Have you noticed job seekers using the ‘Open to Work’ badge on their LinkedIn profiles to seemingly stand out from the pack and connect with recruiters? While many have argued over the ‘Open to Work’ badge coming out as a sign of desperation, a UK-based graphic designer thinks otherwise. Courtney Summer recently reinvented the LinkedIn badge with a refreshingly different and positive approach. Bringing out her own design, which bears the hashtag “DESPERATE", Courtney emphasised that it was nothing to be ashamed of when looking for work.
In a long LinkedIn post, Courtney shared her own picture with the new badge and made her point clear. “There’s been a lot of discourse about how the #OpenToWork banner puts off recruiters and hiring managers because it makes you come across as desperate. Frankly, as a victim of redundancy, I am desperate, and I don’t think that’s anything to be ashamed of," she wrote.
She explained that being laid off doesn’t reflect a lack of skills, talent, or work ethic; thus, no one should be embarrassed that they have to pay their rent, bills, support their families, or feed themselves. “Wear your #OpenToWork banner with pride, because to me, it just shows that you’re strong, resilient and optimistic – qualities any employer would be lucky to find," she concluded.
Many LinkedIn users reacted to her post, offering supportive comments. A user wrote, “Open to work doesn’t necessarily mean you’re unemployed either. It could just mean that you have the bandwidth to take on more," while another commented, “Omg that’s awesome! I too am hashtag#desperate and hashtag#opentowork. You should share the files. Let’s make this go viral!"
“Sometimes, most of the time, I get the sense that people look down upon vulnerability on this platform. Like it is some kind of moral or personal failure that you are looking for work when there is nothing to be ashamed about. I love how brave you are. So many of us are fighting the same battle but you have the courage to be open about it. Kudos to you. Let’s normalize seeking work. Good luck with your search," another comment read.
A user added, “I can’t even speak to how much I love this. Very courageous and out of the box. It’s going to happen very soon,
keep believing."
Many even came forward to adapt to the new design, adding it to their LinkedIn profile pictures. What do you think about the new badge?
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