LinkedIn has become one of the most popular platforms for job seekers and recruiters alike. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn provides a massive network for professionals to connect, build their personal brand, and explore career opportunities. For job seekers, one of LinkedIn’s most useful features is its integrated job board, which allows users to search for and apply to jobs completely within the LinkedIn ecosystem.
This raises an important question for job seekers – does LinkedIn actually save the job applications you submit through their platform? There are some clear benefits if LinkedIn does indeed save your application information, such as being able to easily track the jobs you’ve applied to and having a record of your application history and materials. However, there are also privacy concerns around an external company storing your personal data without clear consent.
Does LinkedIn Store Your Full Application?
The short answer is no, LinkedIn does not store your full job application when you apply to a job through their platform. Here’s a more detailed overview of what LinkedIn does and does not save when you use their application system:
- LinkedIn does not store your full application documents like resumes, cover letters, or writing samples. Any documents you upload as part of an application are only shared with the employer you applied to.
- LinkedIn does keep a record of jobs you have applied to through their platform. This can be accessed through the “My Applications” section of your account.
- LinkedIn does store any additional information you provide through their application system, such as answers to screening questions from the employer.
- LinkedIn may keep anonymized data about jobs you have applied to as part of improving their application system. However, they claim any stored data is anonymized and not connected to individual user accounts.
So in summary, while LinkedIn does not store your full application documents and information, they do maintain records of jobs you have applied to, additional screening questions you’ve completed, and some anonymized metadata about applications.
LinkedIn Application Data Storage and Privacy
Since LinkedIn does store some data related to your job applications, it raises questions around how that data is stored and who has access to it. Here are some key facts about how LinkedIn handles your application information:
- Application data is stored as part of your main LinkedIn account profile data. It is protected by the same privacy and security measures LinkedIn applies to all user data.
- Your application history, including the jobs you’ve applied to and any screening questions, is visible to you in your account. Other users cannot see this information.
- The employer you applied to has access to any information you provide specifically through their application system, such as screening questions.
- LinkedIn states that they do not sell or share personal identifying application data with any third parties.
- Anonymized application data may be used internally at LinkedIn to improve their products and services.
LinkedIn does provide users with certain privacy controls related to job applications in the account settings. You can clear your application history if you do not want LinkedIn to keep a record of the jobs you’ve applied to. You can also turn off your application history so that new applications don’t show up.
Pros of LinkedIn Storing Application Data
There are some potential benefits for job seekers in LinkedIn storing key pieces of your application data, such as your application history and any screening questions you’ve completed. Some of the main pros include:
- Track Your Application Process – The main advantage is being able to easily track the jobs you’ve applied to and where you are in the hiring process. Everything is centralized in your LinkedIn account.
- Reuse Screening Answers – For jobs through the same employer, you can reuse your answers to screening questions instead of re-entering them each time you apply.
- Review Previous Applications – You can review previous applications to reference as you apply to new jobs. This can help ensure your resume, cover letter, etc. are tailored for each application.
- Build Application History – Having a record of jobs applied to can be useful for identifying gaps in your application process or estimating your success rate.
Overall, the limited application data LinkedIn does store can provide some convenience and continuity for job seekers who use their platform extensively during a job search.
Cons of LinkedIn Storing Application Data
However, there are also some downsides for job seekers in having LinkedIn store parts of your application history and data, primarily related to privacy:
- Privacy Concerns – Some users may not feel comfortable with any third party storing information about their job search. Clear consent about data storage is important.
- Security Risks – Any centralized storage of personal data poses potential security risks in the case of a data breach.
- Lack of Full Transparency – LinkedIn could improve transparency around exactly what application data they store and how it is used.
- Anonymized Data Use – While anonymized, some may object to any use of their application data for product improvement by LinkedIn.
- No Clear Delete Option – Users can clear the application history but there are no options to permanently delete application data from LinkedIn.
Weighing the pros and cons, users need to consider their own personal privacy preferences. Some may accept LinkedIn’s application data policies as a fair trade-off, while others may take issue with any centralized storage of their job search information.
LinkedIn Application Data vs. Other Job Sites
Compared to other major job boards, LinkedIn takes a middle ground approach when it comes to storing your application data:
- Sites like Indeed and Monster do not store any application information at all when you apply through them.
- On the other hand, platforms like ZipRecruiter allow you to create a full profile that includes work history, education, etc. and stores all your application materials.
- LinkedIn struck a balance by maintaining some application history and screening data but not storing full application documents.
This comparison shows that LinkedIn does take user privacy into account more than some other platforms like ZipRecruiter. But they still store more data than sites like Indeed that steer clear of storing application data altogether.
