how to make resume linkedin

How-To Geek

How to add your resume on linkedin.

Let recruiters see all your career achievements!

Quick Links

Why upload your resume to linkedin, upload your resume to your linkedin profile, save your resume for job listings, showcase your resume in a linkedin post, key takeaways.

To add a resume to your LinkedIn profile, open your profile and go to Add Profile Section > Add Featured. Click the + icon and select "Add Media", then find your resume file. Alternatively, upload your resume for "Easy Apply" job listings or post your resume in your LinkedIn feed.

Adding your resume on LinkedIn allows recruiters to view your career achievements and potentially contact you for available job positions. You can upload your resume to your profile, a job listing, or a regular feed post. We'll show you how to do that all.

Related: How to Quickly Generate a Resume from Your LinkedIn Profile

If you already have a LinkedIn account, you may wonder what the point of adding a resume is---can't employers learn the same thing from looking at your profile? Well, unless you've made your entire profile public , they can't see it until you've added them as a connection. Making connections is time-consuming and inconvenient in the fast-paced world of hiring, and a public profile puts your privacy at risk.

If you upload a resume to your profile, visitors to your profile can get your skills and history in brief and share the resume with recruiters and employers. Saving your resume in your account settings will let you complete applications faster, and posting your resume to your feed puts it in front of everyone in your network. You only stand to gain from uploading your resume to LinkedIn, and it only takes a few clicks, so let's get started.

In case you don't already have a resume , you can generate one using the existing career details in your LinkedIn profile.

One way to showcase your resume on LinkedIn is to add it to your profile. This allows your profile viewers to view as well as download your resume. Note that you can't use this uploaded resume to apply for jobs on the platform; for that, you'll have to follow the second section below.

To begin adding your resume to your profile, launch your preferred web browser on your desktop and open LinkedIn . Sign in to your account on the site.

Then, in the site's top-right corner, click Me > View Profile.

On your profile page , beneath your name, click "Add Profile Section."

On the "Add to Profile" window, select Recommended > Add Featured.

Next to the "Featured" title, select the "+" (plus) sign and choose "Add Media."

You'll see your computer's "Open" window. Here, access the folder containing your resume and double-click your resume to upload it.

On the "Add Media" window, click the "Title" field and type a title for your resume. Optionally, fill in the "Description" field. Then, save your changes by clicking "Save" in the window's bottom-right corner.

And your resume has been successfully uploaded to your LinkedIn profile.

To make applying for jobs faster, you can upload and save your resume in your LinkedIn application settings menu. This way, the next time you come across a relevant job position, you can get LinkedIn to automatically attach your resume to your application.

You can only use your uploaded resume to apply to jobs that display LinkedIn's "Easy Apply" button. If a listing only shows "Apply," it'll redirect you to that company's website, and you'll likely have to upload your resume there.

To upload your resume for later applications, head to the LinkedIn site and sign in to your account. Then, from the menu bar at the top, select "Jobs."

In the left sidebar, click "Application Settings."

A "Job Application Settings" page will open. Here, in the "Manage Your Resumes" section, click "Upload Resume."

Your resume must be in DOC, DOCX, or PDF format. It must also be 5 MB or smaller in size.

You'll see your machine's "Open" window. Here, open the folder containing your resume and double-click your resume file.

And your selected resume is successfully uploaded to LinkedIn.

Next time you see a job listing, simply click the "Easy Apply" button and you can use your saved resume on LinkedIn to apply for the job.

Enjoy the convenience of applying for jobs on LinkedIn!

Like all other social media sites, LinkedIn lets you create and publish public posts. You can add your resume to these posts and let your followers see it in their feed, ideally getting the attention of an employer in your network.

To use this method, access LinkedIn , sign in to your account, and select "Start a Post" at the top.

On the "Create a Post" window, you'll enter the text that will go along with your resume in your post.

First, click the large text field and add a few sentences in your post. This could be related to why you're uploading your resume, where your expertise lies, or similar.

Then, at the bottom, click "Add a Document" (an icon of a paper).

You'll see a "Share a Document" window. Here, to upload your resume from your computer, click "Choose File." To add your resume from Dropbox or Google Drive, select the appropriate option.

We'll upload the resume from our local storage.

In your computer's "Open" window, navigate to your resume folder and double-click the resume file.

Back on the "Share a Document" window, click the "Document Title" field and enter a title for your resume. Then, in the window's bottom-right corner, select "Done."

On the "Create a Post" window, add other details if you want. Then, publish your post along with your resume by clicking the "Post" button.

And that's all. Your post will appear in your audience's feed, allowing them to read your text content as well as view your uploaded resume .

Related: The Best Sites for Building a Resume

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• Resume and Cover Letter
• How to Put LinkedIn on a...

How to Put LinkedIn on a Resume (with Examples)

10 min read · Updated on March 27, 2024

Here's how to best represent LinkedIn on your resume so you receive the right type of attention

It's common knowledge that LinkedIn is the top professional social media site used. Unlike other older social media sites that have declined in popularity over the years, LinkedIn has maintained its popularity and has been actively used since its launch in 2003. With more than 1 billion users worldwide and 67 million companies on the site, it's a go-to resource to network, recruit, find and apply for jobs, promote your expertise, and more. 

So, if you're not on LinkedIn, create an account as soon as possible. For those of you who are on LinkedIn, you might be wondering if you should include LinkedIn on your resume. Great question! 

In this post, we'll cover:

Why you should include LinkedIn on a resume

How to update your LinkedIn profile so it's safe to share your URL

How to create a custom LinkedIn URL

Ways to personalize your LinkedIn URL

Where and how to put LinkedIn on your resume

When not to include LinkedIn on your resume

How to include LinkedIn Learning on your resume

Should you put LinkedIn on a resume? 

It's true that your resume is the first impression employers have of you when you apply for a job. With that said, count on LinkedIn being impression number two, given that more than 78% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find and research candidates. Some research even indicates 40% of employers won't consider you if you don't have a LinkedIn profile. In other words, as soon as your resume grabs the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager, it's likely that they're going to quickly do an online search to learn more about you, starting with LinkedIn. 

So, if you've been wondering if recruiters and hiring managers really do check LinkedIn, now you know that they do. As a result, you should definitely include your LinkedIn URL on your resume. But, before you take that step, you must ensure that your profile is current and professional. 

