See different ways to upload your CV on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is more than just a professional networking site. Profiles are also used for headhunting by recruiters, and the site itself contains thousands of job vacancies for which you can apply directly. To make this easier, there are various options for tying your CV to your LinkedIn profile; the best method depends on your goal. 

Take a look at these options, alongside our evaluation of the pros and cons of uploading your CV to LinkedIn in the first place.

Uploading your CV to LinkedIn for job applications

If you're actively looking for a new job or are considering pursuing a job search online in the not-too-distant future, you can upload your CV to LinkedIn to help maximise your hunt. Below are three ways to make your CV readily available on LinkedIn for those potential employers:

How to upload your CV while actively applying for jobs

If you see a job you're interested in on LinkedIn, you can readily upload your CV to the platform by choosing “Easy Apply.” Note that not all job postings on LinkedIn have this button; some may have the “Apply” button instead, which will direct you to the company's website to complete the job application process outside LinkedIn. 

To upload your CV to LinkedIn via desktop or mobile for jobs with an enabled “Easy Apply” button:

  1. Click or tap on the job title to view its details.

  2. Click or tap the “Easy Apply” button at the top.

  3. Enter the required information and upload your CV in the popup screen. You can upload your CV in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. Additionally, make sure to follow LinkedIn's file size recommendation for uploaded CVs, which is less than 2MB.

  4. Click or tap “Submit application” or “Submit.”

How to upload your CV to use for future job applications

You can also change your settings to store versions of your CV on LinkedIn, leaving them ready to send off directly to recruiters. CVs uploaded this way should be visible on your public profile. To do this:

  1. Click or tap “Me” on your homepage, then select “Settings & Privacy.”

  2. On the left-hand menu, select “Data privacy”. 

  3. Under “Job seeking preferences,” choose “Job application settings.” You can also access this by clicking on “Jobs” on LinkedIn and clicking “Application settings.”

  4. Toggle on “Save resumes and application data” to access the resume-sharing feature.

  5. Choose “Upload resume” under “Share resume data with recruiters” to upload your CV.

How to create a CV via LinkedIn Resume Builder

If you don't have a CV or wish to create a new CV, LinkedIn also allows you to build one via a built-in feature called “Resume Builder.” This feature allows you to create a CV from scratch, guided by field and keyword prompts provided by LinkedIn. Here's what to consider when creating and downloading your CV as a PDF via this feature:

  1. Click or tap on your profile picture or name at the top-right corner of the LinkedIn homepage. This will take you to your profile page.

  2. Under your name and title on your profile page, click or tap the “More” button. You'll see a button that says "Build a resume.” Click on it, then click “Create from profile.”

  3. Update key fields such as “desired job title,” and LinkedIn will recommend keywords to target.

  4. Update additional job experiences.

  5. Click “Download as PDF” to use your newly created CV as you wish.

When using the LinkedIn Resume Builder, remember that a CV and a LinkedIn profile have different purposes; therefore, you should treat them differently. For example, you should tailor your CV to each job application, whereas you should regularly update your LinkedIn profile with various up-to-date skills and experiences. In short, avoid making your CV an exact replica of your LinkedIn profile.

Uploading your CV to LinkedIn to share with your network 

If you're actively job hunting and are happy to publicise this, you can maximise your job search by openly sharing your CV on LinkedIn. In addition to adding the #OpenToWork frame to your profile picture, we recommend uploading your CV to LinkedIn in a couple of ways:

How to share your CV as a post with followers

To proactively get your CV in front of more eyes, you can also make your CV a LinkedIn post that will appear on your connections' homepage feeds. To do this:

  1. Click the “Create a post” button in the Activity section of your profile or start typing in the “Start a post” box at the top of your LinkedIn feed. A box to type your post into will pop up.

  2. Click the three dots at the bottom of the draft post and click the icon that looks like a note called “Add a document.”

  3. Click “Choose File” and upload your CV. We recommend adding it as a PDF file. 

  4. Once those steps are complete, click “Done” at the bottom right of the window.

  5. Finish your post by typing a message advertising your ideal job and your CV, and click “Post” when you're ready to share.

  6. When your post is live, click the three dots in the top right-hand corner and select “Feature on top of profile” – this will ensure that your posted CV is front and centre for all prospective employers to see when they visit your LinkedIn profile.

How to upload your CV as a featured media

Another way to broadcast your CV to your LinkedIn network is to upload it as featured media. 

