If a user deletes their Stack Overflow account, what happens to their Careers account?

Question

Assume that a user who we'll call "Jim" has a Stack Overflow account linked to a Careers account.

If Jim has his Stack Overflow account deleted, what happens to his Careers account? Does he then become ineligible to receive job offers through Careers? Does his Careers account become "invalid" somehow, and subsequently deleted?

If his Careers account remains valid, what happens when Jim creates a new Stack Overflow account using the same email address? According to Careers site links me to deleted Stack Overflow account, it seems that the Careers account is automatically associated with the newly created account...is that correct?

Basically I'm trying to understand what the consequences are for anyone who has a Careers account, and then deletes their Stack Overflow account (and perhaps recreates a new one). Jim still wants to reap the benefits of having a Careers account, as much as possible.

Answer 1

Currently, Stack Overflow and Stack Overflow Careers use distinct accounts; those are different types of accounts (though this might change in the future.)

If you delete your Stack Overflow account, I can see three things that will happen. This is by no means an exhaustive list, just what I can think of from the top of my head:

• On your Careers profile, you won't be able to "add an answer" written by the deleted Stack Overflow account
• On your Careers profile, if you displayed your Stack Overflow reputation, it will disappear (within 24 hours or so)
• The interesting jobs view won't be able to take advantage of the Stack Overflow account's prediction data, so Careers might suggest you less relevant job listings

If you create a new Stack Overflow account, you can bind it to your Careers account from your Careers profile ("Stack Exchange accounts" section). The binding won't happen automatically.

You will then be able to show your reputation and add answers from this account on your Careers profile. The interesting tab (and possibly other places on Careers in the future) will be able to use the (new) prediction data.