How to update your LinkedIn profile before sharing your URL

Even if you choose not to include your LinkedIn URL on your resume, based on the stats above, it's still probable that hiring teams will look for it anyway. So, first things first, you need to ensure your LinkedIn profile has all the necessary elements and is professionally written. The last thing you want is for a hiring manager to find your profile halfway complete - that scenario is likely to put your resume in the thanks-but-no-thanks pile. 

While it's true that your LinkedIn profile and resume need to align with each other, the great thing about your LinkedIn profile is that it gives you the chance to share more about yourself than your resume can highlight - another reason to be sure to include LinkedIn on your resume. Your LinkedIn profile provides you with a unique opportunity to showcase your personality and all of your professional history - it's a way to highlight your personal and professional brand. 

To ensure your profile is up to par and does what it's meant to do (land an interview and help you to get hired), you want to customize it as follows:

Include a professional photo and cover image

Craft a catchy headline

Add a standout summary in the “About” section

Add your work history in detail

Include all of your skills

Seek endorsements

Include your education , training, licenses, and certifications

Request recommendations

Add work samples, if possible

Complete all relevant sections

For more detailed information on how to best complete your LinkedIn profile, refer to “ 12 Ways to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out .” 

If you don't currently have a LinkedIn profile, use caution when rushing to create one. Yes, you want to have a profile up and running as soon as possible - especially if you're in the market for a new job - but don't create it in haste. Instead, when you're ready, give it some thoughtful consideration and take the time required to ensure it's a profile you're proud to share with employers. 

Another essential step to take before adding your LinkedIn URL to your resume is personalizing it. Yes, you could use the LinkedIn-generated URL that includes your full name followed by a string of seemingly random numbers and text at the end, but doing so looks unprofessional. In the examples below, if you compare how a LinkedIn-generated URL looks with how a customized URL looks, which is better? 

LinkedIn-generated URL : linkedin.com/in/carry-groove-521a7699744/ 

Customized URL: linkedin.com/in/carrygroove

Not only does the customized URL look more professional, it's also easier to recall. Plus, not customizing your URL can make you come across as being lazy or not caring enough about your job application.

Now that you're clear it's essential to customize your LinkedIn URL, here are the steps to do so:

Log into your LinkedIn profile

On the upper middle to right side of the LinkedIn navigation, click on the “Me” icon

From the menu that appears, click on “View Profile”

Select “Edit public profile & URL” from the top right corner, which will take you to your public profile settings

Click on the pencil icon below and to the right of “Edit your custom URL”

Customize the last part of the URL where you can enter information and click “Save”

Ways to customize and personalize your LinkedIn URL

LinkedIn allows you to customize your URL with 3 to 100 numbers or letters. When choosing what to use for the customized aspect, first remove any random string of text or numbers following your name. If your name alone isn't available, the next best option is to use a variation of your name that is still recognizable and professional. You can also include your job title or profession for URL customization.

Here are some examples of how to personalize your URL:

Add an available and easy to remember number at the end: linkedin.com/in/jamesjones25

Use your title or area of expertise: linkedin.com/in/jamesjoneshrgeneralist

Include your credentials: linkedin.com/in/jamesjonesCPA  

Add a phrase that relates to your personal brand: linkedin.com/in/jamesjonesmortgageloanexpert

Add your middle initial: linkedin.com/in/jameszjones

Where to include a LinkedIn URL on your resume

You're likely not surprised to learn that your LinkedIn URL should go at the top of your resume with your contact information . It's typically the last piece of contact information you'll include, following your phone number and email address.

When sending your resume by email, it's also wise to include your hyperlinked LinkedIn URL in your email signature. This offers easy access to your LinkedIn profile before the recruiter or hiring manager even looks at your resume. It's a good idea to include your LinkedIn URL in the contact information section of your cover letter , too.

How to put your LinkedIn URL on your resume

When listing your LinkedIn URL:

You don't need to include the "https://www." at the beginning. Only listing the rest of the URL is sufficient - for example, linkedin.com/in/karenjohnson22

You don't need to include a LinkedIn label for the URL - the employer will know what the URL is referencing since all LinkedIn URLs begin with "linkedin.com/in/" 

Hyperlink the URL in electronic versions of your resume

On the rare occasion that you might mail a hard copy of your resume, be sure the URL is easily legible and remove the hyperlink

How to put LinkedIn on a resume: example

When you've added your LinkedIn URL to your resume, it could look like this: 

[email protected] | 555.555.5555 | linkedin.com/in/marysmith11

When not to include a LinkedIn URL on your resume

It's clear that putting LinkedIn on your resume adds value in most instances. However, there are a few scenarios where you shouldn't include LinkedIn on your resume. 

Don't include your LinkedIn URL if:

You haven't customized your LinkedIn URL. As mentioned earlier, not customizing your URL might make you appear lazy to recruiters and hiring managers. Since the LinkedIn-generated URL also tends to be long and odd-looking, it could be distracting to human readers vs. adding value the way you want it to.

Your profile is out-of-date and incomplete. Again, it's imperative that your LinkedIn profile is current and complete if you're in the job market and share your URL on your resume.

You don't feel good about your profile. Even if your LinkedIn profile is current, if you don't feel good about it or don't feel it represents you in the best light possible, don't include the URL on your resume. Instead, wait until you've made the updates and changes that make you want to share it. With that said, since employers tend to look you up even if you don't include your URL, try to make those changes with thoughtful consideration sooner rather than later - especially if you're currently applying for jobs. You also have the option of switching your profile to private until you're ready to make it public.  You can always seek professional support to help you update your profile if you're struggling to do so yourself. 

Your LinkedIn profile merely mirrors your resume. A benefit of including your LinkedIn URL on your resume is that it gives hiring teams insight into additional skills and experiences you have, as well as who you are as a person. If your LinkedIn profile and resume are virtually the same, then hiring teams might wonder why you included the URL at all. 

How to add LinkedIn Learning to your resume

If you have a LinkedIn learning certificate, it can be a valuable addition to enhance your job marketing materials. Here are some ways to include LinkedIn Learning on your resume:

Include it in your Certifications section. The most obvious place to include a LinkedIn Learning certificate is in your list of certifications, if you include such a section on your resume. 

Share it in your Education section . Suppose LinkedIn Learning is your only certification or additional training beyond your education. In that case, you can choose to list it with your education. For this scenario, some good naming conventions for the section are “Education & Certifications” or “Education & Credentials.”   

