For generations, a formal resume on crisp white paper had been the time-honored way of showcasing one‘s professional profile. Then LinkedIn came along at the turn of the millennium and changed everything. Today over 75% of all job openings in technology, marketing and other fields are posted on this network with over 850 million users globally.
But sometimes, one needs a complete reset especially when transitioning careers or recovering from setbacks. And that involves permanently deleting your LinkedIn presence built up over the years.
In my consulting experience, this is an emotionally-charged decision for clients weighing years of networking against a fresh start. There are also second thoughts once the profile actually vanishes.
This guide will walk you through everything involved in closing your LinkedIn account, with tips to do it the smart way if you must bid adieu to Reid Hoffman‘s professional world:
Why LinkedIn Has Become Indispensable for Careers
Since officially launching in 2003, LinkedIn has come to dominate the digital professional networking space through continual expansion of its platform and user base:
Here is a snapshot of key milestones in LinkedIn‘s growth story:
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LinkedIn begins in co-founder Reid Hoffman‘s living room in 2002 before launching next year. Hoffman was an early executive at PayPal and SocialNet, and saw a niche for connecting professionals online.
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The new platform got traction quickly – within the first year itself, LinkedIn hit 1 million members.
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2005 sees the introduction of premium subscriptions for recruiters and sales professionals. This became the bedrock of commercial services revenue.
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User growth kept steadily rising, hitting 10 million in early 2007. However, the next 20 million came quicker over just 18 months showing acceleration.
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2010 was a milestone year – company launched both the official LinkedIn mobile app and Company Pages. This allowed businesses to deeply integrate profiles into talent management, marketing and sales processes.
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2011 proved transformative through a high-profile IPO, with shares debuting at $83 giving it a valuation of over $10 billion. Public investor appetite was strong.
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Riding the growth wave, LinkedIn acquired presentation platform SlideShare for $120 million in 2012 – its largest purchase then. Content sharing now came into the mix.
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By 2014, membership soared past 300 million globally. Now majority of users began coming from international regions vs initial Silicon Valley base.
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2016 was epochal with Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn for a staggering $26+ billion – the software giant‘s largest deal ever. This provided resources to fuel stronger monetization.
Today LinkedIn operates localized site versions in over 24 languages. And beyond scalable access, network effects are kicking in – you flock to the platform where more relevant professionals already are present. No surprise that LinkedIn pages rank very high in both organic and paid search results related to career keywords.
The net result – LinkedIn has become the go-to launchpad for advancing your career or business in the digital age.
But the flip side is that removing your presence here requires careful evaluation around past momentum and future aspirations.
What Happens Once You Delete LinkedIn Account?
Unlike other social media networks, LinkedIn is intrinsically tied into professional opportunities and reputation. Before we get into the how of account deletion, be fully aware of the repercussions:
Burning Bridges
Permanently deleting your account is akin to cutting off access to your networks and contacts built up over years.
Even if you directly have connections on email or phone, your 2nd degree networks vanish. And as per the Small World phenomenon, your reach can expand exponentially through wider networks on LinkedIn.
This is invaluable social capital now destroyed without future recovery path.
Job Hunt Handicap
With most roles advertised and filled through LinkedIn, you are severely restricted without presence here. Whileresume still plays key role once shortlisted, many positions never make it to public listings and instead tap existing networks.
Recruiters and hiring managers scout LinkedIn profiles as the default starting point, even if provided resumes later. No profile = major disadvantage.
Emergence of Ghost Profiles
HR departments at your past employers and clients may still retain items like job history, recommendations given to you etc. These now float as ‘ghost‘ profiles without context since your actual anchor profile has disappeared.
Such fragmented artifacts can strength or dilute personal brand debris left over after account removal.
Digital Paper Trail Lost
All activities and conversations until date – posts made, comments received, peers connected with – are wiped out completely upon leaving LinkedIn.
Unlike say Twitter or Reddit, there is no static archive left behind of your digital paper trail here. Data backups only contain list-style activity logs rather than retaining online history intact.
So one has to reconcile with not just severing current network but also permanently erasing your shareable thought leadership built up till now.
What Stays Behind
Per LinkedIn privacy policy, some personal data and account history may still be retained internally for legal compliance even after public profile removal.
