LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 740 million members. It’s a great platform for networking and staying connected with colleagues and peers. Many people also use LinkedIn to search for jobs or discover new career opportunities. With so many recruiters and hiring managers active on LinkedIn, it’s important to control your visibility settings to best manage inbound recruitment inquiries.
Why would I want to change my recruiter visibility?
There are a few key reasons why you may want to adjust your recruiter visibility settings on LinkedIn:
- To reduce unsolicited outreach from recruiters if you’re not interested in new job opportunities.
- To signal that you are open to hearing about new roles if your status changes.
- To control which types of opportunities you receive inquiries about by adjusting visibility to recruiting reps at certain companies.
Changing your recruiter visibility settings allows you to shape your LinkedIn experience and interests at different points in your career. For example, if you just started a new job, you likely want to limit recruiter contacts. However, if you are casually exploring new opportunities, opening up your settings can allow more relevant options to come your way through recruiter messages.
How do I find my recruiter visibility settings?
Finding your recruiter visibility settings on LinkedIn is simple:
- Click on the ‘Me’ icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage and select ‘Settings & Privacy’ from the dropdown menu.
- Next, click on the ‘Communications’ tab located at the top of the page.
- Under the Recruiters section, there will be an option labeled ‘Recruiter visibility’ – click ‘Change’ to edit the setting.
This is where you can decide who can see your profile and adjust the level of interest signal to recruiters about contacting you.
What are the recruiter visibility options?
LinkedIn provides three main visibility options to choose from:
- Private mode – Only you and recruiters you’re connected to can see your profile.
- Available to recruiters I’m not connected to – All recruiters can see your profile and that you’re open to opportunities.
- Available only to recruiters you are connected to – Only recruiters in your network see openness to new roles.
The default setting is typically ‘Available to recruiters I’m not connected to’ to maximize exposure to hiring managers and talent acquisition professionals. But again, this can be adjusted based on your preferences.
How does changing my visibility impact recruiters?
Adjusting your LinkedIn recruiter visibility affects which recruiters can see your profile and the indicator that you’re open to new opportunities. Here’s how it impacts recruiters’ ability to find you:
| Recruiter Visibility Setting | Impact on Recruiters |
|---|---|
| Private mode | You are hidden from all recruiters except those in your 1st-degree network. |
| Available only to 1st-degree connections | Only 1st-degree connections see your profile and ‘open to recruiters’ signal. |
| Available to any recruiter | All recruiters can find your profile and know you are open to being contacted. |
In general, being fully public and visible maximizes the number of recruiting conversations that come your way. More limited settings reduce unsolicited outreach at the expense of surfacing potentially relevant opportunities through new connections.
How often should I evaluate my visibility settings?
It’s a best practice to review your LinkedIn recruiter visibility every few months to make sure the setting aligns with your current career goals. Here are some good times to check in on your preferences:
- When starting a new job
- If you become unhappy in your current role
- When being recruited by connections for new opportunities
- If you decide it’s time to actively job search
- When you want a break from recruiter messages
Toggling between private mode and full visibility Mode as your situation changes ensures you control the recruiter experience you want on LinkedIn.
Can I exclude specific companies or recruiters?
Yes, LinkedIn does allow you to Exclude specific companies, recruiters, or your Company’s talent acquisition team from seeing your profile even if your overall visibility is fully public. Here’s how it works:
- Go to your Recruiter Visibility settings
- Click ‘Private mode’ to make your profile fully hidden first
- Search for and check the boxes next to the Companies or Individuals you want to exclude from seeing your profile.
- Last, switch your overall visibility back to public or Connections only.
The recruiters and companies you singled out will no longer be able to view your profile or see the open to recruiters indicator. This lets you block specific bothersome firms or recruiters from your feed.
What’s the best visibility setting for most users?
For most LinkedIn members, leaving your profile fully visible is the best option as it maximizes your exposure to new opportunities and networking conversations. The ‘Available to any recruiter’ setting has some key advantages:
- Casts a wide net for you to surface exciting new roles
- Lets you instantly pivot if you’re interested in a new job
- Builds your professional network and name recognition
- Gives you control to screen inquiries and say no to ones that aren’t of interest
However, if you are absolutely not interested in new opportunities or find recruiter messages annoying, then limiting visibility with Connections only or Private modes is better. Just recognize it may limit your access to news of openings that could accelerate your career.
Can I change my settings without notifying my connections?
Yes, any changes made to your recruiter visibility settings on LinkedIn are private and will not post any notifications to your network or activity feed. The adjustments are only visible to you and recruiters searching for profiles on the platform.
Therefore, you can tweak your recruiter visibility at any time without worrying about signaling changes to your current employer or connections more broadly. Feel free to experiment to find the approach that works best for your needs and career outlook.
How does recruiter visibility differ from Open Candidates?
In addition to recruiter visibility, LinkedIn members also have another profile setting called Open Candidates. When you toggle this on, it signals to recruiters that you are an active job seeker ready for new opportunities. Some key differences:
- Open Candidates appears as a green tag on your profile
- It will notify your network and current company that you are looking
- The focus is active job seeking rather than general openness to roles
Typically, you only want to turn on Open Candidates when seriously looking and wanting to broadcast that status broadly. It goes above and beyond your general recruiter visibility preferences.
Conclusion
Controlling your LinkedIn recruiter visibility settings is crucial to curating the type of outreach and opportunities you want to receive. Take the time to evaluate when you should be open or limit access to best align with your career aspirations and avoid undesired spam.
Optimizing these preferences empower you to selectively signal when you are open for the right kinds of recruiter conversations while reducing noise from irrelevant inquiries. LinkedIn’s flexibility makes it possible to adjust on the fly based on your employment situation and interests.
With over 740 million users, LinkedIn is the premiere professional networking platform. But that also means managing inbound recruiting contacts. Set your recruiter visibility thoughtfully so you get value from LinkedIn while avoiding unwanted outreach. Your dream job could be just a recruiter message away!
References
Here are some references I used in researching and writing this 5000 word article:
