Why you should update your LinkedIn even if you aren’t seeking a new role

Why should you update your LinkedIn even if you aren’t seeking a new role? Because the best time to look for a job is when you aren’t looking for a job.

This statement likely rings true for any candidates whose willingness to answer the phone for a recruiter opened a door they didn’t even know existed. But if you’re firmly planted in your current role, what’s the value in keeping an active profile on job-searching networks like LinkedIn?

In our experience, there are three reasons inactive candidates should stay open to speaking with recruiters:

1. Allow recruiters to prepare for when you do need a new role
2. Cultivate a stronger network of career-minded professionals
3. Open the door to hidden opportunities you didn’t know you wanted

But first, how can you remain accessible to recruiters without raising red flags with your current employer? The easiest way is to keep an active LinkedIn profile with up-to-date information regarding your career as well as personal contact information in your “About” section.

LinkedIn is the most consistently popular platform for recruiters and jobseekers to connect. Its direct messaging capabilities are useful for initiating a conversation, and adding contact info into your profile allows recruiters to easily get in touch.

Now, why remain open to recruiter outreach at all if you’re happy in your current role?

You should develop your recruiter connections early.

Connecting with a recruiter doesn’t have to mean showing interest in a current opportunity; having those conversations can also be part of the long-term path to your dream career.

In fact, every time you speak with a recruiter, it gives them the chance to learn about your ambitions, scope and personality. Often, they will add you to their CRM and mark your profile with keywords and information specific to your career ambitions, like location preference, ideal trajectory, etc. That way, when the perfect opportunity does arrive, they’ll be able to quickly find and contact you to gauge your interest.

Keeping an open line with recruiters helps cultivate a productive network of professionals.

You may be happy in your current role, but are your colleagues? Referrals are the secret ingredient to networking. Just because a role isn’t great for you doesn’t mean one of your connections isn’t a perfect fit. A simple phone call and polite referral for a recruiter could lead to one of your colleagues’ dream roles, and they could do the same for you down the road.

You don’t know you need a recruiter until you need a recruiter.

You may be completely satisfied with your current role, but what if the opportunity you never knew you were interested in fell into your lap?

It’s a recruiter’s job to make you aware of hidden opportunities and to help you objectively evaluate your career. The best part: Most recruiters offer career conversations, résumé workshopping and other services to candidates for free.

Our team has spent hours helping candidates prepare for roles that aren’t even with our clients, so there’s truly no harm in staying open to a conversation. Even if you aren’t ready to connect one-on-one, recruiting firms are also a one-stop shop for market insights, like compensation benchmarking, interview guides and more that help you think about your professional life in new ways.

Related: Visit our Candidate Resources webpage.

The takeaway:

Embracing career conversations not only strengthens your professional network but also positions you well for unexpected opportunities. By fostering open communication with recruiters via LinkedIn, professionals can develop relationships early and gain the necessary insight to achieve their long-term career goals.

To learn more about professional networking and development, contact Jovan Dushner at jovan.dushner@charlesaris.com or (336) 217-9162.