Reference it in your resume summary. You might mention your LinkedIn Learning certificate in your resume summary , if it helps to fill in any skills gaps you have or if you lack relevant work experience for the position.

Add it to your skills or competencies list. If you don't need to emphasize your LinkedIn Learning training in your summary, or are forgoing a Certifications section on your resume, then you can opt to list it in your skills or competencies list. 

LinkedIn on your resume is expected

In today's world, employers expect to see your LinkedIn URL on your resume. Be sure to include your personalized URL with your contact information and, simultaneously, ensure your LinkedIn profile is professionally written and up to date. Hiring managers will thank you! 

And if you have any LinkedIn Learning training that's relevant to the job, be sure to include it where appropriate. Doing so can further enhance your resume and prove you're the perfect candidate for the job. Good luck!  

Do you want to know whether your resume correctly represents your LinkedIn URL as well as other pertinent elements? Why not submit it for a free resume review by our team of expert resume writers ? They'll work with you and show you exactly what to include and how to include it to create the best resume possible!  

Recommended reading:

How to List Certifications on a Resume (with Examples)

5 Easy Ways to Spring Clean Your Resume

How to Check if My Resume is ATS-Friendly for Free

Related Articles:

What are Social Skills and Why Are They Important in Your Job Search?

How to Upload Your Resume to LinkedIn - Step by Step Guide

Should You Use LinkedIn Easy Apply?

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

How to Add Your Resume on LinkedIn (Bonus Tip Included)

Looking to land your next job via LinkedIn?

No surprise there - LinkedIn is the social professional social media network out there, with over 3,000,000 new jobs posted on the platform per month in the US alone!

But before you start your job search via LinkedIn, you need to upload your resume to the platform.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to add your resume to your LinkedIn profile! Read on to learn:

• How To Add Your Resume on LinkedIn
• How to Add Your Resume on LinkedIn With Easy Apply
• Should You Add Your Resume to LinkedIn? Pros & Cons
• How to Download Your LinkedIn Profile As a Resume

So let’s dive right in! 

How to Add Resume to Your LinkedIn Profile

The first thing to know is that your LinkedIn already has a place reserved for your resume, and that’s your profile's About Me section. 

It’s a strategic position that allows anyone visiting your profile to notice your resume right away. 

Now, when it comes to uploading your resume on LinkedIn, the process is fairly easy. 

Follow these steps to upload your resume directly to your profile:

Step #1: Click the Me tab on the top toolbar below your profile photo.

Step #2: Choose View Profile from the drop-down menu that appears.

Step #3: Scroll down and click the Add Featured link.

Step #4: If you don't see the “ Featured” section , it might be disabled. If that’s the case, scroll to the top of your profile and select “ Add profile section” , then “ Recommended” , and then “ Add featured”, and finally "Add Media" .

Step #5: Otherwise, if your Featured section is enabled, click Add Favorites or the plus icon , and select Media from the drop-down menu.

Step #6: In the file upload window that appears, select the resume document you want to upload and click Open.

Step #7: A preview of the document will pop up, as well as fields to title and describe your resume. Only the title is required.

Step #8: After filling in the title and description, click Save .

And just like that, everyone will be able to view your resume in the Featured part of your LinkedIn profile .

Want to learn more about how to actively find a job with LinkedIn? Check out our guide to LinkedIn networking !

Applying for Jobs on LinkedIn? Add Your Resume Using Easy Apply!

Now, when looking for work, it’s best to tailor your resume to each position rather than use the same one for all applications. Customizing your resume to the job not only improves your chances of getting hired but also shows the recruiter that you're dedicated and detail-oriented.

And, unfortunately, simply adding your resume to your LinkedIn profile doesn’t allow you to tailor your resume to specific job positions. 

The good news? LinkedIn has thought about this. 

If you’re job hunting and applying to several positions, you can upload different, customized versions of your resume using LinkdeIn's “ Easy Apply ” function. 

Here’s exactly how you can do it: 

Step #1: For starters, check the job position you’re applying for. The Easy Apply function will allow you to upload your resume straight to LinkedIn. Any listing that just has an "Apply" tab will require you to submit your resume via a third-party website. 

Step #2: If applicable, select Easy Apply . Scroll down until you see a button that says Upload Resume . 

Step #3: To upload your resume, navigate to the resume file on your computer and select Open. 

Step #4: From here on, you can keep revising your application and, when finished, click the Submit Application tab. 

The best part? LinkedIn will save this version of your resume in case you need to use it for another job. 

Should I Add My Resume on LinkedIn? 

The answer is a clear “yes!”

When a potential employer lands on your LinkedIn page, they won’t have enough information just with your personal profile to see if you’re qualified for whatever job they’re considering you for.

Simply by adding a resume, you’re adding a new level of depth to your LinkedIn profile and making it more likely that prospective employers reach out to you.

How to Download Your LinkedIn Profile As a Resume (With Pros & Cons)

Just like it allows you to upload your resume online, LinkedIn also lets you download your profile on the platform as a resume. 

All LinkedIn profiles feature a “Save as PDF” tab that will take your LinkedIn profile and save it on your device as a PDF.  

This PDF will contain everything you’ve listed on LinkedIn, including your education, work experience, and skills.

To download your LinkedIn profile as a resume, the first thing you need to do is open LinkedIn in a web browser on your computer. 

After selecting the profile icon at the top, click View Profile.

On the profile page, right below the profile picture, click More and select Save to PDF .

In a few seconds, your download will begin and the PDF will show all the information included in your profile.

Now, if you want to add, update, or omit certain elements from the profile before saving it, you can use LinkedIn’s resume tool to do so. Once you’re pleased with the result, you can hit Save. 

However, the real question here is , is using a LinkedIn profile as a resume a good idea?

The answer is no .

The LinkedIn resume is simply not that effective for several reasons:

• It simply doesn’t look that good. And yes, your resume’s design does matter. The cleaner your resume layout, the easier it is to scan, and as such, more likely to get read by the HR manager.
• It’s not comprehensive enough. Your LinkedIn profile should not be as detailed as your resume. The purpose of a LI profile is to act as a brief introduction to you as a professional, not to sell you as a candidate.
• The output might be too long. Generally, you want to keep your resume length to one, maybe two pages max. A LinkedIn profile export can be longer than that.

Want to use a tried-and-tested resume template instead? Check out the Novorésumé resume builder !

It’s super easy to use and comes with 16 tried-and-tested templates . And the best part? Our resumes look super slick!

