LinkedIn endorsements allow you to endorse connections for their skills and expertise. When you endorse someone, it appears on their profile and can help validate their skills and knowledge. However, some people prefer not to display endorsements on their profile for various reasons. In this article, we’ll explore whether it’s possible to hide endorsements on LinkedIn and look at some of the pros and cons of doing so.
Can You Completely Remove Endorsements?
The short answer is no, there is no way to completely delete or remove endorsements from your LinkedIn profile. The endorsements you’ve received will always be visible to you in the “Manage Endorsements” section of your profile editing page.
However, it is possible to hide endorsements from public view on your profile. Here’s how:
On Desktop
1. Go to your profile page and click “Edit public profile & URL”
2. Scroll down and click “Show/Hide Endorsements”
3. Toggle the switch for “Show endorsements on your profile?” to the off position to hide endorsements.
On Mobile App
1. Tap the “Me” icon at the bottom right.
2. Tap “View profile”
3. Tap the three dots icon in the top right corner.
4. Select “Edit public profile & URL”.
5. Scroll down and toggle “Show endorsements on your profile?” off.
This will prevent endorsements from being visible to others viewing your profile. However, as mentioned, the endorsements will still be retained on LinkedIn’s back end and visible to you when managing your profile.
Pros of Hiding Endorsements
There are some potential advantages to hiding endorsements on your LinkedIn profile:
Avoids inflating your skills
Receiving a ton of endorsements could make it appear like you have more expertise or experience in an area than you actually do. Hiding them can prevent giving people the wrong impression.
Reduces clutter on your profile
If you’ve been endorsed many times, it can clutter up your profile and distract from other content you want to highlight like work experience, education, etc.
Limits unsolicited endorsements
Some people endorse others in hopes of getting reciprocated endorsements in return. This can lead to endorsements that don’t accurately reflect your skills. Hiding them removes this quid pro quo aspect.
Focuses attention on your content
You likely want people viewing your profile to focus on your summary, experience, accomplishments, etc. Endorsements may draw attention away from the meatier parts of your profile.
Cons of Hiding Endorsements
However, there are also some downsides to consider before hiding LinkedIn endorsements:
Removes social proof of skills
Genuine endorsements from colleagues and connections can serve as social proof and validation of your skills and expertise. Removing them eliminates this layer of trust.
Could look like you have something to hide
Some people may wonder why you’ve chosen to hide endorsements and assume you are downplaying certain skills.
Loses out on endorsements’ search boost
LinkedIn’s search algorithm factors in skills with lots of endorsements. Hiding them may cause you to rank lower in some searches.
Less reciprocity
If your own endorsements are hidden, connections may be less inclined to endorse you since they won’t be benefiting themselves.
Table Comparing Pros and Cons of Hiding Endorsements
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Avoids inflating your skills | Removes social proof of skills |
| Reduces profile clutter | Could look like you have something to hide |
| Limits unsolicited endorsements | Loses out on search boost |
| Focuses attention on content | Less reciprocity |
Best Practices for Managing Endorsements
If you do decide to hide endorsements, here are some best practices to consider:
Be Selective
Rather than hiding endorsements entirely, you could selectively showcase endorsements from people you trust in certain skill areas you want to highlight.
Hide with Caution
Use discretion – hiding all endorsements may raise more questions than it answers in some cases.
Group by Skill
Organizing remaining endorsements by skill can help declutter your profile while still preserving relevant social proof.
Customize Visibility
You can choose which specific endorsements are public, private, or visible only to connections. Get granular with visibility settings.
Thank Endorsers
If removing public endorsements, privately thank endorsers for taking the time to endorse you. Maintain those relationships.
Monitor Impact
Keep an eye on your profile views, search appearances, and other metrics to see if hiding endorsements has any negative effects.
Expert Opinions on Hiding Endorsements
Here is some advice from experts and thought leaders on whether hiding LinkedIn endorsements is advisable:
Josh Turner, LinkedIn Profile Expert
“My advice is to not hide endorsements entirely – a few relevant, legitimate endorsements in your top skill areas can lend credibility. But bulk or irrelevant endorsements should be removed from public view to declutter your profile.”
Dorie Clark, Personal Branding Strategist
“In general, I think endorsements should be shown because they do convey useful social proof. However, I would recommend pruning any endorsements that don’t come from people you know reasonably well, as those may not carry as much weight.”
Raymond Nguyen, Career Coach
“If endorsements are disproportionately high for skills unrelated to your goals or are primarily from people you don’t know, hiding them makes sense. But be selective – endorsements from respected connections are valuable social currency.”
Cassandra Mills, Social Media Manager
“My view is endorsements should be shown and can enhance your personal brand when genuine. I would focus on proactively soliciting new endorsements from close contacts rather than hiding existing ones.”
Lewis Chung, LinkedIn Expert
“In most cases, I advise maintaining public endorsements, as they represent valuable third-party validation. But curating and organizing them effectively is key so they don’t obscure more important profile content.”
Conclusion
While LinkedIn endorsements can boost your credibility and serve as social proof of your skills, hiding endorsements may make sense in some situations. Key takeaways are:
– It’s not possible to permanently delete endorsements – only hide them from your profile.
– Weigh the pros and cons based on your specific circumstances and goals.
– If hiding endorsements, do so selectively and tactfully. Maintain relationships with endorsers.
– Focus on proactively getting new endorsements from close contacts rather than simply removing existing ones.
– Organize and curate endorsements effectively so they accentuate rather than distract from your profile.
Ultimately there is no universally right or wrong answer – it’s about what makes the most strategic sense for positioning yourself on LinkedIn. Manage your endorsements judiciously, and optimize them to complement the rest of your profile.
