How to uninstall BranchOut - the Facebook career networking app.
When the BranchOut app hit the Facebook shelves, I like many other people signed up - more out of curiosity than a need to find a job. Initially it does seem compelling…
Over the last few months I have been getting more and more spam-like Facebook messages from them, that have no relevance to me whatsoever. In fact It really started to hack me off. So I did the normal thing in social media land and asked around.
Many others are feeling the same way. Yes you can turn off the messages in the Facebook settings, but that kind of defeats the object for a career networking tool doesn't it? Other BranchOut users I have spoken to (which is quite a few in the recruitment world as you can imagine), also are now failing to see the value this app actually adds to them.
So, rarther than just moan about it, I thought I would simply remove the app - my choice and no big issue….. or so I thought! Seems they don't want you to do that! And if you do manage to 'escape' their clutches, they have your email address anyway!
Fortunately the guys over at CV4Biz have worked out how best to uninstall BranchOut from your Facebook account.
There are two ways to remove BranchOut from your Facebook apps:
- Go to your Facebook page
- Look in the left hand column, and find the third block down, which is Facebook Applications. If you can’t initially see the admin character (square icon, four equal sized shapes, bottom right is a camera, tab labelled “Apps”), then click more. Once you have found it, click the icon
- You are now in your Facebook Apps admin area. In the top block labelled Your Apps click the more button
- You are now in Your Apps page in Facebook. Bottom of the page, you will see written To control how your friends see your activity, click here = click it
- You are now in Choose your privacy settings – Apps, games and websites in the top block, and click the Edit Settings box
- You are now in Apps, games and websites – Apps you use Find the line in which BranchOut is listed, and on the far right hand side of that line, you will see a cross. To remove BranchOut click, and accept the “Are You Sure?” question. You have now removed BranchOut!
The second way to remove BranchOut, is to go to this thread on Facebook, and add your name to the growing list. It takes about an hour, and removes you as well from their mailing list.
This section is taken from their excellent blog post comparing Branch Out to LinkedIn (which I certainly recommend reading).
Now, of course, I am sure there are many people (probably in th US) that are successfully using Branch Out. Maybe I haven't seen the real value because I am not actively looking for a job, but I do know many people that are, and they also feel the same as me. So as it doesn't suit me, I choose to vote with my mouse and opt out. You may well have better experiences than me, and I would like to hear them.
Career networking via Facebook WILL happen more and more. I am just not sure this app is the killer app for it just yet. Is there another one on Facebook that has had more success? Or do you just stick to LinkedIn?
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Comments 18
Jennifer McClure
Thanks for sharing this Andy. I haven’t found any good use for Branch Out yet and even though I’ve turned off most of the notifications, I still see spammy posts on my wall. I was considering removing it and your post and easy instructions helped me to make it official. I’m sure if they improve/the app becomes useful at some point in the future, they’ll take me back.
Mike O.
I could not get past some of the permission issues with Branchout, and therefore never installed it. If someone really wants to find me, they can on Twitter and Linkedin. As far as the future of recruiting on FB- I think it will come down to the company fan pages. Let the active or passive job seeker like a company or product and essentially op-in to the company interaction. Then if they change their mind, they can hide the feed or unlike.
Adam Gretton
Haven’t used it and can’t see the point - I know my Facebook contacts well enough to know where they work. I’d just call them up if I was thinking of working for their company … Am I missing the point? Dave Coombs summed it up pretty well in his blog: link to davecoombs.net
Andy Headworth
Thanks Jennifer,
I thought it was just me!
I am thinking they may well have to revisit this app to actually make it useful!
Andy
Andy Headworth
Mike,
You make a good point, The reality is that recruitment on Facebook is still in the very early stages for me. The FB pages will become the most common place for recruitment to occur, but there still must be a place for networking apps. But not this one!!
It won’t be long I am sure, before we see more heavily backed (by VC’s) career/job/networking apps appearing!
Just hope they have actually taken into account what people want!!!