Key Takeaways

And that about sums it all up about how to best combine your LinkedIn profile & your resume!

Before you go, though, let’s recap the most important points we covered in this article:

• LinkedIn is much more than a CV on the internet. A LinkedIn profile should emphasize your ties to persons and employers, while your CV should present a clear professional goal. 
• There are 2 simple ways to submit your resume to LinkedIn: directly through uploading or by using the Easy Apply feature for specific jobs.
• When hunting for a job on LinkedIn, don’t just rely on your CV - make sure your profile is fully updated too.

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

LinkedIn Resume Builder

Transform your LinkedIn profile into a polished resume effortlessly with our LinkedIn Resume Builder. Create a professional, optimized resume from your LinkedIn details in just seconds, starting your journey to the perfect job.

Maximize Your Professional Impact with LinkedIn Resume Builder

Instantly Create a Resume from Your LinkedIn Profile

Leverage our LinkedIn Resume Builder to quickly convert your comprehensive LinkedIn profile into a professional, tailored resume.

This tool simplifies the resume creation process by automatically populating your resume with the rich details and experiences from your LinkedIn, ensuring no valuable information is left behind.

Streamline Your Job Search with One Click

Transform your LinkedIn into a resume without the hassle of manual entry or formatting errors.

Our tool ensures that the transition of data from LinkedIn to your resume maintains the integrity and professionalism of your original content, aligning with job market expectations and best practices.

Tailor Your LinkedIn Content for Targeted Applications

Don't just convert your LinkedIn profile to a resume; customize it for the job you want. Our LinkedIn Resume Builder offers options to tailor your content, focusing on the skills and experiences that matter most to specific roles.

Elevate your job application by aligning your professional background with your career aspirations seamlessly.

Streamline Your Professional Presence with LinkedIn Resume Builder

In today's dynamic job market, aligning your LinkedIn profile with your resume is not just advantageous; it's essential. Yet, manually crafting a resume that mirrors the depth and detail of your LinkedIn can be overwhelming and time-consuming.

Our LinkedIn Resume Builder bridges this gap by transforming your LinkedIn profile into a comprehensive, job-ready resume in seconds.

This tool ensures consistency and professionalism across your online and offline professional documents, saving you time while enhancing your job application's impact.

Embrace the simplicity of Teal’s LinkedIn Resume Builder to maintain a synchronized professional narrative, enabling a seamless transition from profile to resume. Start leveraging your LinkedIn effectively to unlock new career opportunities effortlessly.

How to Use the LinkedIn Resume Builder

Enter your linkedin profile url.

Begin by simply entering your LinkedIn Profile URL into the LinkedIn Resume Builder. Our tool will automatically extract and organize your professional experience, skills, and education from LinkedIn, transforming them into a comprehensive resume format.

This step ensures a seamless transition of your career details into a structured and polished resume.

Review and Customize Your Resume

Once your LinkedIn information is imported, review and customize your professional history. Adjust any details to best represent your career achievements and skills.

Highlight specific accomplishments and quantify your successes where possible. This customization helps you create a resume from LinkedIn that stands out by emphasizing your unique strengths and experiences.

Optimize with AI Features

Utilize our AI-driven features to further refine and optimize your resume. From AI suggestions on layout and wording to keyword optimization for specific job descriptions, our tools ensure that your new resume—created from your LinkedIn profile—resonates with recruiters and job postings alike.

This step turns your LinkedIn into a resume that's not only comprehensive but also tailored and targeted.

Finalize and Start Applying

Review your newly crafted resume for final adjustments and utilize our AI Resume Review for additional suggestions.

Once you're satisfied, download your resume directly from the LinkedIn Resume Builder. You’re now ready to apply for jobs with a resume that’s derived from your LinkedIn but refined for your career aspirations.

What's Free & What's

• Unlimited Resumes
• Unlimited Resumes Templates
• Unlimited Job Tracking
• Top 5 Keywords
• 1 Email Template Per job stage
• Limited AI Usage for Resume Achievements (5), Professional Summaries (2) and Cover Letter (1)
• Basic analysis in the resume builder
• Basic Resume Keyword Matching
• Everything in Teal Free
• Unlimited Advanced Resume Analysis
• Unlimited Resume Keyword Matching
• Unlimited AI Usage for Resume Achievements, Professional Summaries and Cover Letter
• Unlimited keywords (hard and soft skills) listed in the job tracker
• Unlimited Email Templates
• No ads across the entire platform
• 24/7 Email Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, our LinkedIn Resume Builder allows you to easily transform your LinkedIn profile into a professional resume in just a few clicks.

Simply enter your LinkedIn profile URL, and our tool will automatically import and structure your career details into a well-organized, optimized resume format.

Our tool is specifically designed to mirror the comprehensive details of your LinkedIn profile, ensuring consistency across your professional presence.

It pulls in your work history, education, skills, and achievements directly from LinkedIn and formats them into a cohesive resume, allowing for a streamlined and accurate reflection of your professional journey.

Absolutely, our LinkedIn Resume Builder is versatile and suitable for a wide range of industries and job levels.

Whether you're applying for your first job, seeking a managerial role, or transitioning careers, the tool adapts your LinkedIn content to create a resume that's tailored to your specific career goals and the job you're applying for.

Once your LinkedIn profile is imported, our tool offers a variety of customization options. You can edit text, reorder sections, add or remove details, and choose from different templates to match the resume to your personal style and the requirements of the job you're targeting. This ensures that your resume not only reflects your LinkedIn profile but is also tailored to each job application.

Better Resume. Faster Search. More Offers.

Free LinkedIn Resume Builder

Convert your LinkedIn profile to a stunning PDF in 5 minutes with our LinkedIn Resume Builder and choose from over 30+ resume templates. Try it free today!

Sign-up FREE. No Credit Card Required.

Linkedin and VisualCV

With VisualCV, it’s easy to use your LinkedIn profile to create a professional resume template. Simply import your LinkedIn PDF, and start sharing!

The Right Resume & CV Maker for the Job

Tech, Engineering, Management or Marketing - CV generator with the right resume templates to highlight your career journey.

Easy LinkedIn Profile Import

VisualCV’s import tool uses the same resume parsing technology as many top companies worldwide, so you can be sure that you get the most accurate LinkedIn profile import currently available!

Build a Resume Fast

Use the information you have already written for LinkedIn to quickly build a professional resume with VisualCV. Create a great resume and apply for your dream job today!