Indeed Application Storage
Indeed does not store or have any access to your job application materials, as they make clear in their privacy policy. When you apply to a job on Indeed:
- You are redirected to the employer’s site to submit your application.
- Indeed does not receive or store your resume, cover letter, or any other documents.
- Indeed does not store any record of jobs you have applied to.
Your privacy is maintained, but a downside is you lose the application tracking abilities of a site like LinkedIn.
Monster Application Storage
Monster uses a similar approach to Indeed when it comes to storing job seeker application data:
- Monster does not have access to or store any application documents you submit through their site.
- They also do not store a record of jobs you have applied to using Monster.
- No application history or data is stored as part of your Monster profile.
This provides the most privacy for users. But you lose out on features like tracking applications through Monster or reusing screening answers when applying for multiple jobs.
ZipRecruiter Application Storage
In contrast to Indeed and Monster, ZipRecruiter takes a very different approach by maintaining extensive records of your job application history and data:
- ZipRecruiter has you create a detailed job seeker profile including work history, education, skills, etc.
- Your profile and full application documents can be auto-filled for new applications.
- Your full application history is stored and can be referenced at any time.
- You can re-apply to jobs through ZipRecruiter in a single click.
This provides features and convenience for job seekers, at the expense of sharing more personal data with the platform. It highlights the continuum of approaches on applicant data storage.
Should You Be Concerned with LinkedIn Storing Application Data?
Whether or not to be concerned with LinkedIn storing application data comes down to your personal privacy preferences as a job seeker.
If you are highly privacy conscious and want to minimize any data sharing, then LinkedIn storing evenyour basic application history may be concerning. In that case, a site like Indeed that stores no applicant data may be preferable.
However, if you find value in being able to easily track and reference your application history, reusing screening answers, and other benefits, then LinkedIn strikes a reasonable balance in terms of storing only necessary data. Their policies likely do not raise major concerns for most job seekers.
As with any platform, it’s also good practice to carefully review LinkedIn’s privacy policies and make use of available privacy settings like turning off your application history. This can help ensure you understand exactly what data LinkedIn has and limit sharing to what you are comfortable with.
How to Download Your LinkedIn Data
If you do have concerns around LinkedIn storing parts of your job application history, you may want to download a copy of your data from LinkedIn to review exactly what information they have stored. Here is a quick guide to downloading your LinkedIn data:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings and select “Get a copy of your data.”
- Choose the data you want to download – at minimum select “Profile.”
- Enter your account password when prompted.
- LinkedIn will email you a link to download your data once ready (usually within minutes).
- Review the JSON file you download – your application history is listed under “jobApplication”.
Downloading your data directly from LinkedIn is the best way to understand precisely what information they have stored in association with your account. Based on the data LinkedIn provides, you can then make more informed choices about your privacy settings.
How to Remove LinkedIn Application Data
If after reviewing your LinkedIn data you decide you want to remove your application history or screening answers, here are steps to clear that data:
- Go to your LinkedIn account Privacy & Settings.
- Select “Job seeking preferences.”
- Under Application History, click “Clear.”
- Confirm you want to clear the history – this removes job applications from your account.
- You can also toggle off “Track application history” so new applications are not stored.
Clearing your application history is the main way to remove that data from LinkedIn’s records. However, it’s unclear if they retain any anonymized analytics associated with your applications even if you clear the history.
Other Ways to Reduce LinkedIn Application Data
In addition to clearing your application history, here are some other ways you can limit the amount of application data stored with LinkedIn:
- Avoid Integrated Application – When possible, apply directly through the employer’s website instead of using LinkedIn’s integrated application flow.
- Use Minimal Screening Answers – Provide only essential details needed to get through initial screenings when answering employer questions.
- Toggle History Off – As mentioned above, toggle off application tracking so new applications aren’t stored.
- Remove Profile – You can remove your LinkedIn profile to delete all associated data. However, this also means losing connections.
Taking steps like avoiding LinkedIn’s integrated application or removing your profile altogether ensures your job search remains completely private. But you lose out on some LinkedIn features.
Conclusion
Does LinkedIn save job applications? In summary:
- LinkedIn does not store full application documents like resumes and cover letters.
- They do maintain records of jobs you apply to and screening questions answered.
- Application data is tightly integrated with your main profile and account.
- You have options like clearing history and disabling tracking to reduce stored data.
- It comes down to weighing convenience vs. privacy based on your personal preferences.
Understanding LinkedIn’s application data policies allows you to make informed choices about how to engage with their integrated job board. While not as strictly anonymized as some sites, LinkedIn does prioritize user control over application data storage.