First things first, open LinkedIn and hover over your profile picture in the top right corner to access the 'Settings & Privacy' menu. Navigate to the 'Visibility' section, and then click on 'Visibility of your LinkedIn activity'. Here, you’ll find options that dictate exactly who sees your activity updates; set it to 'connections only' to prevent certain activity from being broadcast to a wider network. Why does this work? By curating your audience, you ensure that significant updates, like new connections or employment changes, don’t reach potential employers, facilitating a more strategic job search.
When you browse LinkedIn profiles, you have three distinct visibility options: your name and headline, private profile characteristics (like your job title and industry), and complete anonymity. Access these by going to 'Settings & Privacy', selecting 'Visibility', and then 'Profile viewing options'. You might opt for anonymity while researching industry leaders or potential interviewers. Why it works: Moving in stealth mode ensures your job search reconnaissance remains confidential, preserving your current job security.
The 'Open to Work' feature can be toggled within your profile under 'Add profile section'. By using this option, you broadcast your availability to recruiters, but strategically control who sees it. Make sure the setting is 'Recruiters only' to avoid alerting your current employer. Why activate it? Recruiters often use LinkedIn’s search feature to find candidates by this specific filter, so enabling 'Open to Work' propels your profile to the top of their search results.
In 'Visibility', under 'Visibility of your LinkedIn activity', the 'Share profile updates with your network' switch decides whether your connections see edits in your profile. Toggle this off to quietly refine your profile until it’s polished. This prevents every small update from pinging your network, which can be advantageous if you are just tidying up your profile over time without fresh job leads. Why this matters: A succession of notifications can clutter recruiters' feeds, desensitizing them to your presence.
Many people are unaware that certain privacy settings directly affect where and how your profile appears in search results. 'Profile discovery through email and phone number' should be toggled on to enhance discoverability. Optimizing these settings boosts recruiter viewability in search filters, which is similar to unlocking a hidden mode allowing more meaningful connections to occur. Why this setting works: Search engine optimization isn’t just for blogs and websites—LinkedIn is a content platform too.
Head on over to 'Settings & Privacy', then 'Visibility', and click on 'Edit your public profile'. From here, you can control what's visible to non-LinkedIn users. Adjust these settings to show a basic version of your profile, while hiding sensitive information. The broader public access ensures that your profile can be found via external search engines, vastly increasing your reach beyond the platform. Why this works: Casting a wide net means more potential employers can find you, especially those not using LinkedIn exclusively.
All these adjustments create a tailored, optimistic approach to leveraging LinkedIn’s network capabilities, akin to crafting a well-engineered resume. Just as tailored job applications increase interview chances, a consistently branded LinkedIn profile resonates with your resume, reinforcing your professional narrative across different mediums. Like a well-oiled machine, your LinkedIn should mirror the excellence of a polished resume—an area where Ghosted can help with free resume diagnostics, ensuring both convey your best professional self.
Upload your resume and get a free diagnostic in 2 minutes. No account required to start.
Get my free diagnostic →