How to add your resume to LinkedIn

It’s no secret that LinkedIn is the biggest job search and professional networking website in the world. However, you may find it difficult to apply for jobs on LinkedIn if you haven’t uploaded your resume to your profile. So, if you’re wondering how to add your resume to your LinkedIn profile, you’ve come to the right place.

In this blog post, we’ll talk about:

• The benefits of adding your resume to LinkedIn

• How to properly upload your resume to your LinkedIn profile

• Tips, tricks, and best practices for your LinkedIn resume

Why should you consider adding your resume to your LinkedIn profile?

If you want to secure a job in your field of expertise, adding your resume to your LinkedIn profile is one of the many things you can do. Here are a few other reasons to do so:

Increase visibility

When you add your resume to your LinkedIn profile, hiring managers and recruiters can easily access it. If a recruiter is interested in your profile and has a job opening for which they think you will make a good fit, they can simply access and download your full resume through your LinkedIn profile. As more and more recruiters view your resume, your profile will gain exposure.

Receive job recommendations

Like most social networking platforms, LinkedIn relies on a complex algorithm that parses through your profile details and provides you with recommendations. If your resume is on your LinkedIn, the algorithm will further refine its search results to provide you with job postings based on your skill set, experience, and location. 

Apply to jobs with just a few clicks

There are several job postings on LinkedIn with the Easy Apply button. When you click that button, the website picks up the last uploaded resume from your profile and forwards it to the company. This way, you can easily apply for jobs without having to scour through your computer or mobile device to look for your resume. 

How to add a resume to your LinkedIn profile

Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of having your resume on your LinkedIn profile, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can accomplish this task.

Adding your resume as a post

You can add your resume as a social post to your LinkedIn profile. This way, your network can review the document and comment on your post. The more comments and reactions you receive to your resume, the more your profile will gain visibility and exposure.

1. Log in to your LinkedIn.

2. Click the Start a post bar on the top of the screen of your home page.

3. Click the Add a document button. 

4. Select and upload your resume from your computer or online storage.

5. Add a document title under the Document title field.

6. Click Done.

7. You can create a social post letting everyone know that you’re sharing your resume.

8. Click Post.

Add your resume to a particular job posting

If you’re applying for a job posted on LinkedIn, you can add your resume to the job posting for the hiring manager’s review. However, this option is not available on all jobs posted on LinkedIn.

1. Click the job you want to apply to.

2. Click the Easy Apply button.  A. If this button isn’t available, there should be another button titled Apply. When you click this button, you will be redirected to the company’s job board.

3. Complete the required fields.

4. Click Upload resume to add your resume to the job post. 

5. Click Submit application.

Add your resume via LinkedIn’s resume builder tool

LinkedIn has a built-in feature that allows users to create a resume that will help them get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers. With this tool, you can easily create your own resume, share it with recruiters when applying for a job, and even download the document as a PDF file. 

Note: This feature can only be accessed if you’re using LinkedIn on a desktop computer or laptop. It does not work on a mobile device.

1. Click the Me icon on top of your LinkedIn home page and select View Profile.

2. Click More in the introduction section and select Build a resume.

3. Click Upload resume if you want to add an existing resume to your profile. A. If you don’t have a resume, click the Create from profile.

4. Follow the instructions to finish uploading your resume or creating a new resume.

LinkedIn resume best practices

Not all job postings are the same, so your resume shouldn’t remain stagnant. Make sure to review your resume periodically and ensure the information is correct. Before applying for a particular job posting, ensure your resume contains the right keywords for that job role. Here are a few other tips to consider:

• Enter your job details in a chronological sequence. Start with your most recent job experience at the top.

• Focus on the skills that are relevant for the job you’re applying to. Try not to include any skills that are irrelevant or the ones that might reduce your chances of securing the job.

• Include key achievements in your resume that are backed by statistics. For example, if you’re applying for a sales job, consider adding your previous sales quota attainment in your LinkedIn resume.

• Don’t use jargon or buzzwords, unless you’re applying for a specialist job role that requires such language. 

• Try not to add any headers or footers in your resume. Most ATS tools cannot parse through header and footer content properly.

Commonly asked questions

Why do I need to upload my resume to LinkedIn?

Your LinkedIn profile showcases your skills and job experience to a wide variety of recruiters, but your resume tends to be tailored towards particular job posts. While you can keep your LinkedIn profile friendly, your resume should be professional and straightforward. Resumes are typically written in a third-person perspective, while LinkedIn profiles are written from a first-person perspective. 

Is my resume accessible to recruiters on LinkedIn?

If you upload your resume as a social post on LinkedIn, it will be visible to all of your connections. If one of your connections leaves a comment or otherwise engages with your post, it will be visible to their connections - thereby providing more visibility. In contrast, if you upload your resume by clicking the Easy Apply button on a particular job post, your resume will only be visible to the recruiter or hiring manager responsible for that job post.

Should I upload my resume as a Word file or PDF document?

The answer to this question really depends on your intent. If you don’t want anyone making changes to your resume, you can upload a PDF version. In most cases, a PDF version is the acceptable resume format when you’re applying for a job. Typically, the job will state the acceptable resume format.

Do’s and Don’ts of LinkedIn resumes

Do’s:

To increase your LinkedIn profile’s visibility, make sure to add a link to your profile in your resume. For this reason, it’s important for your LinkedIn profile to display additional information that can’t be mentioned on your resume. For example, you can talk about any special projects or courses undertaken or awards received on your LinkedIn.

If you’re applying for a job in North America, your resume won’t necessarily require a photo. This could make it difficult for the recruiter or hiring manager to put a face to your name when they’re reviewing your resume. Hence, your LinkedIn profile should include a professional headshot, especially if you’re adding your resume to LinkedIn.

LinkedIn’s settings change on a frequent basis. Before uploading your resume, make sure to review LinkedIn’s policies and acquaint yourself with their privacy protection practices. There might be some changes to the way you upload your resume to LinkedIn sometime later.

Don’ts:

Don’t mention your current job title as the headline on your LinkedIn profile. Your headline is an opportunity to add industry-specific keywords that would help you get noticed by recruiters. By adding your current job title in this field, you’re foregoing an opportunity to increase your profile’s visibility and exposure.

It’s important to talk about key achievements on your resume, but when you add this information on your LinkedIn, it might work against you. For example, your organization’s sales quota and KPIs are confidential. Adding any sensitive information to your LinkedIn profile could violate the confidentiality agreement you must have signed with your current and previous employers.

While the opening statement in your resume and the About section on your LinkedIn profile may look the same, they’re not. When working on your About section on LinkedIn, your objective is to introduce yourself to the whole world, not just the recruiter. You can make this section more detailed and use a first-person format to improve readability. 

Key takeaways

When you add your resume to your LinkedIn profile, you end up opening yourself to a wide array of possibilities.

1. There are several ways to upload a resume to your LinkedIn profile, based on your preferences. You can also leverage LinkedIn’s resume builder tool to craft a new resume for yourself.

2. Even though your LinkedIn profile showcases your skills to a wider audience, it should not be substituted for a resume. Your resume should be short and concise, and it must contain the keywords that are relevant to the job you're applying to.

3. Make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are up to date, and they accurately reflect your skills, career trajectory, and interests. However, be careful when sharing job-specific accomplishments on your LinkedIn as they might contain sensitive information.