LinkedIn is a powerful professional networking platform used by millions of people worldwide. As a LinkedIn user, you likely have a customized profile showcasing your background, skills, accomplishments and more. This profile allows you to connect with other professionals, find job opportunities, join industry groups and expand your network. But have you ever wondered what your LinkedIn profile looks like to other users? Can you view your own LinkedIn profile as if you were someone else? The short answer is yes, it is possible to view your LinkedIn profile just as any other user would see it. There are a few easy ways to accomplish this on both desktop and mobile. Here’s what you need to know about viewing your own LinkedIn profile from an outside perspective.
View LinkedIn Profile in Private/Incognito Mode
The simplest way to view your LinkedIn profile as others see it is to use your web browser’s private or incognito browsing mode. Here’s how it works:
- Google Chrome – Open a new incognito window and navigate to LinkedIn.com. Log in normally to your account. You can now view your profile as a public user would.
- Mozilla Firefox – Click the menu button in the top right and select “New Private Window”. Go to LinkedIn and log in to see your profile incognito.
- Microsoft Edge – Click the three-dot menu button and choose “New InPrivate window”. LinkedIn will treat you as logged out in this mode.
- Apple Safari – Enable Private Browsing from the Safari menu. Your browsing history is erased after you close the window.
Private browsing ensures LinkedIn won’t recognize you based on cookies or cached data. You essentially become an anonymous viewer. This is the easiest way to preview your profile from an unbiased perspective. Keep in mind you can still make edits to your profile while in a private browsing session.
View Profile in Guest Mode
Another option is to use LinkedIn’s built-in guest mode viewing feature. Here’s how it works:
- Click your profile icon in the top right corner of LinkedIn and choose “View profile”
- Look for the down arrow icon next to your profile photo in the top banner
- Select “View as guest” from the dropdown menu
In guest mode, you’ll be viewing your profile as if you were logged out of LinkedIn completely. You won’t be able to make any edits or changes. Guest mode provides a quick way to preview your profile anonymously without having to open a separate private browsing window. You can easily toggle guest viewing on and off.
Preview Profile as a Specific User
For the most realistic profile preview, you can view your profile as if you were logged in as a specific LinkedIn member. Here’s how to do it:
- Log out of your LinkedIn account completely
- Pull up another current LinkedIn member’s profile in a separate tab
- Copy the URL of their public profile page
- Paste that URL into your address bar and hit Enter
- You will now be viewing your own profile as if you were logged in as that particular member
This method allows you to preview your profile exactly as certain connections would see it. For example, you could view your profile as a recruiter, hiring manager, former colleague, etc. Depending on the viewer, certain info may be visible or hidden based on your settings. Use this method to get a true outside perspective.
Leverage LinkedIn Profile Checker Tools
Several third-party websites and browser extensions also let you analyze your LinkedIn profile as an anonymous viewer would see it. Some popular options include:
- LinkedIn Profile Checker Chrome Extension
- Google Chrome LinkedIn Profile Checker
- CheckYourLinkedInProfile.com
- BrandYourself’s LinkedIn Profile Optimizer
These tools scan your profile and provide feedback on how your content appears to the public. Some also rate your profile for completeness and offer tips for improvement. Using an external profile checker is another simple way to preview your profile anonymously.
Best Practices for Viewing Your Profile
Here are some best practices when viewing your LinkedIn profile as an outsider:
- Check frequently – View your profile regularly to catch any updates or changes
- Preview on mobile – View on both desktop and mobile to ensure consistency
- Test as connections – Preview as your important LinkedIn connections to see their experience
- Remove biases – View without being logged in to remove personalized bias
- Focus on first impressions – Consider the initial impression your profile makes on visitors
- Take notes – Record feedback and ideas for optimizing your profile
Checking your profile as others see it can reveal opportunities for improvement. You may catch formatting issues, outdated information, or unclear messaging you want to refine based on an outsider’s perspective.
FAQs
Is my LinkedIn profile fully visible to anyone?
Parts of your profile are visible to any public visitor, while other sections may be hidden or restricted depending on your settings. You control visibility and permissions around contact info, current position, education, skills, recommendations, and other profile content.
Can I test my profile without being logged into LinkedIn?
Yes, using a private/incognito browsing window or third-party profiler checker allows you to preview your profile when logged completely out of LinkedIn.
Do all visitors see my profile the same way?
Not exactly. The content visible to someone can vary depending on whether they are directly connected to you and their account type (personal vs. business). Some info may be personalized or restricted based on relationship and permissions.
Can I edit my profile while viewing as a guest?
No, you cannot make changes to your profile while in LinkedIn’s guest viewing mode. You will be able to see your profile as an outsider but will not have editing access.
Does LinkedIn notify me if someone views my profile?
LinkedIn does not proactively notify you when someone views your profile. You can see aggregate profile view data in your LinkedIn dashboard, but will not receive individual viewer notifications.
Conclusion
Viewing your own LinkedIn profile from an external perspective is easy to do and provides valuable insights. Leverage private browsing, guest mode, or third-party tools to preview how your profile appears to the public. Check frequently to optimize your content, messaging and visibility settings. A few small tweaks could take your profile from good to great based on an objective outside view. Use these tips to improve your profile and control the impression you make on the LinkedIn community.