For many CS students studying in North America, LinkedIn is a major platform to apply for jobs and grow professional connections. Lots of people try applying for LinkedIn’s tech roles like Software Engineer or Data Engineer. But there’s one detail that often gets overlooked — the “cooling period.” Similar to other big companies, LinkedIn usually requires rejected candidates to wait a certain time before reapplying to the same position. This waiting time is called the cooling period.
There’s no official public rule on how long this period lasts. It usually depends on how far you got in the interview process. If you were rejected at the resume or online assessment stage, the wait is often about 3 to 6 months. But if you made it to technical interviews or the final rounds, the cooling period can be longer, sometimes 6 to 12 months. Some job posts clearly say something like “6 months before reapplying,” but others don’t mention it. When unsure, it’s a good idea to contact the recruiter to avoid accidentally applying too soon and getting blocked by the system.
Once you know about the cooling period, the main thing is how to use that time wisely. First, review your last application and figure out what went wrong. Was it algorithms, or maybe you didn’t explain your projects clearly enough? Try to remember each interview round, write down the questions and feedback, and focus on improving those points. Communication skills are often underestimated, so practicing mock interviews in English can really help with confidence and clarity.
On the technical side, if you found whiteboard coding or system design hard, make a study plan that focuses on understanding rather than just doing tons of problems. For projects, if your resume looks too academic or lacks teamwork experience, try to get an internship or start a practical side project during the cooling period. Real-world experience always helps.
Also, don’t put all your eggs in the LinkedIn basket. The cooling period is a good chance to reset and try applying elsewhere. You can keep applying to other big names like Google, Meta, Stripe, or Snowflake to get more interview practice and real feedback. You might even find a role that fits you better.
The cooling period isn’t a failure — it’s a break to reflect and improve. For international students, using this time well is more important than rushing to reapply. Keep steady, build your skills, and when the waiting time is over, you’ll be ready to try again with more confidence.
Release time:2025-06-10
