How to Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn in 2023: A Step-by-Step Guide

The “Open to Work” status and photo frame on LinkedIn allow you to privately signal to recruiters that you’re interested in new job opportunities. But what if you want to remove or turn off the “Open to Work” indicator from your profile? Here is a step-by-step guide for remove Open to Work on LinkedIn in 2023, using both desktop and mobile.

Overview of Removing “Open to Work” on LinkedIn

LinkedIn introduced the “Open to Work” feature in 2016 to provide an easy way for members to indicate they are passively or actively job searching.

Displaying the “Open to Work” status and photo frame allows recruiters to discover you as a candidate for open roles they are trying to fill. It essentially puts your profile on recruiters’ radars.

However, there are many reasons why you may eventually want to remove the “Open to Work” indicator, such as:

• You found a new job and are no longer looking
• You are taking a break from job-seeking for personal reasons
• You are receiving too many recruiting messages and need a break
• You are no longer interested in new opportunities
• Do you want to change the types of roles suggested to you
• You want to update your job search preferences
• You want to temporarily be “selective” about being contacted

Fortunately, LinkedIn makes it easy to remove the “Open to Work” status and associated photo frame graphic from your profile.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover step-by-step instructions for both desktop and mobile.

Also read: Seamless LinkedIn Login: Setup, Security, and Troubleshooting

How to Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn Using Desktop

If you activated “Open to Work” on the LinkedIn website originally, follow these steps to remove it from your desktop:

• Log into your LinkedIn account on a computer and go to your profile page.
• Click the “More” icon near your profile photo and select Settings & Privacy.

• In the left sidebar menu, click Job seeking preferences.
• Under the Open to Work section, click the switch to turn it from blue (On) to gray (Off).
• The “Open to Work” status will now be removed from your profile.
• To also remove the “Open to Work” photo frame, click Profile in the left menu bar.
• Hover over your profile photo and click the pencil (edit) icon.
• Click the X icon on the “Open to Work” photo frame to delete it.
• Click Save.

That’s it! The “Open to Work” status and photo frame should now be completely removed from your LinkedIn profile.

The change may take a few hours to reflect on your public profile. But recruiters will no longer see the “Open to Work” indicator.

Next, let’s look at how to remove “Open to Work” using the LinkedIn mobile app.

Removing “Open to Work” on LinkedIn via the Mobile App

If you originally turned on “Open to Work” through the LinkedIn mobile app, follow these steps:

1. Launch the LinkedIn app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Tap on your profile icon at the top of your feed.
3. Tap on the Settings and Privacy option.
4. Tap Job Seeking Preferences.
5. Toggle the switch off next to Open to Work to disable your status.
6. To also remove the photo frame, tap Manage your Profile.
7. Tap the pencil icon to edit your profile photo.
8. Tap the X icon in the top corner of the “Open to Work” frame to delete it.
9. Tap Save to confirm the changes.

The “Open to Work” indicator should now be gone from your profile on mobile. You’ve successfully turned off and removed the status and photo frame!

Also read: How to Repost on LinkedIn in 2023 – A Complete Guide

Answering Common Questions About Removing “Open to Work”

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about deleting the “Open to Work” status on LinkedIn:

Reasons to Remove or Turn Off “Open to Work” on LinkedIn

There are several reasons you may want to remove or temporarily turn off the “Open to Work” status indicator on your LinkedIn profile:

• You’re no longer looking for opportunities – If you secured a new job or want to stay in your current role, removing your status signals you are no longer on the job market.
• You need a break from recruiting messages – Keeping your status on may lead to an overwhelming volume of recruiters contacting you. Turning it off gives you a break.
• You want to be selective about opportunities – Removing the status allows you to be choosier about responding only to roles you’re interested in.
• You don’t want your employer to know you’re looking – If your search is confidential, deleting the status keeps it private from your boss and coworkers.
• You want to re-configure your preferences – Turning it off allows you to update and refine your job search preferences.
• You’re receiving irrelevant opportunities – Removing it gives you a chance to update your profile and settings to change the roles suggested to you.
• You’re focused on a promotion – Taking it down signals you’re committed to growth opportunities internally vs. external roles.
• You need a personal break from job seeking – Disabling your status allows you to pause your search for a period of time without going cold turkey.

These are just some of the motivations for removing “Open to Work”. It can serve many purposes beyond fully exiting the job market.

Also read: Does LinkedIn Have Read Receipts?

Should You Display Your Status Again Later?

If you end up removing your “Open to Work” status for a period of time, when should you consider displaying it on your profile again? Here are some signs it may be time to re-enable it:

• You’ve recharged and are ready to resume your search
• Key projects wrapped up or hit milestones so you have more bandwidth
• You want to explore opportunities while remaining employed
• Your LinkedIn profile needs a refresh to attract recruiter interest
• You haven’t been contacted about interesting roles in a while
• Your skills and experience have expanded since you last looked
• You feel fully ready to take the next step in your career
• External factors make you more open (job market shifts, layoffs, etc.)
• You want to be proactive about your career rather than reactive

Turning your status back on sends the green light to recruiters that you are open and eager to land that next great opportunity.

