LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows you to connect with other professionals in your industry. When you create a LinkedIn profile, you have access to view and connect with other LinkedIn members. However, LinkedIn has privacy settings that control how much of a member’s profile is visible to others.
Viewing Basic LinkedIn Profiles
All LinkedIn members can view other members’ basic profile information, such as name, photo, current position and company, school attended, and industry. To view another member’s basic profile:
- Go to LinkedIn.com and log into your account.
- Search for the member you want to view using the search bar at the top of the page.
- Click on the member’s name to go to their profile page.
On the profile page, you will be able to see information the member has included in the introductory About section of their profile. This includes current position, education, skills, and a summary. You can also see the number of connections the member has, but not view who those connections are.
Connecting with LinkedIn Members
To view extended profile information on LinkedIn and interact with other members, you need to connect with them. There are three ways to connect with a LinkedIn member:
- Send a connection request – On the member’s profile page, click “Connect” and send them a connection request. If they accept, you will be connected.
- Accept a connection request – If another member sends you a connection request, you will receive a notification. You can choose to accept the request or ignore it.
- Import connections – LinkedIn allows you to import contacts from your email account and connect with those who also have LinkedIn accounts.
Viewing Extended Profiles of Connections
When you connect with a LinkedIn member, you gain access to view additional profile sections, such as:
- Full work experience
- Education details
- Skills
- Accomplishments
- Recommendations
- Groups and interests
To view the full profile of a connection:
- Go to your LinkedIn homepage.
- Find the connection under “My Network”.
- Click on their name to go to their profile page.
- Scroll through the profile to view all available sections.
Who Can See Your Extended Profile?
When managing the visibility of your own LinkedIn profile, you have options to control who can view the extended sections. These include:
- Public – All LinkedIn members can view the full profile.
- Connections only – Only your 1st-degree connections can view.
- Only you – The section will be hidden from other’s views.
To edit the visibility settings of profile sections:
- Go to your profile page.
- Click “View profile” to switch into public view mode.
- Go to each profile section and click “edit” to change visibility.
- Save changes.
Connecting with 2nd- and 3rd-Degree Connections
LinkedIn shows you 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections, who are people connected to your connections. You can request to connect with them to expand your network. There are two ways to do this:
- Get introduced through a mutual connection – Ask the mutual connection to introduce you to the other member.
- Send an InMail message – Use LinkedIn InMail to directly contact the 2nd- or 3rd-degree connection. You are allotted a certain number of InMails per month with your account.
Viewing LinkedIn Profiles Anonymously
LinkedIn allows members to view some profiles anonymously without connecting, through a feature called anonymous LinkedIn Viewing. To browse anonymously:
- Go to the profile page you wish to view.
- Scroll to the very bottom and click “View anonymously”.
- You can now view parts of the profile. The member will not be notified.
- To message the member, you will need to reveal your identity and send a connection request first.
Using Premium LinkedIn Services
LinkedIn Premium subscriptions offer additional services for viewing extended profiles, contacting members, and growing your network. Key features include:
Service | Details |
---|---|
Open Profile Viewing | View full profiles and complete list of connections of anyone on LinkedIn without connecting. |
InMail Messages | Send unlimited messages directly to anyone on LinkedIn, even if they are not connected to you. |
Profile Organizer | Get profile and contact information to easily manage and grow your network. |
Who’s Viewed Your Profile | See insights into who is viewing and engaging with your LinkedIn profile. |
LinkedIn Premium prices range from $29.99 to $79.99 per month depending on plan level chosen.
Other Tips for Accessing Profiles
Here are some additional tips for accessing LinkedIn profiles:
- Use advanced search filters such as location, company, job title, skills to find connections.
- Upgrade to Business or Sales Navigator account options for more advanced profile management tools.
- Respect privacy settings members have set on their profiles.
- Customize your own profile settings and visibility levels for each section.
- Be selective when sending connection requests, and personalize with a note.
Conclusion
LinkedIn provides members with many options for accessing profiles and viewing extended information on connections. Key factors are establishing direct connections, managing profile visibility settings, and respecting the privacy controls members have in place. Utilizing premium features can further increase outreach capabilities. Maintaining an informative and engaging profile will also help in networking and accessing new connections on LinkedIn.