Professional Resume Builder

VisualCV has the best resume templates, samples, and resume builder available

" Fantastic CV format. Easy to import Linkedin profile into a resume and cover letter in just few minutes. You guys are doing a great job👍 "

Strategy Development

" To begin with, the team and customer support are just outstanding. There is a huge variety of templates to chose from, and the output is just superb. Linkedin intergration is killer! "

" Nice app, to generate a CV, with smart templates just using your LinkedIn profile details. "

Project Manager

Convert your LinkedIn profile today

Land your next job faster with a custom VisualCV.

How to Turn Your LinkedIn Profile into a Resume

To create a resume from your LinkedIn Profile, click on the “Import from LinkedIn” at the top of this page and our LinkedIn Resume Builder will fetch all relevant details.

Once you start the import process, make sure to select the right template that reflects you and helps you stand out from the competition. While you have imported most of the content from your LinkedIn profile, you can still make changes to the sections and content of your LinkedIn resume.

Unless you have more than 15 years of experience, we advise that you keep your LinkedIn resume to be one or a maximum of two pages.

Copyright © 2024 Workstory Inc.

Select Your Language:

Privacy preference center

We care about your privacy

When you visit our website, we will use cookies to make sure you enjoy your stay. We respect your privacy and we’ll never share your resumes and cover letters with recruiters or job sites. On the other hand, we’re using several third party tools to help us run our website with all its functionality.

But what exactly are cookies? Cookies are small bits of information which get stored on your computer. This information usually isn’t enough to directly identify you, but it allows us to deliver a page tailored to your particular needs and preferences.

Because we really care about your right to privacy, we give you a lot of control over which cookies we use in your sessions. Click on the different category headings on the left to find out more, and change our default settings.

However, remember that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of our website. Finally, note that we’ll need to use a cookie to remember your cookie preferences.

Without these cookies our website wouldn’t function and they cannot be switched off. We need them to provide services that you’ve asked for.

Want an example? We use these cookies when you sign in to Kickresume. We also use them to remember things you’ve already done, like text you’ve entered into a registration form so it’ll be there when you go back to the page in the same session.

Thanks to these cookies, we can count visits and traffic sources to our pages. This allows us to measure and improve the performance of our website and provide you with content you’ll find interesting.

Performance cookies let us see which pages are the most and least popular, and how you and other visitors move around the site.

All information these cookies collect is aggregated (it’s a statistic) and therefore completely anonymous. If you don’t let us use these cookies, you’ll leave us in the dark a bit, as we won’t be able to give you the content you may like.

We use these cookies to uniquely identify your browser and internet device. Thanks to them, we and our partners can build a profile of your interests, and target you with discounts to our service and specialized content.

On the other hand, these cookies allow some companies target you with advertising on other sites. This is to provide you with advertising that you might find interesting, rather than with a series of irrelevant ads you don’t care about.

Create Resume from LinkedIn

Turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume.

You already have a resume. Now you only have to import it. Magically create a stunning CV using your LinkedIn profile in seconds!

Easy LinkedIn to Resume Converter

One-click LinkedIn resume import magic.

Why write a resume from scratch when you already have a fantastic LinkedIn profile? You can convert your painstakingly crafted LinkedIn profile into a stunning resume in seconds. There's no need for extra effort. Simply enter the URL of your LinkedIn profile, and you'll have your resume ready in no time. Import your LinkedIn profile now.

Better Than LinkedIn Resume Template

Make it look great with 40+ stunning templates.

Once you’ve imported your profile, you only need to pick a resume template and give your LinkedIn resume a bit of a personal touch. All of our resume templates were designed by professional typographers and are highly customizable. With more than one million possible design combinations, you can make your LinkedIn resume uniquely “you.” Explore all resume templates.

GPT-4 LinkedIn Resume Generator

Use AI to polish your newly imported resume.

Want to add a new section to your resume or improve an existing one? Brush up your LinkedIn resume with our AI Resume Rewriter. It can refine your resume and rewrite it in language that is professional and specific to your industry. Learn more about our AI Resume Rewriter.

Import your LinkedIn, get a resume. Then use our AI tools to make it better.

If you’ve already got a polished LinkedIn profile, why go through the same writing process again with your resume? After all, a good LinkedIn profile and a good resume have a lot in common. You can use that!

Simply import your LinkedIn profile to Kickresume and turn it into a sleek professional CV.

You can then use our AI toolkit to rewrite your resume , check it for errors with our resume checker , and even make it look super professional with our stunning resume templates . That is, if you feel like making your resume a bit more ‘extra’ and job-winning.

What are the benefits? Why import your LinkedIn profile instead of building a resume from scratch?

The following only apply if you’ve already got a good LinkedIn profile. But that shouldn’t be a problem — every ambitious job seeker should already have one!

In any case, here are some obvious and less obvious benefits of using our super easy LinkedIn-to-resume converter.

• Save time. You don’t have to write a resume from scratch. You can use the content from your LinkedIn profile.
• Done in a single press of a button. It’s quick and easy. Simply enter your profile’s url and press “Import”.
• It doesn’t end with importing the profile. You can (but don’t have to) use a wide array of our tools to give your resume an edge over others — you can scan it for improvements, get AI feedback, quickly generate a tailored cover letter, rewrite it with AI, and more.
• Tailor your resume to every job application. Any LinkedIn profile has one drawback — it’s one size fits all. A resume can be tailored to each job you apply to, which we would strongly advise you to do if you really want to land that job.

All in all, converting your LinkedIn profile into a resume gives you a good way out if you don’t want to waste time writing your resume from scratch. It’s quick, easy, and highly recommended!

How to download your resume from LinkedIn then? Is it just a single click and that’s it?

Yes! And no. But mostly yes! The thing is, there’s both a technical side and a content side to it.

While the technical side is pretty straightforward and quick, the content side of converting your LinkedIn profile to a resume can be a bit tricky. But that, of course, all depends on your profile.

How to download your resume from LinkedIn then?

• Go to the top of our LinkedIn profile to resume converter web page (you can also simply scroll up, it’s this very web page)
• Enter your LinkedIn profile’s address, and press the “Convert to Resume” button.
• Review your newly imported LinkedIn resume, pick an ATS-friendly template, use our AI Writer to rewrite it, analyze it with our resume checker — Kickresume gives you plenty of tools to make your LinkedIn resume stand out.

However, you probably wouldn’t want to stop there. Your LinkedIn profile — and, by extension, your newly imported resume — probably isn’t yet tailored to a specific job opening. Leaving it as such would be a missed opportunity.

