Have you ever applied for a job through the LinkedIn app, only to be redirected to a page that’s still connected to LinkedIn? While filling out the form, you’re asked to add your LinkedIn profile link — fair enough.

But here’s the catch:

You may need to check your LinkedIn account to find your profile link unless you already have it memorised. While it’s not difficult to remember, nobody necessarily needs a URL to locate someone online; you can easily find them through a search.

However, in this case, you’ll need to close the current window, check your profile URL, copy it, and then click to apply again to restart the process.

There are ways to obtain your link without closing that window, although the user experience may suffer.

In the context of Steve Krug “Don’t Make Me Think,” this scenario perfectly highlights a fundamental principle of usability: reducing cognitive load.

The process described forces users to stop, think, and take additional steps to complete a task that should be straightforward.

The design creates unnecessary friction by requiring users to retrieve their LinkedIn URL—information that LinkedIn already has.

A more intuitive approach, such as auto-filling the profile link or seamlessly integrating the necessary data, would honour Krug’s philosophy by keeping the experience effortless and keeping users focused on their primary goal: applying for the job.