Four ways to find top talent beyond the Open to Work badge

Using 3D data from Findem's Talent Data Cloud, we're surfacing insights that help talent teams uncover key industry trends, market shifts, and strategic opportunities.

LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” badge has been around since June 2020, with more than 33 million people actively using it on their profiles today. It’s a great way for users to show recruiters they’re serious about their search, while increasing their visibility in the job market. But how helpful is it to talent teams trying to find the perfect fit for an open requisition?

According to Phoebe Gavin, a career coach, “If you have ‘Open to Work’ up but your profile is a wasteland, it’s not going to make a difference at all. Because even if a recruiter finds you, they’re not going to learn anything useful.”

Gavin’s point speaks to a larger challenge in recruiting — a lack of data forcing recruiters to spend time hunting, researching, and verifying resume information. While the “Open to Work” badge is helpful as a signal of intent to recruiters, it’s just a first step in the talent acquisition process.

With the right data and insights, recruiters can go beyond “Open to Work” and proactively identify top talent. In this blog, I’ll share some of the predictive signals and attributes that recruiters can easily apply in the Findem platform to uncover high-quality candidates and engage with them ahead of the competition.

Attribute #1: Employees who’ve completed a vesting period

Engaging with employees who have completed their initial vesting period is a thoughtful and effective strategy for identifying strong candidates. These professionals have demonstrated loyalty and commitment by staying long enough to achieve a significant milestone, signaling stability and reliability.

At this stage, they’ve likely acquired valuable expertise and are naturally more receptive to exploring new opportunities. Proactively reaching out to these candidates can position your organization as a compelling option just as they’re evaluating their next steps.

Attribute #2: Employees who exceeded average tenure for a role

Focusing on employees who have exceeded the average tenure for their role allows recruiters to identify individuals likely considering a move, even if they’re not openly job-seeking. Remaining in a position longer than the norm often suggests these professionals are evaluating growth opportunities or seeking new challenges.

By engaging with them proactively, you can present compelling opportunities before they start their search, ensuring you’re ahead of the competition. This strategy not only uncovers top talent, but also demonstrates an understanding of a candidate’s career timing and progression not offered by a resume or LinkedIn profile.

Attribute #3: Candidates on career breaks 

Professionals on a career break or with inactive profiles often represent untapped potential. Whether they’ve stepped away for personal reasons, are upskilling, or taking a sabbatical, these individuals are often reevaluating their goals and may be more open to new opportunities.

By identifying these candidates, recruiters can reach out with specific requisitions that align with their expertise and aspirations. This proactive approach ensures you’re connecting with skilled professionals who might otherwise be overlooked in traditional searches.

Attribute #4: Candidates at companies with recent layoffs

Layoffs create an environment where employees, even those unaffected, may feel uncertain and open to exploring new roles. Targeting candidates at companies experiencing layoffs allows you to connect with highly skilled professionals who are more likely to consider a move.

These candidates are often motivated and ready to contribute, making them a strong addition to any team. Engaging with them during this transitional period provides a timely opportunity to offer stability and growth in their next role.

Make Findem’s 3D data your talent advantage

Findem’s Talent Data Cloud is built on a foundation of trusted 3D data, helping recruiters go beyond 1D resumes with a view that captures the full impact of a candidate’s career. This data is expressed through contextual search attributes, which make it easy to pinpoint candidates with precise, hard-to-find experiences not immediately represented in a LinkedIn profile.

For recruiters juggling dozens of inbound applications a day, manually updating applicant data in the ATS, and meeting regularly with hiring managers, there’s little time to waste in meeting hiring goals. Job seekers rely on the “Open to Work” badge to catch the attention of busy recruiters, but in today’s talent landscape, it’s the data and insights below that surface that can turn an unsuspecting candidate into a winning hire.

Learn more about Findem’s 3D data by requesting a demo to see our AI-driven platform in action.