How to write a great “Open To Work” LinkedIn post

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to write a compelling “Open To Work” LinkedIn post!

Should you write an open-to-work post when you’ve been laid off?  In today’s job market, layoffs seem to be more and more common.  Not too long ago, people avoided sharing unfortunate news because it made them look “undesirable”.  But more recently, posts announcing that you’ve been laid off are becoming commonplace.  

On the one hand, posting that you’re unemployed broadcasts you as somehow undesirable.  Or that you’re looking for easy engagement and sympathy.  

Yet, I’ve also seen it done successfully – several of these Open To Work posts have gone viral, resulting in thousands of likes and engagement.  And with that kind of exposure, you never know who’s viewing it.  With some luck, a hiring manager may stumble across it and reach out.  It can and does happen. 

So, should you post that you’re “open to work” on LinkedIn?  I don’t think it can hurt.  But if you do so, make sure to follow some best practices. 

How to write a compelling “open to work” post on LinkedIn 

If you’re going to spend the time to do so, you’ll want to have at least some sort of audience.  If you only have 25 connections, the chances are not many will see the post.  

READ: What to do if you just got laid off? – A Life After Layoff

So build up your network a bit before you begin. 

Connect with other colleagues in your old company.  Maybe even a few of your work friends have been laid off.  Or people who remain at the company – you could find someone willing to engage on your post or maybe even forward it to their network.  You’ll probably notice some are more active than others.  Target those active ones!   

I’d also recommend joining a few groups.  Search by industry type or maybe a common interest. Your alma mater is a great place to start.  Make sure the group is active and engaged, though. Otherwise, it won’t do you much good.  

But try to find some engaged LinkedIn users to help spread your word.

Be positive – but not toxically positive.

As tempting as it may be to vent on your old employer, keep in mind the purpose of this post.  It’s to garner some attention from hiring managers.  Ideally, you’ll stay as positive as you can without sounding phony.  

After all, you experienced a trauma and need to heal.  You don’t have to talk nicely about your old employer or thank them for their time. But as your grandmother used to say, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”  

Instead, focus your energy on what you want to accomplish.  You want to stay as positive as you can, and make the best first impression you can.  

Be personable

Share a bit about you and how the layoff has impacted you – people like a personal touch, and a bit of empathy goes a long way.  But don’t overdo it with drama.  Introduce it and move on.  

Show your personality.  You’ll get more engagement if people feel like they know you already – even when they don’t because they can relate to personal stories.  

Take a picture 

A picture can go a long way to showing people the human behind the layoff. If you have something fun to share, it could be a great way to catch people’s attention. Remember, this is your personal brand.  Maybe it’s your old workspace, or you are closing your computer for the last time.  The impact that will have on your audience will help drive people to engage.  And the more that engage, the broader the audience. (and a hiring manager will likely see it!)

Tell us what you’re looking for

Focus on what the next job would ideally look like for you.  Saying that you need a job doesn’t help give context to the viewer.  Share your ideal jobs, what you’d be open to doing, and some target industries with which you’d love to get your foot in the door. 

Share what you’re great at.  

More importantly, share what you’re great at – and back it up with an antidote or two.  Hopefully, this matches well with the jobs you’d be most qualified for.  And if you can get the recruiter or hiring manager to see your post, they’ll be more interested in you if you can help them fill their role.  

Make sure your profile is optimized.

You’ve done all this great work getting people to hear your story.  But if your profile isn’t optimized, it won’t do you much good.  A recruiter or hiring manager may take a peek, realize you’re not a fit, and move on quickly.  What a great opportunity wasted!  

Complete your profile, add an excellent headshot, and tell them you’ve accomplished great things.  The goal is to get them to call you for an interview, so help them help you.  

If you’re unsure how to set up an optimized LinkedIn profile, check out my course, Unlocking LinkedIn.  It’s designed for the job seeker to get those hiring managers and recruiters to find you!   

Don’t just stop at the initial post – keep the conversation going.  If your initial message was successful, you’ve likely gained a few new connections interested in your story.  Keep telling them more! 

Share the progress on your job search.  Keep it lighthearted, personable, and real.  Sometimes you’ll struggle. Sometimes you’ll get frustrated.  But sharing your journey with others will help keep you in front of your new connections.   And ideally, you are well on your way to your next opportunity!

PS…you can follow me on Linkedin as well!

Don’t say you’re desperate – even when you are! 

Sharing that you’re in dire need of a job or are willing to take ANYTHING devalues you and makes you look less attractive to an employer. Not to mention, it isn’t likely to attract the right job opportunities.  Nobody wants to feel like they are a pity-hire.  

Even if your situation is stormy, share what you’ve been doing and your hopes for the future. Always remember what you post becomes your brand.  How do you want your network to view you?  As in control or desperate?   

Sample Linkedin Post

I’m sad to announce that the layoffs at Amazon, which have affected many great employees, have finally caught up with me. While I am still processing the whirlwind of emotions, I wanted to thank the members of my team who helped me grow professionally over the past three years.  

As a Senior Technical Recruiter, I impacted hiring on the Ops Tech team, filling over 15 SDE and Mobile roles in the last quarter. I also decreased my time-to-fill to only 38 days, achieving one of the best metrics in my cluster.  

While it will be sad not to log into our daily team calls and carry on the banter, I’m excited about what’s to come next.  

My core competencies include experience with Workday, Lever, Greenhouse, Beamery, and ADP.   I’m particularly adept at finding mobile software engineers (full and backend), Systems Development Engineers, and DevOps (with a focus on Linux and AWS).

So if you need a talented Senior Technical Recruiter, I’d love to chat more about how I can help your team achieve its goals!       

And that’s how to write a great “Open To Work” LinkedIn post!

Learn how to create a compelling LinkedIn profile.

If you want your open-to-work posts to actually be effective, make sure you have a great profile. And while you’re at it, build some robust networks because you don’t want all this new traffic to go to waste!

Not sure where to start your LinkedIn journey? Check out my course, Unlocking LinkedIn.

I created it to help job seekers stand out and have recruiters start to find them instead of relying on applying fo jobs. Trust me; it’s way easier to get hired when you’re being chased instead of doing the chasing!

Till next time!