LinkedIn is NOT your resume – here’s how to maximize your use

Must haves for work

Every professional knows that a LinkedIn profile is just as crucial as a resume. When the professional networking site first got its start, it was common that profiles were basically online versions of a person’s resume.

Now, LinkedIn has taken on a life of its own, and is a stand-alone social media powerhouse for networking professionals. And, as everything else that is digital constantly evolves, LinkedIn profiles must do the same.

Update, update, update

While resumes can stand to be updated a few times a year, LinkedIn is really only beneficial if it is regularly used. It is always good practice to post updates, like and comment on things others share, and give endorsements.

Resumes should be written with a more formal tone and “matter-of-fact” voice, whereas LI is slightly more casual and interactive.

While your resume should be a standard list of information, your LinkedIn profile should be written in a way that actually sounds like you.

Difference in details

The length of these information portals vary as well. Resumes should be more concise, with clear and to-the-point objectives and summaries. LinkedIn gives you more room to go into detail about your career and its highlights.

Your LinkedIn profile has the capacity to hold all of necessary information to help your further your professional life. However, your resume should be tailored to fit whatever job it is you’re applying for.

Relevant experience

LinkedIn is where you really have a chance to be heard and sell yourself. While it may not be necessary to list a babysitting job you had in high school, any job experience relevant to your current industry is worth listing.

Always be sure that you are updating your profile regularly and engaging with others in order to get the most out of LI. Resumes, on the other hand, are a more solitary device where you sell yourself based on format and fact.

So, contrary to (maybe) popular belief, LinkedIn profiles and resumes, while they serve a similar purpose, are not necessarily interchangeable. Utilize them properly in order to get the most out of what they are meant for.

#notaresume