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He had every right to look for a new job but it was a huge risk to make that public!
By NyRee Ausler — Written on May 15, 2023
In 2022, 60% of workers reported being detached emotionally from their jobs and 19% were downright miserable. When you decide that you simply cannot continue to work at your place of employment, most people will tell you not to quit until you have a new job lined up.
But looking for a new job while still working is delicate since most employers will view your job search as disloyal, as one man who was loud and proud about his efforts found out.
A man was fired after listing that he was 'open to work' on LinkedIn.
In a video shared by Dilara Casey, a TikTok user who shares advice on work-related matters, the situation that led to an unhappy employee’s termination was detailed.
She started by saying, “If you’re actively looking for a job right now, I have a story that you need to hear.”
Casey went on to tell the story of a man who is a ‘cautionary tale’ for all jobseekers who are currently employed.
A Software Developer living in Cincinnati, Ohio decided to change his green ‘open to work’ banner on LinkedIn, letting everyone who visited his profile know that he was seeking new employment and open to hearing about new opportunities.
Unfortunately for him, his boss got wind of his desire to move on and decided to backfill his position. The company began interviewing replacements for him and once one was found, fired him.
According to the post the man shared on LinkedIn about the circumstances, he was not even given an opportunity to explain and his family of four was left without a reliable income.
Though any related posts have been deleted on LinkedIn, another TikToker called ‘Recruiter Liz’ shared screenshots.
In Casey’s video, she explained that Ohio is an ‘at-will’ state and that an employer can let you go at their discretion for any reason (as long as it’s not discriminatory). She told viewers that there is a big difference between updating your public ‘open to work’ banner on LinkedIn and changing the configurations on the back end so only recruiters know you are seeking employment.
By announcing his desires openly, the man left himself vulnerable to the interpretation of his employer. Imagine their surprise when they took a look and saw that although they were actively partnering with him as an employee and likely planning for the future with him, he was trying to jump ship. Any employer in the same situation would start looking for a backup plan.
The lesson here is that unless you are unemployed, freelancing, or have let your job know you are looking to move on, you should never change your LinkedIn banner to ‘open to work.’
Instead, go into your settings and change your job-seeking status privately, letting only recruiters know that you are open to work. Be aware that the feature is not fool-proof and although LinkedIn does its best to make sure your current company or its employees are not privy to your actions, the information can fall through the cracks. In ‘Recruiter Liz’s’ video, she walks you through changing your status step-by-step.
The bottom line is that employees are looking to get away from toxic work environments, micromanagers, a lack of appreciation, and disrespect, while making sure it doesn’t impact them financially. Employers are on high alert when it comes to disloyal employees, outspoken workers, and a lack of reliable talent.
The best course of action, when possible, is to be open and honest so everyone knows where they stand in the employee-employer relationship.
NyRee Ausler is a writer and author from Seattle. She covers issues navigating the workplace using the experience garnered over two decades of working in Human Resources & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.