As a featured media, your CV will be shown in the same place as articles, presentations, portfolios, and other external content. Note that if you upload your CV in this way, anyone with access to your profile can see and download it. Additionally, you won't be able to use this uploaded CV for job applications on LinkedIn.

To add your CV this way:

  1. Log in and click on your profile picture to view your profile. 

  2. Hit the “Add profile section” button.

  3. Click “Recommended,” then select “Add featured” from the list.

  4. In the next window, click “+” then “Add media.”

  5. Upload your CV as a PDF and add a descriptive, concise, and accurate title and description to the media.

  6. Then click “Save.”

However you decide to upload your CV to LinkedIn, remember that a detailed LinkedIn profile is critical to supporting your job hunt. A CV upload is no substitute for a complete profile ‒ just a complement to it.

Should you upload your CV to Linkedin?

Whilst there are several ways to include your CV on your LinkedIn profile effectively, it's only sometimes common practice. Therefore, as you brainstorm how to include your CV on your LinkedIn profile, it's worth asking yourself if you should do it at all.

Here are some reasons why uploading your CV to LinkedIn may work against you:

Confidential details become public

There are details on a CV that you may prefer to keep private. From a personal point of view, your location, phone number, email address, and personal history suddenly become public property once you begin uploading your CV to LinkedIn.

With equally damaging potential are details that you share about previous employers. If your uploaded CV contains sensitive financial or operational information, you risk alienating recruiters with your inability to maintain confidentiality. Past employers in your network are also likely to be unimpressed.

If you do choose to upload your CV on LinkedIn, take the time to review it first and remove any sensitive and confidential details.

Everyone will know you're job hunting

Most people, unless already unemployed, prefer to be discreet and keep their job search under wraps. By uploading or posting an up-to-date CV on LinkedIn, you're broadcasting your intentions to the world, including your boss or colleagues who, although may not be active on LinkedIn, can still see your LinkedIn posts or activities.

A decent LinkedIn profile is standard for those taking their career seriously ‒ but a finely tuned and current CV says much more! It signals a move from being open to new opportunities to actively looking for your next role.

You miss the chance to put your best foot forward

Every CV should be tailored specifically to the role you're applying for, showing how your skills and experience align with the exact requirements of the position. By uploading a generic CV to LinkedIn, you miss taking advantage of the opportunity to present the very best version of yourself to each recruiter. It's better to lure them with a top-level overview on your LinkedIn profile and then send a more detailed (and tailored) CV following initial contact.

You lose control

Anyone can view and download your CV when you upload it to LinkedIn. Some people will feel more comfortable with that than others!

You also miss the opportunity to update it with recent changes before a recruiter sees it. With everything presented to them on a plate, it's just one more reason for them to dismiss you without contacting you for further information.

Of course, your CV should be designed to be share-worthy and to attract recruiters' attention, so if you're happy to relinquish that level of control, maybe this won't be an issue for you.

Recruiters won't find you on the strength of your CV alone

Recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates for open positions, which they can do by searching profiles for skills aligned with their vacancies. If you choose to upload your CV instead of filling out your profile in full, you're missing the opportunity to align your profile with industry-specific keywords, significantly reducing your chances of being found.

LinkedIn search algorithms are biased towards job titles, experience, and location as written in your profile, and hardly consider uploaded media. Therefore, uploading your CV to Linkedin is no substitute to crafting a well-written LinkedIn profile.

It's superfluous

If you already have a well-constructed LinkedIn profile, you'll duplicate information by uploading your CV. Your profile should already contain critical information that makes recruiters want to learn more about you ‒ why would they want to trawl through the same information again on your CV? What more will it add other than the confidential information mentioned above? If you apply for a job via LinkedIn, the recruiter will see a copy of your profile anyway.

Make the smarter choice

Although your CV and LinkedIn profile have obvious overlaps, they are different media for different purposes and contain slightly different information. Uploading your CV to LinkedIn for active job applications, for example, can help you apply to jobs on LinkedIn more efficiently (via “Easy Apply”). On the other hand, uploading your CV to your profile as a featured media on your profile can make your personal information available to just about anyone, even those who are not interested in your skills and professional experience. 

So, while it's your decision whether or not to upload your CV to your LinkedIn profile, we advise you to bear in mind the points above before automatically clicking the upload button.

Whether or not you upload your CV to LinkedIn, it must be well-written to land a job. Get a free CV review now for expert feedback on your document.

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