Applying for jobs on LinkedIn can feel like a vulnerable experience. You may wonder who at the company will see your application and profile. Will your current employer find out? Here are some quick answers about the confidentiality of job applications on LinkedIn:
Is my job application visible to others?
No. When you apply for a job on LinkedIn, your application is only visible to the recruiter or hiring manager for that particular role. It is not public or viewable to other LinkedIn members, including connections in your network.
Can my connections see that I applied?
No. Your connections will not receive any notification or update that you applied for a job. Your job applications are kept private on LinkedIn.
Will my current employer know I’m looking?
No. Your current employer will not be notified or aware that you are applying to jobs on LinkedIn. As long as you keep your job search confidential from your employer, they will not find out through LinkedIn.
Who can see my job applications?
The only people who can view your job applications on LinkedIn are:
- You
- The recruiter who posted the job
- Hiring managers at the company with permissions to view applicants
Admins and other employees at the company do not have permission to view applicants unless explicitly granted by the recruiter.
What information can recruiters see?
When you apply for a job, recruiters can view:
- Your LinkedIn profile
- Your application which may include a cover letter, resume, portfolio etc.
- Your LinkedIn activity and engagement
However, recruiters cannot view your connections or network unless you are connected to them.
Will applying impact my main profile visibility?
No. Applying for jobs does not make your profile more visible or searchable to others on LinkedIn. Your privacy settings remain the same.
Can I change the visibility of my job applications?
Yes. You can adjust your job application visibility in your account settings:
- Private: Applications are only visible to you (hidden from recruiters)
- Visible to recruiters that you apply to: Default and recommended setting
- Public: Applications appear in search results across LinkedIn – not recommended
Conclusion
Applying for jobs through LinkedIn is a confidential process. Unless you choose otherwise, your job applications are only available to you and the hiring staff at the target company. Connections, your network, and current employer will not be aware that you have applied for other opportunities.
FAQ
Can recruiters see when I view their profile or company page?
No. Recruiters are not notified when you view their profile or a company page. Your browsing activity is private while you are logged into your LinkedIn account.
Should I notify my connections when I start a job search?
Notifying your connections is optional. If you want your network to be aware you are job searching, you can set your LinkedIn profile to “open to opportunities” which shares a job searching notification. However, this is not required to privately apply for jobs.
Do my connections get notified if I engage with recruiters?
No. Your connections will not be automatically notified if you connect or engage with recruiters. The only way your network finds out is if you manually share the connection or engagement.
Should I create a separate LinkedIn profile for job searching?
In most cases, a second “anonymous” profile is not necessary. Since your job applications are already private, you can focus on optimizing your existing profile for your search instead. However, in some situations it may be prudent to create an alt profile such as seeking jobs in secret or making a career change.
Can I find out if someone from my company viewed my profile?
LinkedIn’s profile viewing data is anonymous. You cannot confirm if someone from your company has looked at your profile. Premium accounts show aggregate data on industry and location, but not names of individuals.
Do I need a premium account to privately apply for jobs?
Nope! Applying for jobs and keeping your activity and applications private is available for free accounts. Premium gives additional filters, but is not required for a confidential search.
Conclusion
Applying for jobs through LinkedIn provides a discreet way to advance your career while respecting your current role. With privacy controls and anonymous browsing, you can explore opportunities without alerting connections, networks, or employers. Just be sure to evaluate the tradeoffs if opting to make your search more public. With a little prudence, LinkedIn can be an effective confidential tool for your next career move.
