Skip to main content

New LinkedIn feature makes it easier for contractors to connect with recruiters

LinkedIn is introducing a new feature that should appeal to the 4 million contractors who use its service to find work.

The highly requested option is part of the Microsoft-owned platform’s Open Candidates tool, which allows members to privately notify recruiters that they are interested in being contacted about new roles.

Recommended Videos

LinkedIn users can now self-identify as contractors via the preferences page in the Jobs tab on the site’s desktop version. The option is available alongside existing job types, such as full-time, part-time, internship, remote, and freelance. Recruiters now have access to a new contract filter via LinkedIn’s Recruiter platform, allowing them to narrow their search to these types of candidates.

The best thing about Open Candidates is that it allows members to discretely announce their interest in job opportunities, letting recruiters seek them out. Aside from business owners that offer contract services, the new contractor option is also beneficial to those users that want to find extra gigs outside of their day job.

“Contractor Targeting surfaces members who are likely to be interested in contract roles based on their preferences or profile history,” writes Eduardo Vivas, head of product and Linkedin talent solutions, in a blog post. “Together, these features all help unlock what we call ‘open talent’: candidates who aren’t just ‘passive’ or ‘active’ but instead are open to new opportunities.”

Having launched in October, LinkedIn Open Candidates is now being used by more than 3.4 million members. According to the platform, candidates who self-identify as contractors are three times more likely to respond to recruiters, with 40 percent responding within one day.

Open Candidates also allows members to share their profile with recruiters before they begin the application process for a job. This means that recruiters can maintain contact with them even if they don’t finish an application form.

Last month, LinkedIn overhauled its desktop site to offer a streamlined experience complete with better search functions, more relevant results, and a new messaging interface. The company is also planning to integrate a number of its features with Microsoft’s productivity software.

Saqib Shah
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Saqib Shah is a Twitter addict and film fan with an obsessive interest in pop culture trends. In his spare time he can be…
Bluesky finally adds a feature many had been waiting for
A blue sky with clouds.

Bluesky has been making a lot of progress in recent months by simplifying the process to sign up while at the same time rolling out a steady stream of new features.

As part of those continuing efforts, the social media app has just announced that users can now send direct messages (DMs).

Read more
Incogni: Recover your privacy and remove personal information from the internet
Incogni remove your personal data from brokers and more

Everything you do while online is tracked digitally. Often connected to your email address or an issued IP, trackers can easily identify financial details, sensitive information like your social security number, demographics, contact details, like a phone number or address, and much more. In many ways, this information is tied to a digital profile and then collated, recorded, and shared via data brokers. There are many ways this information can be scooped up and just as many ways, this information can be shared and connected back to you and your family. The unfortunate reality is that, for most of us, we no longer have any true privacy.

The problem is exacerbated even more if you regularly use social media, share content or images online, or engage in discussions on places like Reddit or community boards. It's also scary to think about because even though we know this information is being collected, we don't necessarily know how much is available, who has it, or even what that digital profile looks like.

Read more
Reddit just achieved something for the first time in its 20-year history
The Reddit logo.

Reddit’s on a roll. The social media platform has just turned a profit for the first time in its 20-year history, and now boasts a record 97.2 million daily active users, marking a year-over-year increase of 47%. A few times during the quarter, the figure topped 100 million, which Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman said in a letter to shareholders had been a “long-standing milestone” for the site.

The company, which went public in March, announced the news in its third-quarter earnings results on Tuesday.

Read more