Security & Data Protection

Kickresume gives you full control over your data while keeping it safe.

European Union

We’re based in the EU, which means that you’re being protected by the world’s toughest privacy and security law (GDPR). This gives you a complete control over your data and ensures maximum transparency.

We believe that being loyal to you, our customers, always pays off. Kickresume was built on your trust and we don’t want to lose it. We don’t share your data with third parties unless you tell us to.

Bulletproof

Thanks to our partnership with a leading IT security company whose name is subject to confidentiality, we are able to do regular penetration testing of our infrastructure and ensure that your data stays safe with us.

The only career toolbox you'll ever need.

Ai resume builder.

Let artificial intelligence write your resume. Our AI Resume Writer is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model and it can produce your first draft in seconds.

AI Cover Letter Builder

Try our AI Cover Letter Writer and produce a rock-solid cover letter in seconds. Most people struggle to find the right words for their cover letter. Let AI find them for you.

40+ ATS-Ready Templates

All resume and cover letter templates are customizable, ATS-friendly, and designed by a team of professional typographers and recruiters.

AI Resignation Letter Generator

Our AI Resignation Letter Writer will help you find the right words to quit your job and leave all bridges unburned.

Kickresume for Mobile

Create a perfect resume or cover letter from your mobile device. You can now access and edit your career documents from anywhere! Available on both iOS and Android.

1,500+ Resume Examples

Get inspired by resume and cover letter examples that helped real people land jobs with the world’s top companies. Search by company or job title.

Resume Checker

Find out how your resume compares against other successful resumes in our database. Receive your resume score and get personalized tips on how to improve it.

Website Builder

Turn your resume into a personal website with a single click. Choose from a number of customizable templates and let your future employer find you online.

Proofreading

Let our experienced human proofreaders make sure that your resume or cover letter have impeccable grammar. Don’t let a silly mistake ruin your chances of landing a job.

Your frequently asked questions.

If you don’t find answers to your questions here, don’t hesitate to ask. Our customer service team is always happy to help.

How to create a resume from LinkedIn?

You can easily import your LinkedIn profile to Kickresume and let the LinkedIn-to-resume converter do the rest. It only takes a few seconds.

This is how to create a resume from your LinkedIn profile:

• Open your LinkedIn profile.
• Select your profile’s public url (e.g. https://www.linkedin.com/in/your_name/) and press Ctrl+C (on Windows), or Command+C (on MacOS).
• Now go to Kickresume’s LinkedIn import website: Convert Your LinkedIn Profile to a Resume .
• Paste the link inside the designated field near the top of the page by pressing Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (on MacOS).
• Press “Convert to Resume”. This will take you to the website’s sign up screen.
• Sign up using your preferred method (e.g. with your Google or Facebook account).
• Kickresume will now import your LinkedIn profile and convert it into a resume.
• Et voilà! You now have a complete resume in a random resume template from Kickresume.

How can I improve the resume I exported from LinkedIn?

Don’t forget to make at least some changes to your newly imported LinkedIn resume.

For instance, your resume can usually benefit from minor formatting changes , as some of the original LinkedIn formatting can get lost during the importing process.

You should also remove any LinkedIn-specific phrases from your new resume. You might not want phrase like “Let’s connect” or “Open to opportunities” appear on your resume.

Add resume-specific sections , such as hobbies or skills, and finally, tailor your new resume to each specific job opening you’re applying for.

Customize your resume’s visuals. You can choose from 40+ templates, explore more than one million design combinations, and make your resume more you.

Finally, you can even let AI rewrite your entire resume  using our AI Resume Rewriter . It’s easy to use and it will rewrite your resume in a language that sounds more professional.

I’ve created a resume from my LinkedIn profile. Can I download it for free?

Yes, you can. While it’s true that not all resume templates and customization options are free (we need to make money somehow), there are still several high-quality resume templates available.

At the end of the day, yes, you can download a full-fledged professional resume for free . Just make sure to avoid any features that are clearly marked with the “Premium” badge inside the app.

On the other hand, if you decide that you like the premium templates better — and would like to land your dream job faster with the help of Kickresume — you can always upgrade to Premium . We offer well-priced plans for every type of customer.

Can I customize the appearance of my new LinkedIn resume?

Yes! You can choose from more than 40 professionally-designed resume templates  and customize each template to your liking.

You can change nearly every part of your new resume. Each template comes with its own set of alternative color schemes and typefaces that were chosen by our expert typographers to complement the overall design.

What’s more, you can also create a cover letter with a design that matches your resume. We always create new templates in resume / cover letter pairs.

Ultimately, there are more than one million possible design combinations for you to explore. The sheer number of customization options gives you the ability to create a resume that stands out from the rest. All within reason, though — no matter how you customize your resume, our designers made sure it will always look good.

I’m having problems converting my LinkedIn to a resume. What should I do?

If you’re having problems converting your LinkedIn profile to a resume, there are two things you can do:

• Make sure your LinkedIn is filled with enough content.  Remember that an empty profile makes for an equally empty resume. Fill your LinkedIn profile with at least 200 words. For best results, you should have at least the About, Experience, and Education sections of your profile filled with content. The more the merrier.
• Make sure your profile is not set to private.  Our tool needs to have the ability to access your LinkedIn profile. If your profile is set to private, only your connections can view it. Set your profile to public and try importing your LinkedIn profile again.
• Make sure that your profile is more than 30 days old.  Sometimes it takes a few days for Kickresume to access your profile. While this usually takes less than the aforementioned 30 days, this time period gives us a bit of an overhead when diagnosing problems related to LinkedIn import.

If you’ve done all of the above and you’re still unable to turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume, please contact our customer support (click the speech bubble icon in the bottom-right corner). Our customer support team is always more than happy to help.

Turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume.

Convert your LinkedIn profile into a resume in a matter of seconds using Enhancv’s LinkedIn resume builder.

3,908 happy customers shared their experience.

Our resumes get people hired at top companies

LinkedIn resume templates tailored to your needs

AI resume builder, powered by ChatGPT

A feature-packed resume builder.

Check your resume for grammatical and punctuation errors

20+ Professionally designed resume sections

Resume tailoring based on the job you’re applying for

Your LinkedIn data in a resume

Don’t have the time to start from scratch? Just add a link to your LinkedIn profile, and Enhancv’s LinkedIn resume builder will extract all the standard sections and populate your resume.

