There are several reasons why someone might choose to view their LinkedIn profile or browse LinkedIn while in private or incognito mode. Here are some of the main motivations:
1. Job searching discreetly
One of the most common reasons people use private browsing for LinkedIn is to search for jobs without leaving a trace. If someone is unhappy in their current role or casually exploring new opportunities, they may not want their employer or connections to know they are looking. Viewing job listings or company profiles privately allows them to research potential openings and companies without anyone else knowing.
Some other reasons people may want to search and apply to jobs discreetly include:
- They don’t want their current boss or team to know they are considering leaving
- They don’t want their coworkers or connections to know they are job seeking, in case word gets back to their boss
- They are conducting their job search during work hours and don’t want it on their browser history
- They have a very specialized or high-level role and don’t want their industry to know they are potentially leaving until they resign
Overall, keeping a job search private allows employees more autonomy in exploring their options without impacting their current job.
2. Hiding their profile view activity
Another reason people use private browsing on LinkedIn is to look at other profiles without the other person being notified. LinkedIn lets you know when someone views your profile – this can be helpful for networking but also makes snooping impossible.
Some situations where someone might want to check out a profile more discretely include:
- Researching a potential date without them knowing
- Looking up an ex partner to see what they’ve been up to
- Checking out an old colleague or classmate they have lost touch with
- Looking at the profiles of competing job applicants during the interview process
- Viewing the profiles of potential business partners or collaborators before reaching out
Using private mode allows people to get insights into someone’s work history and experience without awkwardness or coming across as snooping.
3. Browsing without their activity being tracked
People may also use private browsing simply because they don’t want their LinkedIn activity tracked and recorded. There are a few reasons for this:
- Privacy – Some people are uncomfortable with LinkedIn’s data collection and prefer to browse more anonymously.
- Irrelevant browsing – If people are just bored or casually browsing without a specific purpose, they may not want that time spent on their profile.
- Sensitive research – People researching competitors, reviewing companies they have applied to, or looking up past coworkers may prefer to do it privately.
- Personal relationships – People in new relationships may want to discretely browse exes or former romantic prospects.
Keeping their browsing private gives people more control over their data and digital footprint.
4. Appearing offline or inactive
LinkedIn shows when you were last active on the site. People may use private browsing if they want to visit LinkedIn but appear offline and inactive to their network.
Some examples include:
- Not wanting to appear available for networking requests or messages
- Needing a break from business contacts during vacation or time off
- Focusing without distractions during an important project or deadline
- Temporarily cutting ties with business contacts due to a job transition
Viewing LinkedIn privately allows people to still access the platform on their own terms, without signaling availability to their network.
5. Viewing restricted company pages
Some company pages on LinkedIn are restricted unless you are an employee or have a specific invite. People may use private browsing to try to view these restricted pages anonymously. Reasons include:
- Prospective employees want to learn about the company culture
- Former employees want to stay up-to-date on company news after leaving
- Competitors want insider information on new products, strategies, or hires
- Industry analysts want access to company data for research reports
- Partners, vendors, or suppliers want to learn more about a client
While these restricted company pages exist for a reason, some people will try to gain access by browsing privately.
6. Posting anonymously
LinkedIn allows anonymous posting in some Groups. People may choose to participate anonymously for a few reasons:
- Asking for confidential career advice
- Disclosing sensitive information related to their company or role
- Making controversial arguments or playing devil’s advocate
- Admitting a lack of knowledge without losing face
Browsing privately while anonymous posting prevents disclosures from being traced back to them professionally.
7. Avoiding distractions and procrastination
For some people, LinkedIn can be distracting or lead to procrastination at work. But they may still want quick access for legitimate professional reasons. In this case, private browsing allows them to avoid wasting time scrolling feeds while still accessing useful information and contacts.
Some other examples include:
- Checking notifications, messages, or recent contacts without endless scrolling
- Preparing for meetings by reviewing profiles
- Quickly looking up group members or partners
- Copying profile snippets or articles for reference
Private browsing gives people the utility of LinkedIn without the pitfalls of distraction and procrastination during work.
Conclusion
There are many valid and practical reasons people may want to access LinkedIn privately. While some uses are meant to conceal activity, most people simply want more control over their professional presence and data. Private browsing allows people to network and search on their own terms, without oversharing their activity and availability.