How to Add LinkedIn To Your Resume

LinkedIn is a job searching and networking platform with millions of daily users. LinkedIn capitalizes on the increasing number of companies and professionals looking and offering employment online. By creating a space for companies, professionals, and students alike to engage in networking, branding, and recommending and endorsing peers, LinkedIn has established itself as an industry-leading platform.

Adding a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume comes at a time when the majority of job applications are submitted online. A link to your LinkedIn profile is typically included within the header of your cover letter or resume. 

The benefits of having your LinkedIn account on your resume are numerous. Having a complete LinkedIn account and attaching your LinkedIn to your resume is a great way for recruiters to access a more detailed version of your professional career, key accomplishments, as well as testimonials endorsing your hard and soft skills. 

Are you looking to add your LinkedIn to your resume and take your CV to the next level? This article will teach you how to properly optimize your LinkedIn profile so that attaching it to your resume elevates it above the competition!

Before you can even think about adding your LinkedIn profile link to your resume, you should first ensure that your profile is up to scratch! This section will discuss everything you need to include in your LinkedIn profile before adding it to your resume. 

Write an eye-catching headline

A LinkedIn headline is a short description of yourself that is found at the top of your LinkedIn profile. When a recruiter clicks on the LinkedIn URL in your resume, an eye-catching LinkedIn profile headline should immediately grab their attention and entice them into reading further into your profile. 

A headline includes your key professional accomplishments in as few words as possible. An exceptional headline is catchy, straight to the point, and memorable. If you are including a LinkedIn profile link in your resume, you must have a solid headline! Here are some good and bad examples of LinkedIn headlines:

Examples of good LinkedIn headlines:

Now, here are some examples of bad headlines:

Ask for recommendations from your networks

While your application package may include reference/recommendation letters, if your LinkedIn profile is fully fleshed out, recruiters will also be able to see many more testimonials on your skills when they follow the LinkedIn profile URL in your resume! 

Add credibility to the LinkedIn profile you include in your resume by adding recommendations from your network connections. These recommendations should come from people who have had the opportunity to work with you or have otherwise been in a position to judge your skills. These kinds of people can include past and current:

• Professors
• Employers
• Colleagues

Here is an example of a sample recommendation section on LinkedIn:

Include skill endorsements

Skill endorsements are the next step in polishing up your LinkedIn profile before adding it to your resume! A skill endorsement is a testament to your hard and soft skills and is usually given by those who have spent time working with you to understand your skills. If you are planning on adding your LinkedIn URL to your resume, having credible skills endorsements in key skills desired by the company you are applying to, can impress the recruiter and lead to your progression in the interview process! 

Your skill endorsement section should look something like this before you add your LinkedIn to your resume:

Showcase work/project samples

The work/projects section on your LinkedIn profile emulates the work experience section on your resume! That said, taking the time to complete this section on your profile gives you the space to offer more detail on your work experiences and can display your skills and qualifications in a much better way than your resume can. If you want to include your LinkedIn on your resume, ensure you complete this section!

Before you add your LinkedIn to your resume, here are some examples of work/project sections that you can use as a guide to completing your own

Every detail matters when creating an eye-catching LinkedIn profile, from the information you include to the URL that takes you there! Personalizing your LinkedIn profile URL before including it in your resume is essential. 

Recruiters look out for the little things; a resume with a generic and long LinkedIn URL is both unattractive and shows a lack of care!

The LinkedIn URL on a resume header belongs as a part of your personal contact information at the top of your resume. Here are some ways you can include your LinkedIn profile in your resume.

Personalized URL

As previously mentioned, a personalized LinkedIn URL in your resume header is a good way to include your profile while maintaining attention to detail. Here is an example of a personalized LinkedIn URL in a resume header:

LinkedIn name

You can also embed your LinkedIn profile URL within your name. Here is an example of how to do so:

Other than your LinkedIn profile in your resume, the content for your header should include:

• Name
• Job title
• Personal summary (3-5 lines)
• Contact information
  • Phone
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Website or other social media handles

While including your LinkedIn profile link in your resume is great, you should avoid it in certain circumstances. Avoid including your LinkedIn on your resume if:

You have not updated/optimized your LinkedIn profile 

Ensuring that your LinkedIn profile is updated is crucial if you decide to include your LinkedIn in your resume. If it is not, consider taking the time to complete your LinkedIn profile before including it in your resume.

Your LinkedIn URL is not customized

Your resume is a reflection of who you are, and every detail should be accounted for. If your LinkedIn URL is not customized, consider omitting it from your resume. Take the time to personalize your LinkedIn link before adding it to your resume header. 

Your LinkedIn content is the same as your resume

Including your LinkedIn in your resume is a great way to provide a lot of extra information that can be vital for the hiring process! That said, having the same information in your resume as your LinkedIn profile defeats the purpose of its inclusion. Ensure that you maximize the opportunity that the inclusion of your LinkedIn in your resume provides and include all the details and noteworthy accomplishments of your professional life!

The inclusion of your LinkedIn profile in your resume can make or break your resume! If done properly, including your LinkedIn in your resume header allows you to indirectly provide recruiters with vital information that does not fit in your resume or cover letter! This can both seriously benefit your chances in the application process and add credibility to your whole application package.

And there you have it! Fitting your life’s work in your resume can be a challenge; luckily, having your LinkedIn profile in your resume is an easy way to elevate your resume and provide the recruiter with essential information that can very well land you the job you are applying for! Best of luck!

--- Originally written by Alexander Coye ---