LinkedIn is a tool we use heavily here at FGS Recruitment. LinkedIn allows us to access a wider pool of passive candidates without having to rely solely on people applying for our job adverts. LinkedIn means we can be proactive when working on a role for a client and therefore we can act quickly in getting a shortlist over. The only issue with this is that just because someone has a LinkedIn profile, it doesn’t mean they are interested in leaving their current position. However, if they are interested, before now it’s been hard as a job seeker to show that you are open to new opportunities without worrying about your employer finding out. In comes LinkedIn’s new feature.
In the last quarter of 2016, LinkedIn introduced a new feature that has got us pretty excited here at FGS Recruitment, Open Candidates. In the words of LinkedIn ‘Open Candidates makes it easier to connect with your dream job by privately signalling to recruiters that you’re open to new job opportunities. You can specify the types of companies and roles you are most interested in and be easily found by the hundreds of thousands of recruiters who use LinkedIn to find great professional talent’.
To access Open Candidates, simply click on the Preferences tab on the LinkedIn Jobs homepage. To enable the feature, simply turn sharing ‘On’ and fill in the information on the types of roles you are considering. As you will see from the screenshot below you’ll be able to specify job title, whether you want to work full-time, part-time, contract, freelance or remote and when you are available to start. There is also a 300 character open box leaving you to sell your skills to recruiters and highlight anything else you are looking for.
You are also able to fill in more detailed information enabling you to get more relevant job recommendations. You can specify the locations that you want to see jobs in which is perfect if you are looking to relocate and want job recommendations for your new location. You can also specify the seniority level of the jobs you are looking for from Trainee to Executive level. Then go on to specify the industries you would like to specialise in and you can even narrow it down to the company size you would prefer to work which is perfect for those looking for jobs in start-ups or large corporate entities.
An overview of the benefits
We thought we’d outline a few benefits you’ll get from this:
The ability to quietly put yourself in front of recruiters for the exact types of jobs you want
There’s no doubt that this is going to be helpful for jobseekers and recruiters alike. Jobseekers will have the ability to really specify the type of job they are looking for therefore hopefully only receiving InMails from recruiters for relevant roles. We’d like to think you won’t be spammed with jobs that aren’t a great fit too.
The ability to get more relevant job recommendations
The job recommendations that LinkedIn put in front of you at the moment are based on the job titles that you put on your profile and may not always be completely relevant. By filling in the extended details, you will be able to specify the location, experience level, industries and company size that you want to receive job recommendations for.
The potential downsides
Whilst we think this is a great feature, there are a few potential pitfalls to be aware of:
- Whilst the fact that you are open to new opportunities is hidden from your employer, it’s of course not guaranteed that it definitely won’t get back to them. Some industries are extremely tight-knit and therefore it is possible for word to get out. This isn’t a huge risk but it is something to be mindful of.
- By switching that little toggle to let recruiters know you are looking for new opportunities, you are potentially opening yourself up to spam. We’d like to think that all recruiters will be respectful of your choices and will not waste yours and not to mention their time by only reaching out to people who are a good fit for their jobs.
- It’s our understanding that not all recruiters will have access to this. Only those who pay for LinkedIn’s Recruiter License will get access.
FGS Recruitment is a boutique recruitment agency specialising in recruiting sales and marketing jobs in our core markets of Digital Media, Learning & Development and Market Research. Keep up to date with our latest career advice articles and jobs by signing up to our newsletter and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.