Sunday, July 15, 2012

How To Turn Off Your Activity Broadcasts on LinkedIn

I have made no bones about the fact that I am a big proponent of using social media as part of any successful job search. Networking on social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter can lead you to that next position. But if you are not aware of who is watching, it can also backfire. One big issue that many job seekers don’t realize is that each time any facet of their LinkedIn profiles are updated, it’s broadcast for every direct connection to see. Connections such as bosses and co-workers are probably not the people you ideally want being tipped off that you are actively engaged in a job search. Take the right measures to prevent this, and it won’t be a problem. Here’s how:

Taken directly from LinkedIn’s site, here are some of the changes that trigger updates (and activity broadcasts):


  1. Adding a new current job position.
  2. Adding a new current school.
  3. Adding a new link to a website.
  4. Recommending someone.
  5. Adding a connection.

To remedy this potential problem, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to your LinkedIn account
  2. Hover over your name at the upper top right of the screen
  3. Click “Settings”
  4. Find “Privacy Controls” toward the center bottom of the page
  5. Click “Turn on/off your activity broadcasts” and follow directions

In addition to turning your activity broadcasts on and off, the settings under Privacy Controls also allow you to: