Should Unemployed Job Seekers Use "Open To Work" LinkedIn Banner - Yes Or No?

Some experts say yes - Others say no.

I'm going to take a stand and suggest ... It depends.

Here are some of the pros and cons of using an Open To Work banner on LinkedIn when you're unemployed:

• Pro: It may make you turn up more often in LinkedIn candidate searches
• Pro: Recruiters may contact you more often when you use the OTW banner
• Pro: It identifies you as immediately able to start - You won't have to give notice
• Con: You could appear as desperate to employers, which could make you a less attractive candidate
• Con: OTW is highly likely to attract the lowest quality interviews

Since there are both pros and cons to using the Open To Work Banner on your LinkedIn profile when you're unemployed, what should you do.

Whether it's helpful or hurtful for your own unemployment job search depends on these factors:

1. Is there a true shortage of candidates? During times of candidate shortages, OTW can be a big pro.
2. Is there a high number of qualified candidates? When it's easy to find qualified candidates, OTW can hurt you.
3. Is the company struggling to fill positions at year-end? OTW means you can start right away, and many employers have year-end hiring budget deadlines, and that's a big pro.
4. Are you searching for jobs at a time that's not near the calendar year end (or most common fiscal year end for your industry)? Using OTW could be more of a con than a pro.
5. Do you feel you'll get a high-quality interview through LinkedIn, with a high chance of landing a job. If yes, then it's a pro.
6. Are you more likely to get low quality compliance, comparison, courtesy interviews by recruiters contacting you through LinkedIn? If so, then OTW isn't helping, but might hurt the interviews you get through other means.

In the end, your choice whether to include the Open To Work badge on your LinkedIn profile, depends on your view of the job market, your experience with employer bias against unemployed candidates, the time of year, and if you think being recruited through LinkedIn results in high quality interviews.

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