Forget ‘open to work’ – job seekers embrace ‘Desperate’ labels on LinkedIn
Younger workers are leading the charge to normalize behaviors that have long been taboo in the professional world. The latest trend they’re driving is being unapologetically open about how tiresome their job searches are, and how desperate they are to get hired anywhere.
On LinkedIn, users can change their profile to display an “open to work” banner – but job seekers are now putting a banner on their profile photos that says “desperate” to make their situations abundantly clear.
It all started with a viral Linkedin post from Courtney Summer Myers, who first used the banner herself seeking work as a graphic designer or illustrator with six years of experience in print and digital.
“Being laid off doesn’t reflect a lack of skills, talent or work ethic – it’s just bad luck, she wrote. “No one should be embarrassed that they need to pay their rent and bills, support their family, or feed themselves.” The post received more than 400,000 likes, with other users in the same boat updating their pictures with the same banner.
While being out of work for a longer-than-expected period can be a red flag for some recruiters, employees publicly displaying their desperation say a tough job market and stigma around their situation is to blame rather than their lack of skills and employability.
“What’s not reality is the assumption that someone who is open to work is any less skilled or experienced than someone else with a similar skill set who happens to be employed,” said contract-based recruiter Mo Reddy, in a post with his profile photo and a banner that says “proudly open and skilled to work.”
“To those who claim it’s a sign of desperation – well, it is. When you’re struggling to make ends meet, when you need to provide for your children, and when you’re unsure how to keep a roof over your head – that is the reality,” he said.
Reddy has worked in recruitment himself for the last 15 years, typically taking on projects on a contract basis, but has been searching for a full-time role “for years now,” he said. “You can get some very lucrative contracts, but there’s no job stability,” he said.
The desperate banner also speaks to another trend on LinkedIn, where users are posting to build their personal brands among their professional networks, with more content showcasing their personalities and personal lives.
While some think posting on the platform is getting too personal, others think it’s a great tactic to really stand out while maintaining and building professional relationships. And younger workers especially value their own authenticity and using social media to show what they’re about.
Some HR professionals welcome the shift toward transparency regarding their situations, like Kaitlin Howes, HR business partner at employee experience platform Reward Gateway. “The idea of being transparent, letting people know where you’re at, what you’re looking for, creating trust, and coming from a place of openness, feels really wonderful on our end,” she said.
“I think it shows how the younger generations are more comfortable being really honest about their situation and not shying away from being open to work. There’s nothing wrong with being transparent about looking for something new,” she said. At the same time, those desperate for work actually make great candidates.
“We want you to be excited about coming to work for us. We want you to come into our interviews being your true self. And what better way to do that than to just communicate openly and transparently about where you’re at and what you need,” she said.
“Desperate people work 10x harder. Why? There’s more at stake. Isn’t it wild that ambitious, driven and well-intentioned people get rejected from jobs because they CARE too much?” Sara Dalsfelt, CMO at Adway, wrote in a Linkedin post.