How To See Your LinkedIn Profile As Others See It

When building your reputation and presence as a LinkedIn content creator, what your audience can see of your profile matters. Maybe you’ve been working hard to create and share engaging posts, but your profile is what people visit to learn more about you. You could lose a valuable connection if they don’t like what they see. This is why it’s best to understand what your audience sees before they reach your profile. You can uncover these answers by seeing your LinkedIn profile as others see it. This article will offer valuable insights to help you achieve your objectives, like learning to see your LinkedIn profile as others see it.

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How to See Your LinkedIn Profile as Others See It

You can quickly view your LinkedIn profile as others see it to identify any areas that need improvement. LinkedIn lets you see how your profile looks to the general public and your connections.

Here's how to do both on a desktop:

Log in to LinkedIn: Log in to your LinkedIn account on your browser
Go to Your Profile: Click on your profile picture or name at the top of the LinkedIn homepage. This will take you to your profile
Click the ‘Me’ Icon: At the top right of the LinkedIn homepage, click on the “Me” icon (this is your profile picture)
Select ‘View Profile’: From the drop-down menu, choose ‘View Profile’ to access your profile page
Click the ‘More’ Button: Next to the ‘Add profile section’ button, you’ll find the ‘More’ button. Click on it
Select ‘View as’: In the drop-down menu, select ‘View as’. You’ll now see your profile as it appears to a public visitor (someone who isn’t connected to you)
Switch to Connection View: To see how your profile looks to your connections, click ‘Connections’ at the top of the screen

How to Check Your LinkedIn Profile as Others See it on Mobile

You can also check your LinkedIn profile as others see it on the mobile app. To do this:

Open the LinkedIn App: Open the LinkedIn app and log in to your account
Access Your Profile: Tap on your profile picture in the top-left corner to open your profile page
Click the ‘More’ Button: Tap the three dots (the ‘More’ button) near your profile name
Select ‘View as’: From the menu that appears, select ‘View as’. This will allow you to view your profile from someone else’s viewpoint.

What Others See vs. What You See

Your LinkedIn profile picture is your first impression on the platform. Depending on your privacy settings, some people might only see a blank avatar if they’re not in your network.

Tip: To expand your presence, ensure your profile photo is visible to everyone. Use a clear, professional image and a banner that reflects your brand or industry.

Your Headline and Summary Are Key to Getting Noticed

You can edit your headline and summary any time, but to someone else, this is often the first impression they get. Your headline appears in searches and comment threads, so it should be more than just your job title.

Tip: Use your headline to communicate your value or expertise quickly. Make your summary engaging, human, and results-focused, not just a resume copy-paste.

Keep Your Activity Feed Professional

Your recent posts, likes, and comments are visible to others, especially your 1st and 2nd-degree connections.

Tip: Keep your activity professional and intentional. Engage with content that aligns with your goals and share posts that reflect your industry knowledge or interests.

Recommendations and Endorsements Help Tell Your Story

You see all the recommendations you’ve written and received, but visitors only see the ones you’ve chosen to show. The same applies to skills and endorsements; you control the visible ones.

Tip: Curate your skills to highlight your strengths. Ask for genuine recommendations from people who know your work and display the ones that tell your story.

Your Contact Info Should Be Up to Date

Depending on your privacy settings and connection level, others may see your contact information.

Tip: If you're open to networking or job opportunities, ensure the correct information (such as a business email or website) is visible. You can always limit access to specific groups.

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Privacy And Visibility Settings: What’s Public And What’s Not

LinkedIn privacy settings help you control who can see your profile, posts, and personal information. While you can find these options under ‘Settings & Privacy’ on the platform, they’re not all equally important. Some allow you to limit visibility to your profile and personal information, while others can help improve your chances of getting noticed on the platform.

LinkedIn allows anyone to see your profile by default unless you adjust your privacy settings. This can include strangers who aren’t even logged onto LinkedIn if you appear in a search. If you want to keep your LinkedIn activity under wraps, it’s essential to understand how these settings work and proactively manage them.

The Privacy Settings You Should Check Right Now

LinkedIn has made some recent updates to its privacy settings and features, and they can make a big difference in security and overall visibility on LinkedIn. Here are critical settings to manage right now to ensure your profile is as private as you want.

Limit Who Can See Your Email Address

If you want to grow your network but filter your most important connections to your inbox, you can choose who can see or download your email address. Anyone with an exciting proposition, suggestion, or collaboration idea can pitch it via email.

If you aren’t interested in such collaborations, you can even choose the “only me” option so that no one who checks your profile has access to or can download your email.

Shut Off Profile Discovery and Visibility on LinkedIn

Certain apps and services can find and display information from your LinkedIn profile if you allow it. An example is recruitment tools that pull relevant information from your LinkedIn profile.

You can change this setting by clicking on Profile discovery and visibility on LinkedIn. Click the permission toggle button to switch it from Yes to No.

Change Who Can Use Your Email to Find Your Account

If you have a common name or live in a large area, this is a significant bonus that can help you get noticed and not confused with others. By using your email, all my potential connections can find me quickly. This is an excellent option to increase your visibility and grow your network.

