What is the difference between my Resume and LinkedIn profile?
There is a distinct difference between your resume and your LinkedIn profile, although they go hand in hand as part of your professional marketing and career portfolio.
Resume
Your resume is your detailed work history and job overview outline which is used when you are applying for a position. It is usually under your control of who receives it and when, unless you post it on the internet on various sites for others to view at leisure.
Once you have applied to a company or organization, your resume is stored on their ATS, applicant tracking system database. Your information can be sourced through their database at any time using keyword searches by those with access.
Do you need a resume? Yes. Regardless of if you are looking for a job or not, an updated resume is always a good idea to have on hand. Here is a reference to a previous blog I wrote on how a recruiter reads a resume.
Do you need more than one version of a resume? Maybe. If you are staying in your current field and on an upward trajectory, a chronological version is the safe choice. If you are changing careers, a skills-based resume in addition to your chronological is appropriate.
LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is a highly compacted overview of your background, extracted from the information listed on your resume. It usually includes a photo, which assists in your ability to be found professionally. It is available at any time to anyone who is searching on LinkedIn for either you specifically, or for someone of your skillset.
There are options for you to receive recommendations, affiliated yourself with groups, like and comment on other profiles and work similarly to other social media platforms. How much you are engaged on this medium is completely up to you.
Some people may be apprehensive to post their professional profile online. However, with networking as the number one way to find a job and stay connected in a new virtual world, this would be the one social network platform I would highly recommend you identify yourself on, if even only a bare minimum of information.
What is the bare minimum on a profile? Again, in my opinion, a photo, your title, company with dates and education. Dates are not necessary for education. Connect with a few friends and colleagues and those you would like to keep in your immediate network. How a recruiter would see this type of a profile is: this person has a profile (great), it matches their resume (great), has a few connections (great), but just doesn’t spend a lot of time on LinkedIn for whatever reason (no big deal).
As long as it is accurate and neat, that is what counts.
What is LinkedIn used for? As a recruiter, we source candidates on LinkedIn to fill jobs. Think of it at the recruiter’s Google. When we are in need to find candidates with a particular background, we use keywords for the search which are extrapolated from your profile. For example, if I am searching for an Executive Assistant to the CEO in Minneapolis, I would use the keyworks: Executive Assistant CEO Minneapolis and drill down from there using my internet search strategies.
LinkedIn is also leveraged to pair and compare with your resume as a supplement. What does this mean? Well, if a resume looks interesting to a hiring manager, they could and most likely will look at your LinkedIn profile in addition to your resume. Because of this, it is very important your profile and your resume match. This include position titles and dates, and education.
Updates to your LinkedIn profile are easy and you can make changes and be creative at the same time. You have the ability to be a bit more creative and engaged online with your profile, without stepping too far away from the overall theme of your resume.
In closing, both a resume and LinkedIn are important, and they serve different purposes for different people at different times in their careers. Whichever you choose to represent you and your brand, make sure it is the best representation of you. And of course, if you are unsure and need help, please ask an expert for help.
About Diane Steele
Diane Steele is CEO and Founder of Steele Recruiting, an Executive Administrative Assistant Search firm. Headquartered in Minneapolis/St Paul, Steele Recruiting is a female owned retained search firm, specializing in Executive Administrative Assistant-Chief of Staff recruitment, supporting CEOs and Presidents in Minneapolis and St Paul. Contact Steele via email or phone at 952-484-4217.
