How to Upload a Resume To LinkedIn – And Why It’s a Trap

LinkedIn has made it possible to upload your resume as a clickable document. Understandably, this may seem like a very attractive feature to job seekers. Given the amount of work we put into our resumes and that our LinkedIn profile is where you want to be seen, why not upload your resume and make it easy? 

As compelling as this suggestion might seem, the experts here at The Job Sauce do not recommend uploading your resume to LinkedIn. We have all become accustomed to a culture of immediate feedback, all the while not noticing the erosion of our patience and the serious problems that follow. Your LinkedIn profile is your online presence and your professional image. It is a platform creating a public impression of who you are and communicating not only what you are capable of, but your future career goals.

Your Resume. To Upload or not to Upload, that is the question.

Crafting a powerful, engaging LinkedIn profile is an art form. People will either pay attention to you or they will move on. Before we get into how to spruce up your LinkedIn profile page, here are some primary reasons you should not upload your resume:

1. Private Information Risks –  Your resume usually includes your contact information, i.e. your direct email address, phone number, and sometimes even your home address. This is information you usually do not list publicly on social media. However, if you upload your resume that information will become public and available to anyone online.
2. No Control –  After you upload the resume, you no longer have control over what happens to that information (even if you do remove your contact information). That means that anyone is free to view, copy, download, use, pirate, and distribute your resume as they wish – all without your knowledge or consent.
3. Current Employer Issues –  Many of our Resume Upgrade clients are concerned about making their job search public and tipping off their current company that they are looking elsewhere. Uploading your resume to LinkedIn as a clickable document can make your job search into a public conversation – probably one you do not want to have in the company break room or at your next weekly department standup. LinkedIn’s “Open Candidate” function is a discreet way to signal to recruiters that you are looking.
4. Looking Desperate –  Similar to the above, uploading your resume to LinkedIn announces to the world that you are looking for a job. Recruiters, employers, and head hunters are always looking for top talent. However, seeing your resume on your profile page does not make you appear to them as someone who is “in demand.” Instead, you look like someone who is in need of something and in desperation – trying anything you can. Job hunting is like dating: you do not want to seem too easy to get.

It’s About Building A Profile, To Show Your Brand and Results

The issues above are the main reasons we tell our clients not to upload their resumes to LinkedIn, and instead, to focus their attention on curating their profile page and building their network. It takes real critical thinking, planning and strategizing to develop your perceived value and appeal online. Building a profile is like cultivating a garden: without weeding and general maintenance, the garden gradually gets out of control and ultimately dies. 

Unlike other social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, LinkedIn is far more forgiving, but that does not mean you have carte blanche to be thoughtless or sloppy.

Should I Ever Upload My Resume to Linkedin?

Though we do not recommend posting a resume on your profile, you can upload your resume when you apply to specific job postings using LinkedIn’s job search page. Here’s how to do it: 

1. Locate the role for which you wish to apply. The menu bar on LinkedIn’s website has a “Jobs” section noted with a small briefcase icon. Click the icon and it will take you to a page where you can conduct targeted searches for roles that fit your goals and interests.
2. Use “Easy Apply” – it will save you a lot of time. Once you’ve selected a job, LinkedIn will give you the option of applying directing through LinkedIn’s platform via the “Easy Apply” function. You will love this option because you’ll be able to apply for open positions quickly without ever having to leave LinkedIn’s website.
3. Use your LinkedIn profile and/or your resume to apply. After you click the “Apply” button a new browser will open where you can select the information you want to use to apply for the position. You have options for using your LinkedIn profile to apply, uploading your resume as an attachment or doing both. We recommend that you do both, to cover your bases. Some employers in more non-traditional industries are happy to review your LinkedIn profile alone, whereas others usually do prefer to have a formal resume to read through.
4. Check your work. Applicants make the mistake of assuming everything is handled properly without double-checking to be sure that their I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed. They sometimes miss details amid all the clicking and uploading.The last thing you want is to  have an avoidable error prevent you from being contacted for an interview.
5. Ready, set, GO! After you’ve reviewed your work and ensured that each item is as you want it, click the “Submit” button and you are ready to go!

Earlier we mentioned that we would provide you with some tips to give your LinkedIn profile a makeover you’d be proud of. Before you read further, please remember our very profound and scientific garden analogy. The following tips will definitely empower you to build a strong LinkedIn profile presence and it is critical that you continue to tend to that presence after those initial changes are made. 

As with any social media platform, there are thousands of algorithms that determine what is seen and not seen. The less active you are, the less your profile will be viewed. This is just the way this works, so as annoying as this might be you get to choose: do you want to avoid being inconvenienced or do you want to land your dream job?

Don’t Focus On Uploading Your Resume to Linkedin; Focus On These 5 Key Tips

It is estimated that only 51% of LinkedIn users take the time to actually fill out every profile section. This means that half of LinkedIn users are failing to use the platform to its full potential. Here is what our Chief Executive Officer (former LinkedIn team member) suggests you do to give your LinkedIn profile page a little TLC:

1. Fill out every single section option in your LinkedIn profile. If you think that you have no relevant accomplishments or activities beyond your job experiences, reevaluate the personal projects you have worked on. There are good chances that you demonstrated a valuable skill and/or relevant facet of your values that can be listed on your profile. If you still are struggling to come up with accomplishments, this is a signal that it is time to get involved with more activities that can propel your career forward.
2. Remove any buzzwords. There is a litany of overused verbs, adverbs, and nouns, and applicants not only overuse them, they fail to do the critical thinking required to make the content of their LinkedIn profile come across as unique and engaging. This tip comes straight from the LinkedIn experts. In a recent article, 10 of the most overused marketing buzzwords in resumes and LinkedIn profiles were called out. To differentiate yourself from others in your industry, you must pay attention to this.
3. Remember that a picture says a thousand words. Your profile picture says A LOT about you. Research published in the journal Psychological Science sited that slight variations in how an individual face is viewed can lead the viewer to develop significantly different first impressions of that individual. We know you cannot change your face, but you do have control over what the photo represents and how it will be perceived. For example, facing the camera directly conveys respect, confidence, and openness.
4. Look for opportunities to optimize. Gearing your profile toward the right people, not all people, will increase your appeal to the people who can help you become more successful. Strategic yet simple actions will increase your profile’s effectiveness, such as being on top of what is happening in your industry, tailoring your experience sections to match the needs of your targeted roles, and sending personal messages to begin conversations with key industry leaders.
5. Master the world of networking. You could have a flawless LinkedIn profile, but it will be useless in terms of networking if you don’t keep in touch with your connections. One of the biggest mistakes you can make on LinkedIn is failing to build relationships when you make new connections, and then later expecting them to help you get a job at their company. Keep in touch with people. This might seem like a daunting task, however, you only need to do this once every month or so to stay relevant in their minds.

Conclusion

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. Knowing when and how to upload your resume to LinkedIn will save you a lot of time and energy. It is a great way to find and be the first to apply for job opportunities. The more adept you become with LinkedIn’s platform functions, the stronger the impact you can have on your career growth. 

If you’re looking to improve your resume before you start uploading, check out our Resume Upgrade Package or give us a call to learn more (847) 999-7225.