LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 810 million members worldwide. As a professional networking and career development site, LinkedIn allows you to create a profile, connect with other professionals, search and apply for jobs, publish long-form posts, join groups, and more. One useful but lesser known LinkedIn feature is the ability to view your own profile as if you are someone else viewing it for the very first time. This can be helpful to get an outside perspective on how your profile appears to other LinkedIn members and identify areas for improvement.
In this article, we will provide step-by-step instructions on how to view your LinkedIn profile as though you are someone else using the LinkedIn mobile app for iOS and Android. We will cover how to access this feature, what you can view, and tips for getting the most out of viewing your profile anonymously.
Why View Your LinkedIn Profile Anonymously?
Here are some of the main reasons you may want to view your LinkedIn profile as though you are someone else:
– Get an outside perspective – Viewing your profile as a stranger will allow you to see what other people see when they look at your profile for the first time. This can help you identify areas that need improvement.
– Check how your profile looks on mobile – Mobile is becoming the top way people access LinkedIn. Viewing your profile anonymously on mobile allows you to see exactly how your profile looks on a mobile screen.
– See what your public profile shows – Much of your profile may only be visible in your private view. Viewing anonymously shows your fully public profile that any member can see.
– View real-time updates and changes – By viewing anonymously you can check that any recent profile updates or changes are appearing correctly.
– Prepare for job interviews – Reviewing what recruiters and hiring managers will see can help prepare you for job interviews that may involve referencing your LinkedIn profile.
– Check privacy settings – View anonymously to double check that your profile visibility and privacy settings are appearing as you intended.
Step 1 – Pull Up the LinkedIn Mobile App
The first step is simply to open up the LinkedIn mobile app on your device. LinkedIn has native apps for both iOS and Android that you can download for free from the App Store or Google Play Store. If you don’t already have it installed, download the app now. Sign into your account on the app as you normally would.
Once signed in, your profile should load up on the app homepage. This will be your private view of your profile. Now we need to switch it to the public view.
Step 2 – Open Your Public Profile Link
To view your public LinkedIn profile as a stranger would see it, you need to open the public web address for your profile. Here is how to find it:
**On iOS:**
1. Tap your profile icon at the top left.
2. Select “View Profile” from the menu.
3. At the top, tap the down arrow beside your name.
4. Tap “Copy public profile link”. This copies the link to clipboard.
**On Android:**
1. Tap your profile icon at the top right.
2. Tap “View your public profile”.
3. Tap the three dots in the top right.
4. Choose “Copy public profile link”.
This copies your public profile web address to paste elsewhere.
Step 3 – Paste Link into Browser
Now that you’ve copied your public LinkedIn profile link, you simply need to open this in your mobile browser of choice, either Safari or Chrome.
Paste the link into a new browser tab. When the page loads, you should now see your profile in the anonymous public view rather than your private view.
Step 4 – Review Your Profile
With your profile now open in the public view, take some time reviewing all the sections to see what is visible to others. Here are some things to check:
– **Photo** – Is your photo professional and appealing?
– **Headline** – Does your headline clearly communicate your professional identity?
– **Summary** – Is your summary concise and interesting?
– **Work experience** – Are your roles and responsibilities keyword-rich?
– **Skills** – Do your listed skills relate to your roles?
– **Education** – Is your education history properly showcased?
– **Recommendations** – Do you have strong endorsements from colleagues?
– **Accomplishments** – Are your major awards and achievements featured?
– **Interests** – Do your interests present you as well-rounded?
– **Background photo** – Does your background photo look good?
Take notes on anything you feel should be changed or improved after viewing your profile as a stranger.
Tip: Check Profile on Different Devices
For an even more thorough anonymous view, try checking your public profile link on multiple devices like mobile, desktop, and tablet. This allows you to see how the profile layout adapts across screens. Your profile may display slightly differently on each device.
Analyze Your LinkedIn Profile Analytics
In addition to viewing your profile anonymously, you can get further insights by checking your LinkedIn analytics.
Your profile analytics provide data on who has viewed your profile and how people interact with it. This can help identify strengths and weaknesses.
Here’s how to access your profile analytics:
**On mobile:**
1. Tap “Me” at the bottom.
2. Select “View profile” to open your profile.
3. Tap “See all analytics” on the top right.
**On desktop:**
1. Click your profile icon at the top left.
2. Choose “View profile” from the dropdown menu.
3. Click “See all analytics” in the top right.
On the analytics page, review stats like:
– **Who’s viewed your profile** – This shows companies and titles of people who have viewed you. It can reveal if your target employers are looking at your profile.
– **Impressions** – This shows how many times your profile has been viewed. Increased impressions indicate greater visibility.
– **Search appearances** – When you appear in searches, it boosts discoverability. Being found in relevant searches helps get your profile viewed.
– **Profile visits** – More visits signals broader visibility and engagement with your professional brand.
Analyzing this data can give you areas to focus on to boost your LinkedIn profile’s impact.
Edit Your Profile
Once you’ve thoroughly reviewed your profile both anonymously and through your analytics, it’s time to make improvements!
Here are some quick tips for editing your profile:
– **Add a profile photo** – A photo makes your profile stand out and appear more approachable. Use a clear professional headshot against a neutral background.
– **Update your headline** – Come up with a descriptive but concise headline that highlights your role. Include key skills and specialities.
– **Expand your summary** – Fully utilize the 2,000 character summary space to detail your background, skills, and goals.
– **Showcase work history** – For each role, describe your title, responsibilities, and major accomplishments using keywords.
– **List key skills** – Include skills that potential employers may search for. Prioritize skills that apply specifically to your industry.
– **Customize your profile URL** – Change your public profile link to be your name for better brand recognition.
Pro Tips for Profile Optimization
Here are some additional pro tips for taking your LinkedIn profile to the next level:
– **Get recommendations** – Well-written recommendations from colleagues or managers give credibility.
– **Share publications** – If you have authored any professional publications, post them on your profile.
– **Join groups** – Join relevant industry and professional groups to expand your connections.
– **Follow companies** – Follow companies you want to work for to get updates from their LinkedIn page.
– **Add rich media** – Incorporate links, videos, slide decks, and other media into your profile.
– **Monitor notifications** – Check notifications to see who is viewing your profile and responding to your content.
– **Upgrade to premium** – A paid Premium account unlocks additional profile features and analytics.
Conclusion
Viewing your LinkedIn profile anonymously using the mobile app is an easy but powerful way to get an outside perspective and improve your professional brand. Check your public profile regularly to audit how your profile appears to others. Combine this with monitoring your profile analytics for a data-driven approach to optimizing your LinkedIn presence. With an outstanding LinkedIn profile, you can maximize your professional networking and career opportunities.