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Here's an interesting question for 2020: Does a link to your LinkedIn supersede your resume? What are the differences between LinkedIn and your resume?
We've talked about newer resume rules you may not know about, as well as the best LinkedIn settings for job hunting, how to secretly use LinkedIn to change careers, and how to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile — but we haven't really talked about how to USE your LinkedIn profile in your job hunting adventures.
Some backstory here: A woman I know recently applied for a city council position in her small town, attaching a link to her LinkedIn profile instead of her resume. She was upset that she was rejected from the position without anyone clicking on the link, as she could see from her “who's viewed your profile” information. In her mind, she was rejected without anyone looking at her resume, even though she submitted it “the more modern way”… but I suspect the people interviewing thought she had not attached any resume at all.
What Are the Differences Between LinkedIn and Your Resume?
So let's discuss. I'm curious for what you guys say here, but here are my thoughts for why a link to your LinkedIn profile does not supersede your resume:
- A LinkedIn profile is not easily printable. Admittedly, almost everything is online and via Zoom calls lately, but I think that a lot of interviewers (particularly when there is a group reviewing resumes!) would rather look over printed resumes in their hand versus online profiles.
- LinkedIn is not customized. One of the big suggestions I have for people who are considering different career paths is to create more than one resume to emphasize different aspects of your experience and skillset — even just to make small changes in the wording or order of items. But particularly if you're applying to a new potential career path, I don't think a LinkedIn link would be helpful at all.
- LinkedIn is public. I may be in a slightly odd situation because I own my own business, but I absolutely think that any future resumes of mine will include numbers that I would not include in a public arena, whether they're regarding traffic or revenue.
- There's a very real apathy/competency check with resumes (vs LinkedIn). Do you care about your resume? Are there typos? Have you formatted your resume properly so it prints well? Is it as brief as possible, or are you that 23-year-old who thinks you need three pages?
I think there are times when a LinkedIn profile link might be appropriate, such as when it's a “here's who I'm connected to!” kind of email, or a “look I DO have a college degree now can we move past this silly requirement to volunteer for the alumni Halloween party” or something like that. (Which, perhaps, it could be argued a seat on city council is equivalent to…) That said, though, in general I don't think the old-fashioned, PDF'd resume is going anywhere. Looking around the web, I noticed that The Muse, Undercover Recruiter, and Top Resume think there are real differences between the resume and LinkedIn as well.
Readers, what are your thoughts — what are the differences between LinkedIn and your resume? When should you use one versus the other?
Full disclosure: I own stock in Microsoft, which is the parent company of LinkedIn.
Stock photo via Stencil.
Frustrated
I have been working with a recruiter for two months and am beginning to feel like they are not doing a great job advocating for me. I spoke with a different recruiter this morning who confirmed my fears that the way the first one was going about it is probably not the best way. I am frustrated and feel like I’ve wasted my time and tarnished my name with the firms I’ve already applied to. I have excellent credentials but am on the senior end of where firms are typically looking to recruit. This is my first time working with a recruiter instead of just job-hunting myself through my own network and applying on my own and I feel used and embarrassed. I wish I could start all over. :(
Anon
The woman who attached a link to her LinkedIn profile instead of a resume was being too clever by half, and that’s not a compliment. If they ask for a resume, send a resume. If they ask for a LinkedIn profile, send that. If they ask for both, send both. This is not actually hard.
LinkedIn and resumes fill different roles and have different formats available. It is hard to list contract/temporary/consulting work on LinkedIn and easier to list it on a resume. It is easier to describe some awards in detail on LinkedIn than on a resume. Use both to their advantage, rather than trying to make them interchangeable.
Anonyz
She was probably rejected because she can’t follow simple directions.
Cat
I’ve only seen a few people include resume-level detail on their Linkedin and to be honest it comes across extremely out of touch. Linkedin is for spending 1-2 minutes checking out someone’s career highlights to get a general sense of their background and perspective, or quickly scoping out who you might know in common… not for seriously reviewing their history and job duties as a possible candidate for a position.
RBGreat
Your LinkedIn is always up, and you only get one, so it has to be somewhat general to suit whatever need. You can’t tailor it for every possibility. Think of it like a billboard advertising you: you never know who will drive by, or why they’re looking, but you can spend time tailoring enough to attract the audience you’re aiming to attract. Your resume is like a targeted sales pitch/value add type of advertising; you know where it’s going and why, for the most part, so you have to be more specific.
I see what you’re saying, Cat, with “to be honest it comes across extremely out of touch. Linkedin is for spending 1-2 minutes checking out someone’s career highlights” but I’d venture that this view is not actually widely adopted. For as many companies, industries, recruiters, hiring managers, and functions out there, there are that many “LinkedIn is for _____” statements that job seekers specifically have to be prepared for. It’s a good reminder to do the research and understand how your specific industry, function, target companies, etc. use LinkedIn, and follow that advice.
Anon
I think including only a link but no resume is a mistake. There are positions I have applied for and left some things out because I thought they were irrelevant for the job. But they are on my LinkedIn profile. I think there are differences between the two and for job applications it is always best to include a resume at the very least.
Anon
Thinking more about this: LinkedIn lends itself to discrimination in ways that resumes do not. While both have names up on top and can therefore be fraught with bias, a LinkedIn page usually has a picture. Cue legal issues with ageism and racism, in addition to problematic issues with preferring attractive candidates to unattractive ones (so long as the woman is not too attractive). On a resume, an older candidate can list degrees conferred and institutions, without listing the years; those are harder to take off of LinkedIn.
Hiring managers may want to retain resumes for purposes of determining if hiring is unbiased or if a specific type of candidate is systematically excluded. As a LinkedIn profile is updated, changed, and sometimes deleted, it does not lend itself to retrospective analysis.
I have no idea about the personnel and employment laws of the city and state in which your friend lives, but I would not be surprised if they were forbidden from considering her candidacy without the resume.
Laney
As someone who is just now building and editing their resume/LinkedIn. It is interesting to hear all of the differences between the two. Which is preferred my employers? Does one need to be thought about more than the other? In these times, it is always confusing which is more significant. I’m assuming all of this depends on the employer. Loved this article!