LinkedIn Sign Up and Privacy

How LinkedIn Works

LinkedIn is decidedly different from other social media sites. You won't find endless scrolls of pets, kids, or the latest restaurant meal your friends had here (though some users' activity feeds may look similar to a Facebook profile depending on what they choose to share). Instead, you will find thousands of professional profiles with summaries of an individual's employment history and accomplishments. More importantly—and indeed the main selling feature of LinkedIn—is its ability to create connections between users, which in turn form a personal network of one's business contacts. In some ways, LinkedIn functions something like a personal Rolodex of business cards, though with considerably more information than a name and a logo with a phone number.

By inserting yourself into relevant networks and groups, LinkedIn allows you to increase your professional visibility simply by starting with people you already know. From there, you can build connections with new people, and look for groups that are made for professionals in your field of work. LinkedIn isn't strictly speaking a job board, or specifically a site tailored for seeking employment, though it does include job postings and an integrated application tool. Instead, it aims to create opportunities via the age-old practice of networking, and having a profile can certainly assist you in your employment goals.

Benefits of a LinkedIn Profile

So, why is LinkedIn important? As it is a site focused on business and not social, employers and recruiters use it as a means to screen applicants or to recruit. A LinkedIn profile allows you to put your best foot forward from a professional standpoint without the need to create your own domain. It allows you to display your field of expertise, past and current employment, accomplishments, training, and professional interests. Of course, it lacks the sheer customization and footprint of having your own website, but it contains the added benefits of combining your business profile with a means to network with like-minded individuals and create meaningful contacts. When you follow the steps of LinkedIn sign-up, you open a door to a vast chain of potential connections, and you never know which ones might lead to an exciting opportunity.

Among its other features, LinkedIn creates a landing page for your business or your own personal brand, and these can appear in Google search results. It offers a quick overview of who you (or your business) are and ideally advertises your professional skill set to either prospective clients or employers. It also lets you keep track of what's going on in your industry through your network of contacts and your news feed.

LinkedIn's job board also offers a means to search out and apply for new opportunities, with built-in linking to your existing profile, and it will highlight job openings for you based on your profile information. This is one of the most important functions of the site since your profile serves as a ready-made CV or resume. It's incredibly easy to apply for open roles on LinkedIn.

How to Make a LinkedIn Account

Joining LinkedIn is simple enough. By heading over to the LinkedIn sign-up page here, you can get started on your profile. However, a better way to join may be via the invitation of a friend or colleague already on the platform, as this will start you off by connecting you to them and begin to build your network. You can also sign up via a Google account, though it may be best to leave LinkedIn separate from your Google profile, as this allows the advertising giant to have more hooks into your data, and increases the vulnerability of your profile if your Google account is compromised.

Tips for a Professional Profile

In order to get the most out of LinkedIn, you want your profile to look as slick and professional as possible, while also balancing the information you share due to the privacy issues we'll discuss further below. Generally speaking, most users will leave a web page in under 30 seconds if it hasn't succeeded in capturing their interest, and a LinkedIn profile is no different. You want your profile to grab the eye of potential recruiters, clients, and contracts while presenting an honest picture of who you are and what you do.

One of the most obvious and important elements is your profile picture. You want a photo that represents you and only you—not your children, pets, or colleagues. Get your face in the shot and engage with the camera as if it is a prospective client or employer. Your face should compose the majority of the image (but no extreme close-ups). Dress like you would for work, and a colorful or natural background can be an asset, but don't let the background detract from you—you're the star of the show here! You can also include a banner background for your profile page, which can provide additional context for who you are or what your professional scope entails. Lacking specifics for a banner image? No problem—common aesthetics include simple and effective images such as natural backgrounds for those working outdoors or urban landscapes for those in an office environment.

Next to your picture, your "About" summary section is one of the first things other users will look at, and you want it to give a concise and rich impression of who you are. Avoid boring lists of jobs, and instead highlight what you actually do, along with why those skills matter and/or what makes you unique. A summary such as, "I help a diverse array of aspiring businesses reach new clients and enrich their customer experience" reads much better than, "I am a freelance writer and editor of marketing copy." Be creative, be professional, be you. You can expand on your summary below the top, eye-grabbing line with more specific details and accomplishments. Like writing a successful resume, employers are much more interested in what value you personally bring to the table rather than your job title. Consider, for example, "I work as an afternoon shift supervisor at Tasty Breads Co." versus, "I have personally overseen the training and development of dozens of employees." Which is more compelling and attractive?

LinkedIn profiles allow you to display a variety of work-related information about yourself, much of which you will fill in when you go through the LinkedIn sign-up process. Including your relevant job experience here can offer prospective employers a quick overview of your past employment. You probably don't need to include that time you opened a lemonade stand in grade school, but otherwise, it is a good idea to present the full spectrum of your work experience, as you never know what potential employers might be looking for.

It may seem tempting to embellish your profile or skill set and experience, but in the long run, this won't help you. Even if you end up landing a job, a prospective employer will quickly uncover the dishonesty when your skills don't match your description of them. Instead, ask former employers and colleagues to endorse your skills. This will quickly build a profile of recommendations that carry much more weight than a similar CV without any independent confirmation.

Anyone who owns or runs a company can also create a profile page for that entity. LinkedIn provides full instructions on its site, as well as methods to link that company to paid advertising and job search opportunities.

