In 2026, posting “Open to Work” on LinkedIn is not enough.
This is what I’ve seen people still write on LinkedIn:
“Hi everyone! I’m seeking a new role and would appreciate your support.
If you hear of any opportunities or just want to catch up, please send me a message or comment below. I’d love to reconnect.”
Followed by:
“X years of experience in Finance/Project Management/Marketing. Open to new opportunities.”
Your network cannot help you if they don’t understand what you’re actually looking for, what you’re good or great at, what problems you solve.
As the LinkedIn article: “Skills momentum shifts as hiring momentum stalls” shows, hiring has slowed down across the board.
These market changes make it even more important for candidates to be well prepared and to diversify their ways of getting jobs.
Cold applying is not enough, they also need to network, be visible on LinkedIn with a solid profile and presence, reach out directly to relevant contacts to get referrals to name a few alternatives.
What to do instead.
Tell a clear positioning story:
- Who do you help?
- How do you help them?
- What measurable results have you created?
For example instead of:
“I have experience in project management and stakeholder management.”
Say:
“I help cross-functional teams in Fintech companies deliver complex projects on time by aligning stakeholders, managing risks, and improving workflows.
In my last role, I led a product implementation project that reduced delivery delays by 30%, helped the team estimate how much work they could realistically complete in each sprint during the 4 month project we worked on together, which led to 25% fewer tasks rolling over into the next sprint.
Before I got involved, projects were often delivered late.
After I improved planning, communication, or workflows, the team started delivering work much closer to deadlines.”
And then say specifically what role you want to be in.
Now your network knows:
- where to place you
- who to introduce you to
- what kind of opportunity fits.
In my work with high achievers who want to make a meaningful career move, this is the difference between applying for 3 months with no replies, versus getting referred into conversations they never had access to before.
My spring gift to you: 15% off for the Career and Mental Focus session, where we turn your experience into a compelling story for your network.
3 spots left until the 18th of March.
Book your session here:
https://calendly.com/diana-enache/coaching-session.
