Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Best LinkedIn Privacy Settings for Sneaky Job Seekers

So, you’re itching for a new job but don’t exactly want your boss to see you freshening up that LinkedIn profile at 2 AM. Don’t worry because you’re not alone in this undercover mission. You can polish your profile and catch a recruiter’s eye without tipping off your current employer.

Here’s how to sneak around LinkedIn like a career ninja:

🕵️‍♂️ Turn Off Those Broadcasts

You know that awkward moment when your whole network gets pinged that you updated your headline from Assistant to Actively Seeking New Adventures? Yeah, let’s not do that. Go to your privacy settings and shut off those “Notify network” options. Make your edits in stealth mode.

🤫 Keep “Open to Work” on the Down-Low

LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” badge is great if you don’t mind your boss seeing it. Thankfully, you can flip a switch so only recruiters see your green circle of freedom. Your colleagues will be none the wiser.

🕶️ Who Can See What You’re Up To?

Your latest post about “exciting new opportunities ahead” might raise some eyebrows at the office. Tweak your settings so only you (or select connections) can see your activity. Trust me, this is how you keep the grapevine quiet.

🔐 Lock Down Your Connections

Your nosy coworker doesn’t need to know that you just connected with three recruiters at your dream company. Limit who can see your connections list and your contact info. A little privacy goes a long way.

📸 Adjust That Mugshot

Believe it or not, your profile pic visibility can also give you away. Maybe you don’t want the whole world seeing your new professional headshot until you’re ready to go public. Dial it back to just 2nd- or 3rd-degree connections if you’re feeling extra covert.

🧐 Bonus Tip: Check Yourself

Use the “View as…” feature to see exactly what your profile looks like to strangers, or your boss. Make sure no clues slip through the cracks.

✅ Stay Seen (Just Not There)

Looking for a new job while employed can feel like balancing on a tightrope. But with the right LinkedIn privacy settings, you can make yourself visible to the right people and invisible to the wrong ones.

So, fix those settings, brush up that profile, and good luck on your stealthy job hunt! 🕵️‍♀️✨