How LinkedIn can now help you look for a job behind your boss’ back
The professional network’s new feature, Open Candidates, allows users to let recruiters know they’re open to opportunities while keeping their current employer in the dark
LinkedIn has long been a way to show your resumé to other companies or recruiters without hanging out a “for hire” sign that your boss can see. Now it’s launching a way to let recruiters know you’re open to considering other jobs – and do so privately, the company says.
The professional social network recently announced a new feature it has been testing, called Open Candidates, which allows users to flip a switch under the “preferences” tab that tells recruiters they’re open to job opportunities.
Recruiters who pay for LinkedIn’s premium service will then see a tab in their search results that lists profiles of those who have turned on the signal, connecting them with what LinkedIn calls “warm” talent. Others won’t be able to see if a user has turned on the feature, and LinkedIn hides the signal from recruiters at an individual’s own company or its subsidiaries.
The move is an interesting one for LinkedIn, which grew into a giant in the recruiting world because of the access it gave recruiters to millions of desirable “passive candidates” who are not actively job hunting.