LinkedIn has made it very easy to upload your resume as a PDF to make it part of your LinkedIn profile. While it's tempting to do this rather than build a full profile from scratch, you should avoid it.
Your resume and LinkedIn profile should be treated as two separate resources for your job search. Sure, they are very similar, and you should use your resume as a guide for your LinkedIn profile, but a slight separation of the two is important!
Here's why...
There Are Major Privacy Concerns
Your LinkedIn profile is fully (or at least semi-) public. Your contact information (address, phone number, email, etc.) is not necessarily public on your LinkedIn profile but will become public if you upload your resume.
Even if you remove this private information from your resume before you upload it, by uploading your resume, you have made the resume itself public. You no longer have control. That means that anyone is free to view, copy, download, use, pirate, and distribute your resume—all without your knowledge or consent.
Whatever information you're given by LinkedIn about views of your profile and downloads of your resume is after the fact—after your resume has been downloaded and is in the possession of someone else.
It Makes Your Job Search Public
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Posting your resume on LinkedIn changes your job search from a private one to a public one. It practically screams, "I'm looking for a job!" While it helps your job search for the trusted people of your professional network to be quietly notified that you're looking for new opportunities, it does not help to announce it to the world.
Why? Because recruiters, employers, potential clients, and quality networkers are looking for top candidates. Top candidates are, by definition, people who are in demand. A top candidate, therefore, rarely "needs" a job, although he or she is open to opportunities. By publicly screaming, "I'm looking for a job!" you are simultaneously announcing that you are not a top candidate.
Your LinkedIn profile needs to showcase your value and appeal, not your (real or perceived) desperation.
It's Not The Best Way To Display Your Professional Skills
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Resumes work best when they are tailored to specific job openings or employers. Posting your resume online means you have given up the chance to best present your resume to any legitimate recruiters or employers who view it. And the substance of the resume should be worked into your LinkedIn profile anyway.
Remember: If your LinkedIn profile is compelling, then a legitimate recruiter or employer surfing through LinkedIn will contact you. Then, you can decide whether to provide your (targeted) resume.
So, in conclusion, posting your resume online gives you additional risk, but no reward.
How is a Linkedin profile different from a resume?
A LinkedIn profile is a professional social media profile that helps you manage your personal brand, connect with colleagues, network with other professionals, and find the right jobs and opportunities to advance your career. On your LinkedIn profile, you can list your work experience, skills, education, interests, licenses and certifications, and more. You can also give and receive recommendations and endorsements.
A resume lists the work history, skills, and education that are relevant to a specific job.
Think of your LinkedIn profile as the summary of your entire career and personal brand, and your resume as a customizable document that looks different for every position that you apply for.
Is a LinkedIn profile necessary?
Yes, a LinkedIn profile is a must-have for every professional. It is the best way to display your skills and experience to recruiters. Without a LinkedIn profile, recruiters won't be able to find you.
Also, if you apply for a job, one of the first things a hiring manager will do is look you up on LinkedIn. If you don't have a LinkedIn profile, chances are they will see that as a red flag (you're old, out of touch, irrelevant in your industry, not good with technology, etc.) and will probably toss your resume as a result.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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