This request to view your LinkedIn profile shouldn't be a big deal.

13 Comments

1. AnonymousDecember 15,2024 at 4:37PM UTC

   FFS, why does this board always jump to nefarious reasons for using LinkedIn? You’re going down a rabbit hole.

   Lets think through other reasons why people check you out on LinkedIn:

   -They’re preparing for a meeting and want to learn more about your background

   -Looking for areas of common interest

   -Looking for mutual connections

   -Want to learn about any volunteer work or board service

   Here’s some advice: don’t make polarizing statements on a professional network without understanding there could be consequences. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

   And unless a potential employer says: give me your social media handles so I can determine your age & nationality , we’re jumping to conclusions.

2. QDecember 15,2024 at 5:50PM UTC

   Thank you for a balanced viewpoint. The vitriol about LinkedIn always shocks me. I’ve noted some important experience from someone’s LinkedIn they didn’t call out as overtly on their resume and it has helped me ask important questions in the interview. In some cases, giving the candidate a stronger candidacy as there was something minor that would positively help the role being filled. A resume is flat and limiting. LinkedIn gives candidates more chance to add dimension to their skills and experience and to shine. Failure to leverage the tool is astonishing to me.

3. AnonymousDecember 15,2024 at 7:53PM UTC

   Love this post x100! What an interesting perspective: a resume is flat and limiting. Totally agree…and what an opportunity to enhance that with your LinkedIn profile!

4. AnonymousDecember 16,2024 at 3:09AM UTC

   The interview is the opportunity to bring the flat resume to life

5. AnonymousDecember 16,2024 at 12:59PM UTC

   I see a lot of political BS on LinkedIn, and really can't understand why people feel the need to spew their political garbage there as there are plenty of other forums to do so.

6. WandaDecember 17,2024 at 1:28PM UTC

   I agree. The purpose for the LinkedIn platform was to be a place where people could post their professional accomplishments and form connections, that would, in turn, lead to great employment opportunities.

7. AnonymousDecember 16,2024 at 1:54PM UTC

   I wouldn't consider LinedIn the place for politics or religion. Keep that to Facebook and other friend social media and keep LI professional. I generally stay away from both topics on all social media because in my role, I need to be able to bring people together to achieve overall goals and if I'm being divisive, it would impact that.

8. AnonymousDecember 16,2024 at 8:06PM UTC

   They'll going to see you sooner or later. Or, what will likely happen is, you will never hear from the very cutting edge companies because you don't have a LI presence.

9. AnonymousDecember 16,2024 at 8:06PM UTC

   Yep, you're going down a rabbit hole. You are assuming non-HR people use it as a way to discriminate. I'm non-HR and have hired for a living as well in a recruiting career.

   There are various reasons as another poster pointed out. I am not discriminating against anyone that I'm looking at their profile. I'm trying to learn more about them. But humans in general naturally judge others. So I make sure any profile I have reflects truly who I am. And my background. I don't use social media to post anything political, religious or use it as a whining station for all of my woes. Quite frankly I'm not that interesting. I use it for work reasons and of course have checked out those I have met along the way.

10. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachDecember 17,2024 at 1:46PM UTC

    If you have concerns about potential employers viewing you on Linkedin, then you shouldn't be on LinkedIn. It isn't required. Depending on your field however, not having a visual social media presence may not be a good move.

    If you are worried about discrimination (be it implicit or explicit) based on racial or ethic identity, don't post your profile picture and don't post any activities you prefer to keep private from employers.

    Worried about discrimination based on politics? Don't post anything political unless you work in politics. Ditto that for religion.

    If you do want potential employers to find you, then you do NEED to be on LinkedIn. Just know it's totally legit for an employer to look at your profile.

11. Paulla Fetzek, MSEdDecember 17,2024 at 2:00PM UTC

    I am religious and also into politics. I don't believe either has a place on my LinkedIn profile. Having said this, I don't think it's wrong if someone wants to acknowledge God or any other deity one follows. Nor do I think it's wrong if someone wants to post non-biased political information. All other social media, however, is different. Are people judged for what they post on these SM sites? Most definitely.

    You mention people judging - if you think about it, your social media is all many people see of you. If you post with negativity or vulgarities - how do you think people will judge you?

    I don't think you're going down a rabbit hole. But we as humans judge. And if your LinkedIn page is not a good representation of who you actually are then it's understandable you're judged by what is shown.

12. AnonymousDecember 17,2024 at 2:25PM UTC

    Simple solution. Leave that stuff off your LinkedIn profile.

13. Hold on Lee LouDecember 18,2024 at 3:15PM UTC

    LinkedIn is specifically for your professional life, not political and religious views. Anyone can look at it (depending on settings), including non-HR people. And, yes, they can use that information to determine how they treat or respect you in the workplace, just as they would if you wore a political t-shirt into the office or talked openly about your religion at work.

    Religious discrimination is, of course, illegal; however, the legal definition of discrimination is strict and doesn't cover how your co-workers socialize with you. For example, one might keep their distance because they know you are part of a particular church that they don't agree with. That is not discrimination as long as they aren't treating you poorly. Another situation could be that you didn't get a promotion and you believe that it was based on different political views. Unless they outright say, "your political views are not in line with ours, so you didn't get the promotion," they have many other reasons why someone else would be selected. While the politics thing could bias them against you, they might also be turned off by HOW you share those views, your professionalism, or other factors.

    LinkedIn is a way to professionally promote yourself. You need to curate it with that in mind. Keep your religion and politics on a locked-down private facebook page or other social media that can't be easily discovered by employers - if you have to make it public at all.