Having an “Open to Work” status on LinkedIn can be a great way to passively look for new job opportunities. However, it does raise the question – can your current employer see that you have your profile set to “Open to Work”? The short answer is maybe. Here’s a more in-depth look at how LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature works and whether your boss can see that your profile is open to new opportunities.
What is LinkedIn’s Open to Work Feature?
LinkedIn introduced the Open to Work profile photo frame and status in 2020. It allows members to discretely signal to recruiters and their network that they are interested in new job opportunities.
When you toggle your Open to Work settings on LinkedIn, here’s what changes:
– Your profile photo gains an Open to Work frame that says “Open to work”
– The Open to Work status appears at the top of your profile stating you are open to new opportunities
– A career interests section is added under your name indicating your preferred job titles, types, locations etc.
The idea is to passively advertise that you are open to being contacted about new roles while still employed.
Who Can See Your Open to Work Status?
By default, your Open to Work status and photo frame are visible to all LinkedIn members. However, you can adjust the visibility in your settings. You have 3 options:
1. Your LinkedIn network only
2. Recruiters only
3. Everyone on LinkedIn
Most people restrict it to recruiters or just their connections for discretion.
Can Your Current Employer See You Are Open to Work?
Whether your boss can see your Open to Work depends on your employer’s LinkedIn access and your visibility settings. Here are the key factors:
If Your Boss is Connected to You on LinkedIn
If you are connected to your boss or other coworkers on LinkedIn, then they will be able to see your Open to Work status and photo frame if your visibility is set to “Your network”.
To hide it from your connections, you would need to change the visibility to “Recruiters only”.
If Your Company Uses LinkedIn Recruiter
Many companies now use LinkedIn’s Recruiter platform to source and manage candidates. LinkedIn Recruiter gives them advanced access including viewing profiles of anyone on LinkedIn regardless of connections.
So if you have your profile open to recruiters, your boss and talent team will likely be able to see your Open to Work status even if not connected on LinkedIn.
If Your Boss Has a Personal LinkedIn Profile
If your boss has their own personal LinkedIn profile (not a company page), then they can freely view anyone else’s profile and Open to Work status, again regardless of connections.
The only way to block them would be to change the visibility to “Only people who don’t have your contact info”. But this also limits visibility to recruiters.
If Your Company Restricts LinkedIn Access
Some companies block access to LinkedIn on their corporate network and devices. So your boss might not be able to see your profile and Open to Work status from work. But they could still view it from a personal device and network.
5 Ways to Keep Your Open to Work Status More Private
If you want to keep your job search discreet while employed, here are some tips on how to utilize LinkedIn’s Open to Work without your employer finding out:
1. Set Profile to Recruiters Only
Change the visibility of your Open to Work status to be viewable by recruiters only. This removes it from your LinkedIn connections’ visibility including your boss and coworkers.
2. Connect with Recruiters at Other Companies
Proactively connect with recruiters at companies you want to work for. This allows them to view your full profile with Open to Work visibility.
3. Utilize Private Mode
LinkedIn’s private mode lets you browse profiles and jobs incognito. Your boss won’t get notified if you view their profile.
4. Limit Sharing Job Changes
When you do get a new job, you can limit notifications to only those you choose or select “Notify your network except…”.
5. Remove Open to Work When Not Searching
You can toggle your Open to Work status on and off. Turn it off when not actively searching.
Downsides of Open to Work While Employed
While Open to Work can expand your job search, there are some risks to weigh if you want to keep looking discreet:
– Your boss may find out and take it negatively
– Future employers may see you looked while employed
– You may get more recruiter contacts than expected
– Requires keeping your profile updated and monitoring privacy
Some alternatives like a private job search status don’t advertise your search as openly.
Can You Get Fired for Open to Work?
Many employees wonder if having an Open to Work status is grounds for termination. Here are a few key considerations:
At-Will Employment
If you are in an at-will employment state, your employer can fire you for any non-discriminatory reason or no stated reason at all. However, they still can’t fire you for illegal reasons around protected classes.
Perception Issues
Your boss may see Open to Work as a sign of disloyalty or disengagement. But there are no laws saying you can’t look for other jobs while employed. Many use it to find better culture/work-life fit.
Retaliation Concerns
Firing someone explicitly for Open to Work may constitute retaliation which has more legal risks. Employers normally need legitimate performance reasons to terminate.
Overall the legal risks around firing for Open to Work specifically are low in most cases. But perception issues are still something to consider.
Employment Contracts
If you have an employment contract, it may prohibit actively job searching while employed. But most employees are at-will without contracts limiting outside search.
Best Practices for Open to Work While Employed
Here are some best practices to utilize LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature discreetly while maintaining your current job:
– Keep your LinkedIn profile professional not personal
– Be selective connecting with coworkers
– Use private mode to browse anonymously
– Set profile to “Recruiters only” visibility
– Limit notifications when you do get a new role
– Proactively reach out to companies and recruiters
– Toggle Open to Work off when not actively looking
– Focus on culture/skills fit not compensation
The key is being thoughtful about your privacy settings and recruiter visibility. With some adjustments, Open to Work can connect you to new opportunities without your current employer finding out.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key takeaways on whether your boss can see your Open to Work status:
– Visibility depends on your Open to Work privacy settings
– Bosses can see Open to Work if profile is open to your LinkedIn network
– Having a personal LinkedIn profile allows viewing anyone’s
– Company LinkedIn Recruiter accounts can see all profiles
– Blocking visibility limits exposure to recruiters as well
– At-will employment means few legal protections if fired for job searching
– Retaliation risks still make termination unlikely solely for Open to Work
While Open to Work improves discoverability for new roles, it does potentially risk your current employer finding out. Adjusting the visibility settings and being thoughtful about connections can help maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about employer visibility of the Open to Work feature:
Can my employer’s HR see I’m open to work?
If your company’s HR department uses LinkedIn Recruiter or has their own LinkedIn profiles, then yes they can see your Open to Work status if you have it set to be visible to recruiters or your full network.
Is my boss notified if I set my profile to Open to Work?
No, LinkedIn does not proactively notify your boss or connections when you toggle your profile to Open to Work. But it does become visible on your profile to those you allow access.
Can my old coworkers from previous jobs see my Open to Work status?
Yes, previous coworkers you are connected with on LinkedIn will be able to see Open to Work if your settings make it visible to “Your LinkedIn network”.
Is it illegal for my company to fire me if they see I’m Open to Work?
In most cases it is not illegal if you are an at-will employee without an employment contract. However, they can’t fire you for discriminatory reasons. Firing only for Open to Work may raise retaliation concerns.
Should I tell my manager if I change my LinkedIn to Open to Work?
That’s a personal decision. Some feel it’s more transparent to tell their manager. Others keep it private to maintain discretion. There are pros and cons to each approach to weigh.
Conclusion
Having your LinkedIn profile set to Open to Work can certainly get you more visibility with recruiters. However, it does run the risk of being seen by your current boss and coworkers. Carefully considering the visibility settings, your connections, and company LinkedIn access can help maximize exposure to opportunities while reducing exposure to your employer.
While rare, some companies may view Open to Work negatively or even consider firing an employee for actively seeking other jobs. More commonly it can lead to perception issues around loyalty and performance. There are legal risks around retaliation but at-will employment grants companies wide latitude otherwise.
In the end, the decision on whether to use Open to Work depends on your personal priorities, risk tolerance, and employment specifics. Adjusting the visibility setting is key, but ultimately you have to weigh the pros and cons of discreetly signaling you are open to new career options.