You’re setting up your LinkedIn profile during your job search, and you see that little green “Open to Work” banner.
Should you turn it on?
It seems like a no-brainer, right?
You’re looking.
You want people to know.
You want recruiters to see you’re available.
So you click it.
And then… nothing happens.
Or worse the calls you were getting before suddenly stop.
The recruiters who used to reach out go silent.
Your inbox that used to have at least some activity? Crickets.
I get asked about this feature all the time.
And I wish I could give you a simple yes or no answer.
But here’s the truth:
It might help you. Or it might hurt you.
It really does depend on your situation.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: that green banner doesn’t just tell recruiters you’re looking. It tells everyone in your network.
Your current employer (if applicable). Your colleagues. Your industry connections.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what you want.
But sometimes? It’s not.
I’ve had clients who turned on the public banner and immediately got contacted by their network with referrals and introductions. The banner worked exactly as intended it activated their community.
But I’ve also had clients who turned it on and watched their opportunities dry up.
One client told me she’d been getting 2-3 recruiter messages a week before she turned it on.
Within two weeks of that green banner going live? Nothing. Zero messages.
She turned it off. Within days, the recruiter messages started coming back.
So what changed?
The perception.
When you have that banner up publicly, some recruiters and hiring managers start making assumptions. And not always the right ones.
If you’ve been wondering whether that banner is helping or hurting your job search, I’m going to walk you through exactly what’s happening behind the scenes and what I now tell my clients to do instead.
In my next email, I’ll explain why most people misunderstand what LinkedIn actually is (and why that matters for your banner decision).
Because once you understand how recruiters are really using the platform, the banner question becomes a lot clearer.
Let’s make sure your LinkedIn is working for you, not against you.