LinkedIn Resume Builder FAQs

What’s a linkedin resume builder, how does the linkedin resume builder work, do employers prefer to look at a linkedin or a resume, does linkedin have a resume builder, how do i convert my linkedin profile into a resume, enhancv executive has changed my life: one week & four interviews later, i will be making 150% more doing the job i chose., your resume is an extension of yourself – make one that’s truly you.

• Create Resume
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• Resume Examples
• Resume Templates
• AI Resume Builder
• Resume Summary Generator
• Resume Formats
• Resume Checker
• Resume Skills
• How to Write a Resume
• Modern Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Resume Guides
• Cover Letter Guides
• Job Interview Guides
• Job Interview Questions
• Career Resources
• Meet our customers
• Career resources
• English (UK)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• Resume Skills Section
• Resume Objective Section
• Career Objective Section
• Resume Reference Section
• Resume Summary Section
• Resume Summary Example
• Resume Interests Section
• Address On Resume
• Relevant Work Experience
• Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
• Education Section On Resume
• Contact Information On Resume
• Statement Of Qualifications
• How To List Publications On Resume
• Accomplishments On Resumes
• Awards On Resume
• Dean's List On Resume
• Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

Relevant Experience: What Does It Mean On A Resume?

Statement Of Qualifications: What It Is And Examples

How To Structure A Resume For Success

Standard Resume Margins (Size + Formatting)

• Career Advice >
• Resume Structure >
• Parts Of A Resume >

How to Build a Strong LinkedIn Profile and Dazzle Future Employers

L inkedIn is like the world's largest digital networking event—only there's no free drinks, and the event is never really over. Instead of grabbing people's attention with the perfect tie or anecdote, your LinkedIn profile is your handshake, and its firmness is based on your page's details. But do you know how to build a strong LinkedIn profile, and what kind of message are you sending with yours?

Although LinkedIn is a form of social media, it requires a higher level of professionalism and finesse than Instagram or X. Connecting with a potential employer isn't as simple as sliding into their DMs. LinkedIn is a platform that allows you to showcase your accomplishments by giving job-seekers access to its vast professional network where people can connect with industry leaders and employers. And the best way to get the attention of people you want to connect with is by building your profile into the perfect one. Here are several expert-backed tips you can use to improve your page.

RELATED:  How to Ace Every Common Job Interview Question .

How do you create an effective LinkedIn profile?

When crafting your LinkedIn page, it's important to take the time to analyze who you are as a professional and where you want to be in your career.

"Before you can create an effective LinkedIn profile, you must understand the message you want to communicate to the world and the career goals you are looking to accomplish in the next two to seven years," says Arissan Nicole , a career coach and workplace and LinkedIn expert. "Once you have clarity around those questions, you can start strategically optimizing your profile."

Nicole continues, "At the end of the day, LinkedIn is a visual storytelling tool, and you want it to speak for you when you are not in the room and complement the moves you are making in your life outside the platform. It is a living document that needs to be changed and edited on a semi-regular basis. If you want a successful profile, one-and-done editing will not serve you in the long run."

Much like Rome, your LinkedIn profile won't be built in a day, as there are many factors that contribute to a strong profile. Vit Koval , a global hiring and remote work advocate at Globy , suggests making sure your profile is complete, "including a professional photo, summary, work experience, and education, with all details in every section of the profile."

Below, we'll discuss how to make each part of your LinkedIn shine and highlight who you are as an employee. We'll also provide tips on how to attract the employer and job that you want.

RELATED:  10 Resume Tips to Help Your CV Stand Out, Experts Say .

1. Improve your profile picture.

A picture can say a thousand words, so make sure your LinkedIn photo says you're professional and career-oriented. Although you may think your best photos live on Instagram, that's not the gallery you want to pull from for this profile.

"[Your profile picture] takes a very important space on LinkedIn, being that it forms most of your first impression," Koval explains. "The right profile picture should be professional, clear, and friendly, portraying a person in business attire or other smart casuals. Make sure the background is not too distracting, the lighting is OK, and your face fills about 60 to 70 percent of the frame."

Also, make sure your face is centered in the photo.

Daniel Space , a human resources expert advises job seekers not to feel pressured to pay for professional photos for their LinkedIn profiles. Following these guidelines, when done correctly, can be more than enough.

RELATED: ​ Career Expert Reveals the Top-Paying Remote Jobs for 2024 .

2. Present your skills and experience in a clear way.

Whether your job experience is extensive or in its early stages, it's important to focus on the relevant parts of your journey and talents when adding them to your profile's "Skills" and "Experience" sections.

The information you list in the "Experience" section should detail all your professional responsibilities in a digestible and reader-friendly way. Although you'll probably need your resume to fill this part out, make sure it doesn't read like one.

"Under the 'Experience' section, highlight achievements rather than listing duties," Koval notes. "If possible, show how the work you've listed [had an effect], with quantifiable results."

As for the "Endorsement" section of the page, "seek endorsements from colleagues that would add credibility to the enlisted skills," says Koval.

In other words, it's OK to be a little picky whose endorsements you make visible on your profile.

According to LinkedIn's "20 steps to a better LinkedIn profile in 2024," "once endorsements start to come in, you might find that they skew the emphasis of your LinkedIn profile in ways that don't reflect who you are."

There's nothing wrong with that one super helpful coworker encouraging you on your page in this way, but it shouldn't be highlighted on your profile if it's not in line with your current career path. So, don't be afraid to be selective and "proactive in managing your endorsements list using the edit features in the 'Skills' section of your profile—you can choose which to show and which to hide."

RELATED:  5 Things You Should Never Lie About on Your Resume .

3. Engage with LinkedIn content.

The golden rule of social media is to engage with other people's posts and profiles the way you want to be engaged with. Although engagement isn't a requirement, it doesn't hurt.

"Being active with content involvement and responding to threads on LinkedIn highly rewards job seekers," Koval shares. "It will make you more visible and showcase your knowledge and passion for your industry. Being a well-known, active member of your professional community because of your good practice in making comments, sharing articles, or even posting thoughtful content, makes you an attractive employee for potential employers."

LinkedIn is not the place to scroll and lurk, but at the same time, no one is pushing you to become a career influencer who posts about every wholesome workplace encounter. (We all know that person, and we might even judge them!) Don't be afraid to get in the game and hop on the timeline in your own unique way.

