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Recruiting 2 min read

Open To Work FAQ: 15 Questions Recruiters Ask

Fifteen common recruiter questions about Open To Work, recently OTW, filters, reply rates, and outreach timing.

Open To Work filters look simple but raise practical questions daily. These fifteen answers reflect what agency and in-house recruiters ask most often.

15FAQ items
25-35%Recently OTW replies
48hOutreach window

Example query

Keywords
FAQ context
Location
OTW searches
Filters
All EU markets
Experience
Agency + in-house

Typical pool: 3k-15k · Shortlist target: 10-15 shortlist

15 questions

What does Open To Work mean on LinkedIn?

It signals a candidate has marked themselves open to job opportunities. It is a strong active-intent filter for recruiters.

How is recently OTW different?

Recently OTW highlights candidates who opened themselves to work in the last few weeks. They typically reply 25-35% versus lower rates on long-standing OTW profiles.

Should I always filter OTW first?

Yes for urgent roles. For rare passive senior hires, OTW-first may shrink the pool too much — use as second wave.

How large are typical OTW pools?

Mid-level tech roles in EU hubs range from 3k to 15k profiles depending on stack and location breadth.

How fast can I build a shortlist?

10-15 quality profiles in 25-35 minutes with saved queries and unviewed-only screening.

Do OTW candidates respond faster?

Yes. Recently OTW segment is the highest-intent group for first outreach wave.

Can OTW status change after I save a profile?

Yes. ULTRA monitoring alerts you when saved candidates newly open to work.

Does OTW work for remote roles?

Yes, but remote pools are larger — pair OTW with timezone and language filters.

Should I InMail or email OTW candidates?

Email recently OTW first when contact is available. See InMail vs Email.

How many profiles should I review per session?

60-80 in a 30-minute block at 22-26 profiles per hour sustainable pace.

What reply rate should I expect?

15-20% blended, 25-35% for recently OTW when messaging within 48 hours.

Can I combine OTW with Boolean search?

Yes. Use one skill anchor first, then add OR synonyms. See Boolean Tips.

Why am I seeing the same profiles again?

Manual search lacks persistent viewed state. Use unviewed-only screening in Hyranse.

Is OTW data GDPR-sensitive?

Treat it as professional contact data with documented purpose. See GDPR guide.

Where do I start?

Read the Complete OTW Sourcing Guide and test in the live demo.

Try this query in the live demo — 5 candidates, no signup required.

Open demo

More depth: OTW vs Recently OTW and Recruiting Glossary.

Try Hyranse in your workflow

Open To Work search, viewing pipeline, and contacts — in one platform for recruiters.