Add all your email addresses if you want to be found by as many people as possible. Otherwise, go to Profile discovery using your email address only to allow your first-degree connections to find you through email.

Change Who Can Discover Your Profile Via Phone Number

People can also find you on the platform using your phone number if you have added it to your profile. If they haven't joined my network, you can select who can discover and connect with you using your phone number. Go to Profile discovery using phone number and make the changes you want.

Change How Your Profile Looks to Public Users on LinkedIn

If you appear in a search, people not logged in can view your public LinkedIn profile. You can choose how you appear to these people, but first, preview your current public profile to see if a change is necessary.

To do so, go to Visibility -> Visibility of your profile & network ->Edit your public profile. Your profile visibility is set to Public by default. You can scroll down and change your privacy settings by selecting how you want your profile to be shown to the public.

6 Tips for Making the Right Impression on LinkedIn

1. Use a professional, high-quality profile photo

Your LinkedIn profile picture is like your digital handshake—it’s the first visual contact with recruiters, potential employers, and peers. A high-quality, professional headshot sends a clear message about your brand and professionalism.

This photo could be a hiring manager's first impression of you, so you’ll want it to set the stage to help you make your next big career move. Keep these tips in mind to make sure your photo is a good, professional representation of you:

Make sure it’s recent, from the last two years or less if possible
Dress as you would for an interview and smile!
Choose a clean, clutter-free background (try not to pick photos that you need to crop someone else out of, especially if you can still see their hair, shoulders, etc)

2. Highlight your accomplishments and key skills

Think of your profile as more than just LinkedIn work experience sections. It's a stage where you present your bullet points and proudly highlight your unique skills. Try to quantify your successes with numbers and details where you can.

For instance, if you've captained a team of five to finish a project two weeks before the deadline or elevated sales by 30%, that's worth mentioning. These concrete figures are eye-catching because they provide helpful context about your capabilities.

Optimize LinkedIn Skills for Career Growth

Remember that your LinkedIn profile's “Skills" section maxes out at 50, but it's crucial to concentrate on those that align with your career aspirations. Receiving endorsements for these skills can strengthen your credibility, reinforcing your fitness for future roles professionally.

3. Connect with industry professionals and thought leaders

LinkedIn is a lively, interactive platform built to forge connections, nurture relationships, and stimulate idea exchanges. By reaching out to fellow pros in your field and thought leaders, you broaden your professional circle and unlock possibilities for mentorship, team-ups, and fresh job opportunities.

Build Quality Connections on LinkedIn

Just bear in mind the power of your network isn't merely about the tally of connections—it's the quality of these connections that genuinely matters. Get involved with your network:

Chime in on their posts
Spread their content around
Even start a chat through a direct message

When you’re active and authentic in your interactions, you make a great impression on hiring managers and other valuable professionals to keep in your network.

4. Post engaging content related to your field of expertise

Regularly sharing interesting industry articles or even personal anecdotes tied to your field underscores your active role and stimulates engagement with your network. This can kickstart dialogues, amplify your profile visibility, and cement your reputation as someone who knows their stuff.

But just like a good workout, consistency is crucial. Stick to a steady posting rhythm to keep your network talking and your profile humming. You'll not only be learning and growing professionally, but your LinkedIn profile will become a living testament to that growth, drawing in like-minded professionals and potential opportunities like a magnet.

5. Use a custom LinkedIn URL for easy visibility

Details matter, and that's true even in your job hunt. Take customizing your LinkedIn profile URL, for instance. Out of the box, LinkedIn sticks you with a URL that's a jumble of letters and numbers, which can come off a bit impersonal and isn't exactly memorable. But a custom URL is like putting on a tailored suit.

It's sleeker, more professional, and boosts your profile's visibility within and beyond LinkedIn. Just picture handing out a resume, email signature, or business card featuring a tidy, personalized URL—it's an instant signal that you've got your act together and pay attention to the details.

Custom LinkedIn URL Boost

Why not tweak your LinkedIn URL to include your name or professional brand? This simple move can make it a breeze for potential employers and networking contacts to find and remember you. A custom URL might seem like a slight touch, but it can amplify your brand and increase your professional visibility.

6. Join groups and follow pages you enjoy

LinkedIn isn't just about crafting a stellar profile; it's about immersing yourself in a dynamic professional universe. Plugging into groups and tuning in to pages that speak to your industry can unlock perks like insider insights and opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals.

These platforms offer a space to get wisdom from others' journeys, dive into compelling chats, and even show off your knowledge. By doing this, you're staying on the pulse of industry shifts and boosting your visibility among colleagues and prospective employers.

Get Started with a 7-day Free Trial Today - No Credit Card Required

Your LinkedIn profile is a crucial part of your professional identity, and it’s often the first impression prospective employers, clients, and partners get of you. Seeing your LinkedIn profile as others see it can help you understand what this first impression looks like and identify ways to improve it.

This feature lets you view your profile from the perspective of different users. You can see what information is visible to them and gauge how complete and organized your profile is. You can customize what visitors see by applying filters to view your profile as a specific type of user, such as a recruiter or a colleague.

Get started with a 7-day free trial today, no credit card required.

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How To See Your LinkedIn Profile As Others See It