LinkedIn is one of the best platforms for searching for job opportunities for anyone. It is why people nowadays have a LinkedIn account with their regular job search. But while creating your profile, it might not be the best idea to write “actively seeking new job opportunities on LinkedIn”.
While the phrase is straightforward, it may come off as somewhat desperate to the reader. Besides, it is hardly even relevant to the employers as there is no way that they would ever search such a keyword. In this article, you can see why you shouldn’t use this phrase and what you could use in its place instead.
How Does “Actively Seeking New Job Opportunities” Sound?
The tone of the phrase “actively seeking new job opportunities” is slightly desperate and aggressive. It does mean well on your part, but the employer might not understand the meaning.
Also, if you use the phrase in your LinkedIn profile, it would throw you in the pool of desperate job seekers. In such a case, the employer would think that you desperately need the job and they do not need your expertise.
Such an impression cannot be positive, hence such phrases must get avoided. So it is best to stay away from the phrase in your LinkedIn Profile for good measure. If you truly need to, you could add the phrase in your profile summary instead.
Should You Use It In Your LinkedIn Profile?
While there is much debate on whether you should use the phrase, the best advice you would hear is to stay away from it. It is generally best to stay away from the phrase for a few reasons. We have listed some of these reasons below so you can see why you shouldn’t use the phrase:
- The phrase makes you a part of a large pool of job seekers. It somehow signals the employer that you need the job desperately by all means. It somehow degrades your value in the mind of the employer. Although it does not have a direct correlation with your skills and experience, it is still not ideal. It could still tarnish the employer’s view of you for such a trivial reason, harming you in the end.
- The phrase in your LinkedIn profile might not harm you, but it won’t do much good either. When employers search for a potential candidate for their job opening, they use keywords for it. Such keywords help them single out the best candidate from many. But nobody searches “actively seeking new job opportunities” as a keyword. So the presence of the phrase is practically pointless.
- It would not only be weak in impact but also seem like you are somewhat desperate for the work. So the employer might think that they have leverage over you and overlook your skills. It would make you the part of a big unemployed crowd and you won’t be able to shine in it. So you must opt for a phrase that better displays your current employment status.
How Could You Replace The Phrase Or Use It Differently?
If you still want to put the phrase somewhere in your profile, you could do so. Go in your profile summary and add the phrase in a sentence. It will help you avoid sounding too desperate while still having the phrase in your profile.
But, you could also mention your job status when you communicate with the employer. If you get in touch with an employer who wants to interview you, you can then mention your status.
Here, you can add that you’re currently looking for job opportunities and would like to appear for the interview. In this way, they can understand your current status without you seeming too needy for the work.
You can use these phrases, again, in your summary, in your LinkedIn profile as alternatives:
- I have worked at *old job* and am available for work currently.
- I am open to job opportunities on the platform.
- I would like to work with a firm and showcase my skills.
- I have already gained experience in the field of work for *Number of years* years and would like to gain further experience.
- I am open to employment options that I could avail of.
Conclusion
Making and maintaining a profile on LinkedIn might not be rocket science, but it is still tricky. And the use of phrases such as “actively seeking new job opportunities” is still not decided whether it is beneficial at all.
But you must remember that the phrase isn’t generally the best choice of phrases. You could use another phrase, or completely remove any such phrases. By doing so, you would be able to ensure that your profile is the best it could be and attractive to employers.