Risks of LinkedIn

Naturally, a site as large as LinkedIn has its downsides. Among the plethora of online scams comes a host of fake job opportunities looking to either steal personal information, pump money out of unsuspecting job seekers, or take advantage of virtual slave labor. LinkedIn and job board sites alike create a breeding ground for scammers as well as employment opportunities, and it is important to be wary while hunting for your next job. Scammers are experts at exploiting vulnerabilities, and as such job-seekers tend to present ideal targets, as fake job opportunities may seem like a dream come true.

One of the benefits of LinkedIn is the potential for employers to scout candidates via connections or their public profile and listed experience, and as such, it is possible to receive unsolicited job offers. However, treat these with caution even if you are in fact looking for work, as this is one of the primary tactics of scammers. Try searching up the company the offer purports to be from, and even better, the specific person who allegedly sent you the email. Look for profiles on the Better Business Bureau, or try searching the company name along with "job offer scam". If the email contains dubious English, excessive capitalization, or eye-catching salary figures, this is often a red flag. The old adage about things seeming too good to be true certainly applies here. If a job offer promises a 50k salary working from home with minimal training, it's probably fake.

Some other common schemes to look out for are any "jobs" that require paid "training" before the commencement of employment. No legitimate employer will ask you to buy a training course from them in order to get a job. Similarly, be wary of "investment opportunities", "initial deposits" or any other form of asking for money. Another common scam that targets job-seekers is pyramid marketing or "commission work". If you walk into an "interview" and are sat down with a group to watch a presentation on how great the company is and how much money you can make working for them, it's probably best to turn around and leave. Now, some legitimate employers may also offer commission payments as an incentive for employee performance, however, if this is the only way they pay employees and don't offer a base wage, you are probably better off looking elsewhere. Also, beware of multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes that use similar ads and tactics.

Another possible pitfall of LinkedIn is, funnily enough, spending too much time on LinkedIn. While there are many benefits to increasing your personal network, updating your activity feed, posting in groups, and of course exploring job opportunities, like any social media site, LinkedIn can waste valuable time as well. It also offers premium services, which for the most part you don't need in order to build a successful profile.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, while it offers a great platform for you as a business professional, LinkedIn is a great means for your private information to be harvested by data thieves, and they don't even need to hack the website to do it.

Protecting Your Privacy on LinkedIn

Like any social media site, it is important to be mindful of your privacy on LinkedIn—perhaps more so than on other social media sites. If your LinkedIn account is compromised, it can damage your professional reputation if, for example, a hacker starts posting to your profile, or steals client information via your connections. LinkedIn has been the victim of data breaches in the past as well. Be sure to use a strong and unique password for your account, and ideally change it regularly.

LinkedIn also offers two-factor authentication, which is a great security feature to enable. Consider taking the same steps of account protection that an employer might impose upon its workers. While these may seem tedious, they can go a long way toward protecting your valuable data!

The second component of privacy is balancing how much personal information you share on your LinkedIn profile and limiting who has access to it. You can manage various features of your LinkedIn account by clicking on your profile image in the top right, then clicking "Settings and Privacy". From there, you can adjust your privacy settings and limit who can see your data, browsing, activity, and more. While there are benefits in the form of overlapping your contacts, it may be best to avoid linking other accounts (such as Outlook) to your LinkedIn profile as well, as this creates more data hooks for third-party companies like Microsoft to use for their advertising.

Deciding what information to share on your LinkedIn profile is tricky, as you both want to present an accurate picture of who you are to potential connections and employers, while also protecting yourself from malicious activity. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is a business networking site first, not a social media service—your connections likely aren't going to be interested in your child's latest drawing, or what restaurant you're trying out today.

Beyond the obvious professionalism issues, however, selectively choosing what information to provide can lower your risk of data theft or stalking activity. Consider sharing what company you currently work for, but not the specific office or business address. If possible, use a specific email account for LinkedIn, and don't use the email of your current employer (unless you are self-employed). Consider what information will be relevant to potential clients and employers, and don't share more than you have to. For example, you likely don't need to share your home address, though it is typically useful to include the city you live in.

How to Delete a LinkedIn Account

In the end, you may decide LinkedIn isn't for you, which is perfectly fine—there are many avenues towards successful employment, and while LinkedIn can be a valuable tool, like any tool it has its downsides. In the modern world of online data protection, the more personal information you share online increases the likelihood of said data being stolen, and LinkedIn is no exception to this.

If you decide to delete your LinkedIn account, it's a relatively simple process: Click your profile icon in the top right, then "Settings and Privacy". Next, go to "Account Management" under the "Account Preferences" heading on the left, scroll down to "Close Account" and click "Change". From there, you only need to enter your password and provide a reason for closing your account—certainly much simpler than the process for other social media sites, which perhaps provides some insight as to LinkedIn's focus.

Be aware that if your specific information ends up on a web archive site, such as the Wayback Machine, people who know specifically when to search for that data can still uncover it. Sites like LinkedIn that contain your personal information are supposed to comply with national and international privacy standards. For example, the GDPR in the EU. So you can email info@archive.org with the subject line "Formal GDPR Notice" and let them know your personal information needs to be taken down. Find and use a template online, or use this one as an example.

In Conclusion

Overall, LinkedIn can be a great resource for those looking to build their personal brand and foster a business network. Just be certain to protect yourself while using it and keep your online presence healthy!