Resume vs LinkedIn profile?

The explosion of online platforms, especially LinkedIn, means that finding and applying for a job has changed from just 10 years ago. Used to be a recruiter would pot a job, you would send your resume and a cover letter describing why you were the perfect candidate, and the last 4 left after a review process would get an interview. Today, social media and technology mean that nothing will be the same again.

What’s the difference between a resume and a LinkedIn profile?

Firsthand suggests that a resume and a LinkedIn profile serve different purposes. They suggest that your resume is a concise listing of your relevant professional experience, tailored to each specific job application. Whereas your LinkedIn profile is a place to tell your story, share your passions and add outside-of-work experience, in a more general way. Your resume should be written in tight professional language, whereas your LinkedIn profile may be more business casual. You can also use your LinkedIn profile to add certifications and accolades that add to your marketability. Finally, you should never just copy one onto the other.

Themuse also says to use your resume as a tailored, concise, and professional experience document. They position your LinkedIn profile as the place for the backstory. Whereas your resume may contain the job title and your accomplishments, LinkedIn will say how you achieved them. If you changed jobs, explain how your skills and experience played a part and the personal side of the change. As to fine-tuning your LinkedIn profile, they say that as you narrow your scope, so to you narrow who will find you. Keep it nice and broad, but make sure to include specializations as part of the breadth, but not all of it.

CV-nation tends to agree with firsthand and themuse, and gives some more detailed differences.

• Write your resume in the 3rd person, and write your LinkedIn profile in the first person.
• Your resume should start with a short and concise summary, but your LinkedIn profile should be longer and more detailed.

Everyone agrees that resumes are narrowly focused, and LinkedIn profiles must have broad appeal. In the past, photos used to be attached to resumes, but not anymore, in today’s job hunt, CV-nation suggests you use LinkedIn photo and video content to showcase your work and experience.

Execunet talks to executives and senior-level hires, but it’s worth hearing what they say. One of the barriers to success for older professionals is that they simply don’t buy into social media. They grew up with a Rolodex and made the switch to a smartphone, but that’s it. They point out that today, recruiters scan LinkedIn and then request resumes, turning the recruitment game on its head, now recruiters can check you out without you even knowing.

Ian Siegel, CEO of ZipRecruiter, in a recent interview highlights quite how much the future is here today. He says…

“… seventy-five percent or more of resumés are going to be read by software before they are read by a human. And that software is going to try and create a simple summary of who you are and sort the best candidates to the top. So the only goal of your resumé now is to be readable by the robots. You want to use the plainest, most straightforward language you can in your resumé — so that [the] robot knows what it is you can actually do and decide whether or not you match the job description.”

CV-nation takes it a step further and says to use keyword optimization techniques in both your resume and LinkedIn profile so that search bots can find you too.

In conclusion, you should make sure that your LinkedIn profile presents and positions you with a compelling, well-crafted story, and lots of detail and support. And just like you wouldn’t think twice about employing a resume writing service, you can always hire professionals to craft your LinkedIn profile for you.

Whatever you choose to do, the best of luck with your job search.