So aspects like past job roles, names of connections made etc. continue residing in encrypted databases. This increases risks from potential data breaches down the line even after account deletion.
After evaluating the serious implications around axing your account, here is how to actually go about it if the decision stays unchanged:
Step-by-Step: How to Permanently Delete Your LinkedIn Account
Note: You must downgrade from any Premium subscription to a free account before being allowed to delete profile
Here is a visual step-by-step process to permanently remove your LinkedIn account:
Step 1: Backup Valuable Account Data
Before we delete account, it is crucial to backup all the data and history you have accrued until now. This preserves details around:
- Profile information
- Established connections and network
- Content interactions and shares
- Past jobs and recommendations
To backup data before deleting account:
- Go to Settings and Privacy from profile menu
- Select Get a copy of your data under Data Privacy
- Choose categories of data to download
- Enter password to authorize archive request
You‘ll get download link within 24 hours to retrieve this comprehensive backup file. On average, size is ~100 MB but can vary significantly based on years of activity.
Securely store this file both online and offline to have the option of recovering relevant data if ever needed.
Step 2: Cancel Any Premium Subscriptions
LinkedIn doesn‘t allow deleting accounts if you currently have any paid Premium subscription active, like Sales Navigator or Recruiter Lite.
These must be first downgraded to revert to the free experience before removing account permanently.
To cancel premium membership:
- Go to the Account upgrades page from Me icon > Premium avatar
- Click on Manage subscriptions
- Select Cancel subscription option
- Follow prompts to confirm cancellation
You‘ll continue enjoying premium features until current billing cycle finishes after which account reverts to free mode.
Step 3: Navigate To Close Account Page
Now we are ready to permanently remove the LinkedIn account.
To navigate to closure page:
- Go to profile menu from top-right Me icon
- Select Settings & Privacy option
- Click on Account preferences from expanded menu
- Scroll down to Account management section
- Click on Close account option
This opens the LinkedIn account deletion page to confirm removal request.
Step 4: Verify and Confirm Account Closure
On the Close Account page, select reason from dropdown options that best fits why you wish to delete account permanently.
You may enter any additional details on why wishing to leave LinkedIn network.
Finally, enter account password when prompted to confirm identity and authorization.
Select Close Account button to complete account deletion steps.
That‘s it! Account removal process is now complete from your end.
Profile is automatically hidden from network visibility and all data access removed within 24 hours after closure confirmation.
So by the time you wake up tomorrow, your digital presence on LinkedIn will be a thing of the past! 👋
Option Comparison: Delete Vs Temporary Deactivation
Instead of complete removal, LinkedIn does offer the midpoint option to temporarily hide your account from public view while retaining data access.
This is achieved by selecting Hibernate account from the account management section.
Here is an at-a-glance comparison between permanently deleting Vs temporarily deactivating account:
| Delete LinkedIn Account | Hibernate LinkedIn Account |
|---|---|
| Permanently erases profile and connections | Temporarily hides profile for timeout period |
| Public profile removed instantly | Still counted internally as registered user |
| 14 days to reverse deletion else permanent | Can reactivate anytime instantly |
| Loses access to network and conversations | Past data remains intact |
| New user signup needed post deletion | Easy toggle to reactivate account |
So in a nutshell:
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Hibernation gives you flexibility to take a short break while retaining your professional brand assets to smoothly resume later.
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Deletion cuts you off completely from the LinkedIn ecosystem with very limited recovery options later.
Many users hesitate to burn bridges in case they want to return some years down the line or recover old conversations and connections.
Hence hibernation serves as a middle ground during transitional career phases or mental health breaks.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
And that‘s a wrap! Let‘s recap key insights around removing LinkedIn access:
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LinkedIn has become indispensable for professional networking and opportunities with an enormous 800+ million member community. But account deletion wipes out your share of this social capital forever.
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Downgrading from Premium, backing up valued account data and verifying identity are crucial preparatory steps before permanent account removal.
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Temporarily hiding the account via hibernation retains connections and content in suspended animation during your absence from the platform. Much easier to reactivate later.
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Deletion cuts ties irrevocably compared to hibernation. Run through the cost-benefit analysis first before going down an irrecoverable path.
I hope this guide covered everything you need to be aware of before modifying your participation or visibility on LinkedIn. Feel free to ping me any other questions you may have on managing professional digital presence!
