The Passive Job Seeker's Guide to LinkedIn

"Not long ago, I worked with an executive who was nervous about updating his LinkedIn profile. He worried their boss would assume they were planning to leave. I encouraged him to do it anyway. A funny thing happened: Their boss noticed, pulled them aside, and asked why they were refreshing their profile. Instead of leading to suspicion, it sparked a conversation about their value to the company. Within weeks, he got a raise."

"The #OpenToWork mistake If you are passively looking, avoid the green #OpenToWork banner. That signal is loud, public, and sends a message of urgency. It can even make you look less valuable, and it will almost certainly alert your coworkers and boss. Not a good idea. Instead, use LinkedIn's private "Open to New Opportunities" setting. You turn it on by clicking the "Open To" button and selecting "Finding a New Job.""

Updating a LinkedIn profile serves as professional branding and can create opportunities rather than signaling disloyalty. Passive job seekers should avoid the visible green #OpenToWork banner because it signals urgency, can reduce perceived value, and alerts coworkers and bosses. Enabling LinkedIn's private "Open to New Opportunities" setting lets recruiters at other companies find candidates without notifying the current employer. Recruiters and HR at other companies will see the setting while recruiters at the current company typically will not. Profile elements such as photo, headline, and About text should remain professional and emphasize value.

Read at Inc