Andy
Andy Headworth
Adam,
Spot on!
There is already a great networking product - it’s called LinkedIn!
As I said above, more apps will follow - but the more crap ones that appear will mean we all get a little more sceptical about joining the next!
Andy
Karen @ Pledging for Change
Thanks for the help to uninstall the application. I could not find my applications anywhere so followed the link to the thread which was incorrect. But I found the thread eventually and here it is link to facebook.com
I realised as soon as I arrived at the place that it wasn’t for me as I am just not looking for a new career anyway. I think I had been hounded by so many I just had to go a take a look. But how on earth could my friends and connections help me to find a career anyway? As soon as someone requested to connect with me and had a silly cartoon doggy as their profile image I knew that would certainly not help me or anyone in anyway whatsoever to find a new career. I just don’t get it at all.
I was also very shocked at the cost for business to post a job listing. Ok free as long as they made lots of connections but what on earth is the point in that?
PS I don’t have a problem with cartoon profile images BTW… I just don’t expect them on a professional network
Andy Headworth
Thanks Karen for updating the new link.
You made me smile with your anti-cartoon avatar attitude I agree!
Karen @ Pledging for Change
yey Andy… love it.. anti avatar cartoon attitude.. ROFL
Wonder why my avatar isn’t showing on these posts though? Did I misspell my email address?
Anyway.. getting back to removing Branch Out. I have still not been removed and they completely ignored my request for removal.
Anyone else got same problems?
Karen @ Pledging for Change
Oh Andy I just checked the link and they have removed that thread now. Very bad of them and they don’t realise that word will spread if they act so unprofessionally.
Karen @ Pledging for Change
Sorry Andy Im not spamming you but I went over to find my own thread I aded a while back and nobody has bothered to respond to it so maybe the forums are not being moderated????
heres my thread asking about removal …if they don’t remove it link to facebook.com
Karen @ Pledging for Change
Ok I’ve removed Branch Out Application for my facebook. This is what to do
# Go to the Privacy Settings page from the “Account” drop-down menu located at the top of any page on Facebook.
# Click the “Edit your settings” link under the Applications and Websites section towards the bottom of the page.
# Click on the application you’d like to remove. If you don’t see the application listed, you can find it by clicking the Edit Settings button towards the top right-hand side of the page.
# You’ll then see an expanded view of your settings for that application. From here, you can click the “Remove application” link. Once you confirm you’d like to remove the application, it will no longer have access to your data and be removed from your profile, bookmarks, and your Applications and Games Dashboards.
Sue Jenks
Hey thanks for that Karen. Thought I was stuck in branchout forever for a moment there
Emily P Earwig
Was anyone else surprised at all the apps that were in your profile. I did a huge house-cleaning including BranchOut. Linkedin is the defacto standard, and I just don’t feel comfortable doing career stuff in FB.
Melanie Playne
Glad I read this post before installing, I’ve always been hesitant to add any professional networking app to FB I’d prefer to use LinkedIn. I’m getting more and more of these request and I will continue to ignore.
Dick Jordan
This link in your post seems to be broken: This section is taken from their excellent blog post comparing Branch Out to LinkedIn (which I certainly recommend reading).
conniesmitherman@yahoo.com
Pls uninstall Branch Out from my facebook..It is too much trouble for me to work through to get to my page…thank you
SteveS.
Things have changed on FB with the introduction of Timeline, and I tried following your steps to remove BranchOut, unfortunately, unsuccessfully.
I finally figured it out and will share for anyone else trying to do the same.
It’s actually a lot simpler now. lol.
From the “HOME” screen in the “APPS” section under your profile picture you will find the “BRANCH OUT” app listed under “PHOTOS/POKES/GAMES FEED/(etc.)”
Put your cursor to the left of the “BRANCH OUT” app and a little blue box with a pencil will appear, this is the edit option.
Select this box and a “REMOVE APP” option will appear.
Select this option and then the “ARE YOU SURE…” prompt afterwards and your all done.
=)