsing through a crowd and some individuals have a badge saying “Talk to Me!” That’s essentially what the “Open to Work” feature does on LinkedIn. It allows users to add a frame to their profile picture or make a public declaration in their headline that they’re seeking new job opportunities. This is the way LinkedIn members signal their interest in being approached for a job.
Importance for Recruiters
Why is this important for you? Because it saves you a lot of time in trying to identify who is or isn’t interested in an open role.
Using the “Open to Work” feature significantly narrows down the search to those who are more likely to respond, thereby speeding up the recruitment process.
Plus, it increases the relevance score. It ensures that the effort put into outreach is directed towards individuals already open to new roles, not chasing people who will ghost your messages.
Moreover, as of 2024, over 100 million LinkedIn members worldwide have enabled the “Open to Work” feature.
You can also read more about it on the How to Use LinkedIn Recruiter – All You Need to Know | LinkMatch.
Setting Up and Using the LinkedIn Open-to-Work Filter
Activating the Open-to-Work Filter
Getting started with the “Open to Work” filter is straightforward. Here’s how:
- On LinkedIn, navigate to the ‘Jobs’ tab and then to ‘Job Preferences’.
- Enable the feature by setting your job preferences to “Open to Work”.
- Specify the types of roles and the geographic locations you are targeting to tailor the feature to your specific needs.
You can also check this article – How to Search for Candidates on LinkedIn | LinkMatch – to identify other ways in which you can source potential candidates.
Combining Open to Work with Other Filters
Using “Open to Work” is great, but it is just the first step. To maximize its potential, we recommend combining it with other filters.
Here’s how you can blend “Open to Work” with other filters effectively, along with four practical examples to illustrate these strategies:
- Location + Open to Work: Combine geographic filters with “Open to Work” to find candidates open to opportunities in specific areas. For example, if you’re looking for a software developer in New York, your search might look like the location: “New York” AND “Open to Work”.
- Industry + Open to Work: Target candidates within a particular industry who are also signaling their openness to work. This is particularly useful in niche markets. For instance, you could target healthcare professionals in biotechnology with a search like: industry: “Biotechnology” AND “Open to Work”.
- Job Title + Open to Work: This combination helps pinpoint candidates who are not only open to new roles but also have specific titles in their current or past jobs. For example, if you need an experienced project manager, your search query could be title: “Project Manager” AND “Open to Work.”
Enhancing Search Precision
You can get even further and refine your search precision. Here are some examples of how you can do that:
- Skills and Certifications + Open to Work: Target candidates who not only indicate their availability but also possess specific skills or certifications critical for the role. For instance, if you are searching for a network engineer with Cisco certifications, your search could be framed as: skills:”Cisco Certified” AND “Open to Work”.
- Years of Experience + Open to Work: This filter combination allows you to focus on candidates with a certain level of experience who are open to new opportunities. For example, to find senior accountants with at least 5 years of experience, you might use: experience:5-years AND “Open to Work”.
- Education Level + Open to Work: If educational background is a key factor for the role, combine the education filter with “Open to Work” to find candidates who meet your academic requirements. A search for candidates with a Master’s degree in Business Administration might look like: education:”MBA” AND “Open to Work”.
- Past Companies + Open to Work: If previous employment at specific companies is indicative of the candidate’s ability and experience, use this filter along with “Open to Work.” For instance, finding a software developer who has worked at top tech firms can be streamlined by searching: past-company:(Google OR Apple) AND “Open to Work”.
Engaging with Open to Work Candidates
Crafting Personalized Outreach Messages
Finding them is the first step, reaching out to them is the one that will decide if they will become candidates for your open roles.
The keyword here is personalization. We all know how much we hate receiving messages that feel like copy-paste.
Here are 6 elements that you should take into account before sending an outreach message. Consider this as your checklist:
- Acknowledgment of Their Status: Start by acknowledging that you noticed their “Open to Work” status. This shows that you are reaching out with a purpose and respect their current career intentions.
