OK – so really – Someone’s been viewing my profile.
But Who?
LinkedIn gives you a bit of information, and finding out more is often a frequent question.
Where to find it
Linkedin’s boxes on the right column are often missed – this one is on your home page, down a bit below the advertisement. See the title “Who’s viewed my profile?” Click the “See more” button.
Generalizable information
LinkedIn is comfortable telling you nonspecific information about people who have viewed your profile – their titles, industries, companies and locations.
You too
When you view other people’s profiles, your information is available too.
What if you don’t want to participate? Easy – change the setting in “Account & Settings”, and you’ll be excluded.
What if you want to let people know you were looking? Same thing – change the setting to give out your name.
Those are your three settings – the default (generalizable), your full name, or nothing.
What if I want more
So – what if you’d like more information about the people that have viewed your profile? Sorry – that’s not available. The amount of information is controlled by their setting!-)
Just 5
There is that option LinkedIn offers to get more – but that’s referring to quantity. You’re limited to just 5 viewers with the free account. If you want more – you can pay to upgrade your account.
That won’t get you different information, just information for more people.
Personally – I find the information of limited use, mostly as a talking point. If you’ve found a good way to use it, I’d be interested in hearing about it.
To your continued success,
steve
—
Steven Tylock
http://www.linkedinpersonaltrainer.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevetylock
Thanks for the info – I was tempted to spend $ “To see more people” — It’s plain english, but the mind (mine especially) works in funny ways.
I doubt the accuracy of the “last 30 days” part. Showing both a generic position name and company narrows the field – the position name seems to be VERY approximate.
I’m guessing all my hits were nothing more than my connections viewing on confirmation.
Jerry,
Yeah – who would want to spend $ to find out their friends have been looking at their profile;-)
I’ve checked in a couple times to find people from a company I’m speaking with have looked at my profile or people in a certain industry or profession check in when I’m speaking to their group.
Again – it’s a bit interesting, but not something I feel compelled to know, or something that changes my outlook on things;-)
steve
“Personally – I find the information of limited use, mostly as a talking point. If you’ve found a good way to use it, I’d be interested in hearing about it.”
Like many I use Linkedin to source potential clients. Often when i search i find that a profile is private. I can usually get round that by using the available information to XRay the profile using google.
What is intresting is the “Viewers of this profile also viewed…” in the right column theres are often made up of colleagues, competitors reccruiters etc. As they say “Birds of a feather flock together”
The good thing is these names are there in “broad daylight” so you just link from name to name. After get the raw data its just a case of using Google,Xing,Plaxo,Facebook and other net resources to fill in the gaps of Address Telephone number etc
Wil,
Thanks for the insight!
For other readers – Will is talking about a different block that you see on other people’s profiles. I’ll have to write on that in the future!
The “Who’s viewed my profile?” is only on your own home page.
steve