How to Remove Applied Jobs on LinkedIn: A Comprehensive Guide

Want to clean up your LinkedIn application history? Good news! While you can’t entirely wipe the slate clean, you can manage your application view to keep it focused on what matters. This article details how to “remove” applied jobs (more accurately, hide them from your view) on LinkedIn, and provides a plethora of helpful insights to master your LinkedIn job-seeking experience.

Understanding LinkedIn’s Application History

Before we dive into the “how-to,” it’s crucial to understand what LinkedIn actually does (and doesn’t) do with your application history. LinkedIn maintains a record of the jobs you’ve applied for through its platform. This information is used to improve the application process, suggest relevant opportunities, and track your progress. However, it’s also visible (to varying degrees) to you. LinkedIn doesn’t offer a “delete” button for applications. The primary method for managing this list is through archiving. Archiving effectively removes the application from your immediate view, giving you a cleaner, more organized job application dashboard.

The Simple Steps to Archiving Applied Jobs

Here’s the step-by-step process to archive those completed or irrelevant applications:

1. Access Your Job Application Dashboard: Navigate to the “Jobs” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage. Then, click on “My Jobs.”

2. Find the “Applied” Section: Within the “My Jobs” page, you’ll see several tabs. Click on the “Applied” tab. This will display all the jobs you’ve applied for through LinkedIn.

3. Locate the Application You Want to Archive: Browse through the list and find the specific job application you wish to “remove” (archive).

4. Click on the Job Title: Clicking the job title will open the job details page on the right-hand side of the screen.

5. Find the “More” Button: Inside the application details (usually near the top, near the application date), look for a three-dot menu or a button labeled “More.”

6. Select “Archive”: Clicking on the “More” button or the three-dot menu will give you a dropdown list where you will find the option to “Archive”. Select “Archive.”

7. Confirm the Action: LinkedIn might prompt you with a confirmation message. Simply confirm to finalize the archiving process.

Where Do Archived Jobs Go?

Archived jobs are not permanently deleted. They are moved to an “Archived” section, accessible within your “My Jobs” dashboard. This allows you to easily retrieve and review previously applied jobs if needed. To view archived jobs, simply go to the “My Jobs” section, and select the “Archived” tab.

Why Archive Instead of Delete?

The decision to archive instead of delete is strategic on LinkedIn’s part. It allows them to:

• Maintain Data for Analytics: Understanding application trends and user behavior is crucial for improving their platform.
• Provide a Record for Users: Having a historical record of your applications can be helpful for reference, especially during interviews or when following up.
• Avoid Data Loss: Accidentally deleting an application could be frustrating for users who might want to revisit it later.

Third-Party Applications: A Different Ballgame

This archiving process primarily applies to jobs you’ve applied for directly through LinkedIn using the “Easy Apply” feature or by submitting your profile. If you clicked a link on LinkedIn that took you to an external website (e.g., a company’s career page) and applied there, the application history isn’t tracked directly within LinkedIn.

FAQs: Your LinkedIn Application Questions Answered

Here are the 12 most frequently asked questions about managing your LinkedIn application history.

Q1: Can I Unarchive an Application?

Yes, absolutely! Go to the “My Jobs” section, then click on the “Archived” tab. Find the job you want to unarchive, and you’ll see an option to “Unarchive” it. This will move the application back to your “Applied” list.

Q2: Does Archiving Notify the Recruiter or Company?

No. Archiving your application only affects your personal view on LinkedIn. The recruiter or company will not be notified that you have archived the application.

Q3: Will Archived Jobs Still Appear in My Profile Activity?

No. Archiving an application does not affect your profile activity. Your profile activity reflects your posts, articles, and other engagement on the platform, not your job application history.

Q4: How Can I See If a Company Has Viewed My Application?

LinkedIn provides some insights into application status, but it depends on the company’s settings and use of LinkedIn Recruiter. Look for status updates like “Viewed,” “Reviewed,” or “Interviewing” within the application details. However, not all companies share this information.

Q5: What If I Applied on an External Website After Clicking a LinkedIn Job Post?

LinkedIn does not track applications submitted on external websites, even if you found the job posting on LinkedIn. You’ll need to manage your application and track your progress directly with the company.

Q6: Is There a Limit to How Many Jobs I Can Archive?

There is no known limit to the number of jobs you can archive on LinkedIn.

Q7: Can I Archive Multiple Jobs at Once?

Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not offer a bulk archiving feature. You must archive each job individually.

Q8: What If I Accidentally Archived the Wrong Job?

Simply unarchive it! Follow the steps for unarchiving an application (as detailed in Q1).

Q9: Will LinkedIn Remind Me About Archived Jobs?

No. LinkedIn does not send reminders about archived jobs. They are effectively out of sight, unless you actively go looking for them.

Q10: How Does LinkedIn Use My Application Data?

LinkedIn uses your application data to improve job recommendations, provide insights to recruiters, and enhance the overall job searching experience. Your data is typically anonymized and aggregated for these purposes.

Q11: Can I Download My Application History?

LinkedIn does not offer a direct feature to download your application history in a readily usable format like a spreadsheet. You can manually record the information or explore third-party tools (with caution and respect for LinkedIn’s terms of service) that might offer such functionality.

Q12: Are There Any Privacy Concerns with LinkedIn Storing My Application Data?

As with any online platform, it’s essential to be aware of privacy considerations. Review LinkedIn’s privacy policy to understand how your data is used and protected. You can also adjust your privacy settings to control the information you share with recruiters and the public.

Conclusion: Mastering Your LinkedIn Job Search

While you can’t completely erase your application history on LinkedIn, the archiving feature provides a practical way to manage your view and keep your “Applied” list organized. By understanding how LinkedIn handles application data and utilizing the archiving functionality, you can streamline your job search experience and maintain a professional presence on the platform. Remember to always be mindful of LinkedIn’s terms of service and privacy policies to ensure a secure and productive job-seeking journey.