Example: “Hi [Name], I noticed your profile has the ‘Open to Work’ badge, and I wanted to reach out with an exciting opportunity that seems to align with your career goals.”
- Specific Reference to Their Skills or Experience: Mention specific skills, experiences, or achievements listed on their profile that make them a good fit for the role. This demonstrates that your message isn’t generic but tailored to them.
Example: “Your extensive experience with Java and your recent project management role at [Previous Company] caught my eye because these are key areas we value in our new team member for the upcoming IT project.”
- Connection to the Job Opportunity: Clearly explain how their background is relevant to the job you are recruiting for. Make a direct connection between their skills and the job requirements.
Example: “We are looking for someone who can leverage their expertise in digital marketing to drive our online presence, and your successful campaign at [Previous Company] is exactly the kind of experience we need.”
- Warm, Inviting Tone: Use a conversational and friendly tone that invites dialogue. Make them feel that this isn’t just another recruitment message, but a personal invitation to discuss a potentially great opportunity.
Example: “I’d love to chat over coffee or a call to hear more about your goals and discuss how this role might be a great fit. What’s the best way for me to get a few minutes on your calendar this week?”
- Call to Action: End with a clear, simple call to action that encourages them to respond. Whether it’s replying to the email, connecting on LinkedIn, or setting up a phone call, make sure they know what the next step is.
Example: “Could you share a convenient time to talk, or feel free to call me directly at [Your Phone Number]? I’m looking forward to hearing from you!”
Building Relationships with Active Job Seekers
To increase the chances of receiving a reply to your message you should also include in your recruitment strategy building relationships with active job seekers.
Interact on their posts, leave comments, and offer valuable resources such as tips for improving LinkedIn profiles, resume writing help, or invitations to webinars and online courses.
Enhancing Recruitment Management with LinkMatch
To be able to do all of the above you definitely need to integrate your CRM with LinkMatch.
LinkMatch helps you track and manage your candidates’ interactions and optimize your recruitment workflow.
If you are looking to streamline various stages of the hiring process, from initial contact to final hire you must look into LinkMatch’s CRM extension.
Conclusion
Leveraging LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” feature effectively transforms the recruitment process by connecting you directly with active job seekers. As a recruiter or hiring manager, incorporating this tool into your recruitment strategy ensures a higher rate of engagement and potential hires. Start integrating these techniques today to revolutionize how you find and attract top talent.
FAQs: Using LinkedIn’s Open to Work Feature for Candidate Search
What is the LinkedIn Open to Work filter?
The LinkedIn Open to Work filter is a feature that lets users publicly or privately indicate they are seeking new job opportunities, making them more visible to recruiters.
How do I activate the LinkedIn Open to Work filter?
To activate the LinkedIn Open to Work filter, go to your LinkedIn profile, click on the ‘Me’ icon, then ‘View Profile’, and select ‘Open to Work’ to configure your job preferences.
Can I combine the Open to Work filter with other LinkedIn filters?
Yes, you can combine the Open to Work filter with other LinkedIn filters such as location, industry, and job title filters to refine your search and find ideal candidates more efficiently.
What are the benefits of using the Open to Work filter for recruiting?
Using the Open to Work filter helps recruiters quickly identify candidates who are actively looking for new opportunities, streamlining the hiring process and increasing response rates.
How should I approach candidates who use the Open to Work filter?
Approach Open to Work candidates with personalized messages that reference their skills and experience and clearly explain how these align with the job opportunity to increase engagement.
This article is part of the comprehensive guide on LinkedIn Recruiting Strategies. Read our related content on Searching for Candidates, Linkedin Networking for Recruiters, LinkedIn Groups, Strategies for Searching Passive Candidates on LinkedIn, Gender Diversity in Recruitment: Best Practices Using LinkedIn, Advanced LinkedIn Search Operators and Filters, Utilizing LinkedIn Analytics for Recruitment Success, and Leveraging LinkedIn Recommendations and Endorsements for Recruitment.