Just be mindful about keeping your preferences updated and having a strategy for managing any influx of messages. Leverage LinkedIn tools like customized visibility, InMail filters, and status updates to optimize your search.

Also read: LinkedIn Follow vs Connect: A Complete Guide to Maximizing Your Professional Network

Tips for Temporarily Removing “Open to Work”

Instead of fully removing your “Open to Work” status, here are some tips for temporarily dialing it back on LinkedIn:

• Update visibility to limit who sees your status
• Change preferences to “open to being contacted” only
• Remove the “Open to Work” photo frame only
• Turn off notifications for Messages and activity
• Update your status with “Taking a brief break – back soon”
• Leverage automated “Out of Office” reply for InMails
• Ask contacts to pause referrals/recommendations temporarily
• Alter your notification settings so you check less frequently
• Use filters, saved replies, and dismiss features to manage volume

Using these techniques allows you to briefly pause or throttle down your search so you can take a break without going completely dark to recruiters and opportunities.

Alternatives to Show You’re Open to Work

Beyond the official “Open to Work” status, here are other ways to signal you’re open or passively looking:

• List “Open to New Opportunities” in your headline or summary
• Include your desired job title or role type in your profile
• Share industry news and achievements to showcase expertise
• Join niche professional groups related to your target field
• Connect with corporate recruiters and hiring managers
• Attend industry events and conferences
• Complete courses and certificates to show a learning mindset
• Like and comment on content from target employers
• Follow company pages to get on their radar
• Turn on notifications for new job postings matching your profile

Using these proactive but less overt tactics keeps you visible to the right audiences. You maintain professional networking momentum while dialing back the high-volume recruiter outreach.

Outreach Etiquette if Removing Status

If you decide to remove your LinkedIn “Open to Work” status after engaging with recruiters, use these etiquette tips:

• Politely reply that you’re pausing your search if asked
• Provide context if there’s a recruiter relationship – “Taking a short break to focus on the current role but let’s reconnect in a few months!”
• Disable notifications and mute conversations instead of ignoring
• Update your mailbox autoresponse to acknowledge the change
• Reply once more if contacted again after removal – “Profile is now passively open as I removed my job-seeking status FYI”
• Enable the “Dismiss” feature to gently close stale conversations
• If overwhelmed, clear out your message queue and start fresh
• Consider limiting InMail to 2nd-degree connections if the volume is unmanageable
• Briefly explain why you have a strong rapport with a recruiter

The goal is to gradually phase out conversations versus going cold turkey. With care and communication, you can remove your status smoothly.

Also read: How to Download Video from LinkedIn in 2023 – A Step-by-Step Guide

Mistakes to Avoid When Removing “Open to Work”

Here are some mistakes to avoid when removing your LinkedIn “Open to Work” status:

• Assuming every recruiter will instantly know your status changed
• Abruptly ignoring conversations without explanation
• Forgetting to disable notifications so you keep getting contacted
• Updating preferences but forgetting to remove the photo frame
• Turning off visibility but leaving status active
• Removing status but not updating your headline/summary
• Disabling status temporarily but forgetting to ever re-enable it
• Removing prematurely without having alternative plans for networking
• Updating settings on mobile app but forgetting to change desktop
• Turning off your status and neglecting your LinkedIn activity altogether

With some care and communication, you can thoughtfully remove your “Open to Work” indicator while maintaining your professional connections and visibility.

Key Takeaways for Removing “Open to Work” on LinkedIn

To recap, here are the key takeaways for successfully removing your LinkedIn “Open to Work” status and photo frame:

• Toggle the status off and delete the frame via desktop or mobile app settings
• Give the change 24 hours to fully take effect across LinkedIn
• Politely wrap up active recruiter conversations and explain why
• Consider ways to be “open” but more selective if fully removing
• You can always re-enable the status in the future when ready
• Keep networking activity momentum through other engagement
• Manage notifications and mute conversations to control volume
• Take the opportunity to refine your profile and job preferences

With the right technique, removing “Open to Work” allows you to take a purposeful break and shift your LinkedIn approach at any point during your search.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The ability to easily remove the “Open to Work” status and associated photo frame on LinkedIn is a valuable tool for managing job search progress.

As needs change, being able to dial your visibility and recruiter engagement up or down keeps your search productive.

Now that you know how to disable your status on both desktop and mobile, you can take control over when and how recruiters interact with your profile.

Next, consider how you might want to refine your LinkedIn profile, settings, groups, and job preferences now that the status is removed.

Make the most of any break from active searching to prepare your profile to attract relevant new opportunities when you are ready again.

Best of luck with your job-seeking journey, wherever it takes you next!

Frequently Asked Questions