4. Spend time on your headline.

Your headline is one of the first things someone on your profile sees, so make sure it's grabby and genuinely reflects who you are. But while headlines should pull you in, remember to keep it professional.

"Focus on the first statement in the headline on what you do and who you work with," says Deb Feder , a business growth coach and CEO of Feder Development , LLC. "This first section of the headline is what is shared across the platform when you post and engage [with] other content. Save your hobbies, interests, and qualifications for later in the headline or within the profile content."

RELATED:  10 Highest-Paying Jobs That Don't Require a College Degree, New Data Shows .

5. Optimize your LinkedIn profile.

Without being a data analyst or SEO guru, you can optimize your LinkedIn profile to get the most out of your page and the overall site. It starts with using keywords effectively throughout your profile.

"In order to keyword optimize correctly, you need to look at job postings for roles you want and pull out the specific words companies and recruiters are using," Nicole explains. "Then make sure those words are in your headline, summary, experience, and skills section. Don't make your headline too wordy or confusing. If you are looking for project management roles and people leader roles, make sure that is in your headline."

When recruiters are looking through profiles, they search using keywords based on the role.

"Your headline needs them to think 'that's exactly what I'm looking for, I want to know more,'" Nicole says.

Optimizing your profile is about more than just adding the right keywords—it means providing information in a very concise and easy-to-read way. When crafting your headline or any part of your profile, cut out the fluff. Nicole suggests asking yourself, "If this was the only information someone had about you, what is the story it is telling?" or "What is the most important information for them to know?"

"LinkedIn only displays the first 80 words, so make that summary attention-grabbing, and make them want to click 'see more' and continue reading," she adds.

RELATED: 3 "Disappearing" Jobs That Can Make You Rich If You Start Now .

6. Ask for recommendations.

Recommendations are not only reserved for grad school applications and new restaurants to try. One of the most underrated backbones of a strong LinkedIn profile are relevant recommendations that reflect recent accomplishments from LinkedIn connections. So don't be shy.

Think of it as "a kind of professional 'social proof' for recruiters and others who are researching potential new employees," says Vanessa Francis Gray , a seasoned professional growth coach . "The recommendation provides those users insight into the job seeker's work ethic, personality, and professional track record."

But it's also important to choose the right people to give you a recommendation. Gray suggests picking someone whom you have a personal relationship with and have worked with extensively.

"It would be best if job seekers made the recommendation request first off of the LinkedIn platform," Gray advises. "Doing so gives the recommender an alert that the request is pending, giving the recommender time to think about what to post."

RELATED: The 13 Best Ways to Make Money Online, Experts Say .

7. Maximize job search tools.

In addition to making your LinkedIn attractive to employers, you can also make the platform's job search tools work for you. By looking for jobs on LinkedIn—much like other social media platforms—the site learns what you're interested in and suggests roles based on your search history. Space suggests spending as little as 10 to 15 minutes three times a week searching through LinkedIn for the jobs you want.

"Once LinkedIn recognizes you as a job-seeker, it will provide you with better experiences such as enhancing your discovery when recruiters are looking for similar roles, in addition to providing recommendations for open roles or soon-to-be open roles," Space explains.

3 Common LinkedIn mistakes you should avoid

To help ensure you are getting the most out of LinkedIn, steer clear of these common mistakes job-seekers make.

1. Make sure your profile is complete .

Although this may sound very obvious, it's actually easy to miss. When looking over your profile, make sure all aspects are completed. Incomplete profiles can be viewed as glaring oversights, so just be sure to cover all your bases, Koval recommends.

2. Use LinkedIn as a personal and professional tool.

You are more than your job, and yes, even on LinkedIn. Don't be afraid to show your personal side (in moderation).

"When folks only talk about their current company or their profile reads like a company puppet, you miss the opportunity to tell your story and showcase your achievements beyond what you do at your company," Nicole shares.

Again, this is not your Instagram, so instead of dropping subtle digs at your ex, post a picture of yourself completing a marathon or finishing home renovations. Displaying that personal information helps you appear more well-rounded and personable, which is something employers value.

3. Make sure your experience section matches your resume.

Although you don't want your LinkedIn to read as rigid as your resume, it's important that they mirror each other.

"Yes, your resume is not going to have everything your LinkedIn does, but if your company names and company dates don't line up, potential employers will look at that as a red flag," Nicole cautions.

So, be sure to keep both your LinkedIn and resume updated!

RELATED:  9 Best Side Hustle Ideas to Boost Your Income .

Wrapping Up

Your LinkedIn is like a window into your career, which is why it's so important to make it a clear and comprehensive  experience for those visiting your profile. Your LinkedIn is an opportunity to put your best professional foot forward while still being undeniably you. Follow this advice and take all the time you need to make your profile great.

RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Read the original article on Best Life .

Should I add my LinkedIn address to my resume?

• Updated: May. 17, 2024, 11:01 a.m. |
• Published: May. 17, 2024, 11:00 a.m.
• Dear Sam | Expert resume, interview and job search advice

Dear Sam: I have seen some resumes that list a LinkedIn address at the top. Is this a common practice? Can’t everyone find me on LinkedIn by searching for me by name? I don’t want to add clutter to my resume if it isn’t necessary. Does it add value to list? – Anna

Anna: It is a common and effective practice to include your LinkedIn URL on your resume. This can be a fantastic idea if there is a reason to send a hiring manager there. As I can see your last name through your email, I imagine there will be many other LinkedIn users with the same name. Including your URL makes it easier for a hiring manager to find the correct ‘you’ on LinkedIn. This reassures them that they’re looking at the right profile, enhancing your chances of making a positive impression.

Whether it adds value certainly depends on what you have on your profile. Think of LinkedIn as your virtual brand; it should be marketing your candidacy to your target audience through the content you develop and an appropriate selection of other LinkedIn elements that can reinforce your message. To add value through LinkedIn, make sure you have recommendations — when possible — for the positions you are presenting, follow companies and influencers that reinforce your brand, join groups reflective of your current career interests, be sure you are listing relevant skills for connections to endorse (pin the top three so LinkedIn prompts your connections for endorsements of your most relevant skills), and go through each of the LinkedIn sections to add anything that reinforces your professional candidacy. I say “professional candidacy” as LinkedIn is a professional networking tool. You should use this site to reflect you and your career, steering clear of personal posts and information that can be distracting.

It’s crucial to review your account settings to ensure your online presence aligns with your professional goals. Consider toggling ‘on’ or ