Protect Your Privacy on LinkedIn
Privacy & LinkedIn
When it comes to LinkedIn privacy anyone connected on LinkedIn is able to search and find you. Since everyone can find you what should you post publicly and what should remain private on your LinkedIn profile? A general rule of thumb on what to keep private is to ask yourself, “Would I be okay with everyone knowing this about me or my business?” Studies show that the more a person knows about you via LinkedIn, the more likely they are to buy from you. In fact, 68% of consumers feel more positive about a brand after consuming content from that particular brand.
To maximize LinkedIn for your business and your personal brand, the more open it is the better. That being said we all have varying comfort levels when it comes to privacy.
Whatever your comfort level, I recommend taking the 7 items listed below off your profile.
Protecting Your Privacy on LinkedIn
- Age identifiers: Including your birthday, years you went to school, etc. Age discrimination persists and you want your qualifications to resonate first. Include your alma mater but avoid listing the year you graduated.
- Ethnicity as a description: Unfortunately, discrimination still occurs.
- Religious affiliations
- Reasons for leaving previous job: A topic to be discussed in private and not appropriate for public view.
- Specific street addresses: Remember, LinkedIn is public and for security reasons, you may not want this information available for just anyone.
- Phone numbers of previous employers: This is to protect your previous employer’s privacy.
- Salary figures
Check out this and more tips on LinkedIn in Erik Qualman’s book How to Sell on LinkedIn.
