Enrichment Data Providers

When you use the Clockwork Chrome Extension on a LinkedIn profile, data flows through a specific chain before it appears in Clockwork. Here's exactly how that works and what it means for you.

The data source: Data Providers, not LinkedIn directly

Clockwork does not screen-scrape LinkedIn. When the Chrome Extension pulls profile information, it calls the Data Providers API. These third-party data providers aggregate professional profile data from hundreds of sources, including LinkedIn. Data Providers only collect publicly visible LinkedIn profiles.

That means Clockwork never reads your browser's view of a LinkedIn page and never stores data by mimicking user behavior on the site.

We do not screen-scrape

The Chrome Extension triggers an API call to the Data Providers. Data arrives from the dataset, not from the LinkedIn page itself. Your browser is the trigger, not the source. This protects your firm from legal compliance risks while ensuring a sustainable, reliable data strategy.

What data can actually be collected

Data Providers can only provide what LinkedIn makes publicly accessible. That data set typically includes name, current title, employer, location, employment history, education, and skills — the fields a non-connected visitor could read on an open profile.

Clockwork can only display and store what the Data Provider offers. If a field is missing in the Data Providers data for a given person, it won't appear in Clockwork, regardless of what may be visible to you when you're logged in to LinkedIn.

Third-party data has limits

The Data Providers dataset reflects what is publicly available on LinkedIn profiles. Private or restricted fields are outside what any third-party provider can collect, and Clockwork has no visibility into them.

Why some profiles return limited or no data

LinkedIn allows members to restrict public access to their profiles. When someone has set their visibility settings to limit what non-connected or logged-out visitors can see, the Data Providers dataset for that person will be sparse or absent entirely. This is an intentional choice by that individual, and it's respected throughout the data chain.

If you notice that a profile import comes back with minimal information, the most likely explanation is that the person has restricted their public profile visibility on LinkedIn.

Restricted profiles return limited data

Some LinkedIn members limit what the public can view. When that's the case, the Data Providers won't have much to provide, and Clockwork will reflect that gap. This is working as intended.

Why data may not match a profile's current state

The Data Providers maintain their own dataset and update it on its own schedule. When someone updates their LinkedIn profile, that change doesn't instantly propagate to the Data Providers records. There is often a lag sometimes days, sometimes longer before data reflects the update.

That means if a candidate just changed jobs or updated their headline, the information in Clockwork after an Extension import may reflect their profile as it was at the Data Providers last refresh, not as it appears on LinkedIn right now. This is a known characteristic of third-party data aggregation, not an error in Clockwork.

Data may lag behind recent profile changes

The Data Providers update their dataset independently of LinkedIn. A profile change on LinkedIn may take time to appear in the Data Providers records and, by extension, in Clockwork. If freshness matters for a specific candidate, verify directly with them.

Quick reference

Does Clockwork scrape LinkedIn? Where does the data come from?		No. The Extension calls the API of the Data Providers. LinkedIn's page content is never read or stored directly. Third-party Data Providers. They collect only publicly available LinkedIn profile information via their own API and distribute it to platforms like Clockwork.
Why is some data missing?		Either the person has restricted their public profile on LinkedIn, or the data isn't available in the current dataset. Clockwork can only show what the Data Providers have available.

Why doesn't the data match LinkedIn?		The Data Providers dataset may not yet reflect recent profile updates. There's typically a lag between a LinkedIn profile change and when the data is picked up.
Can Clockwork access private profile data?		No. Only publicly accessible data is available through the Data Providers. Private or connection-only fields cannot be collected by any third-party provider.

Questions or data discrepancies

If you're seeing a consistent data quality issue, or a specific profile is returning noticeably stale or incomplete information, reach out to our support team. While we can't control the Data Providers refresh cycles, we do track data quality patterns and escalate systemic issues with our provider.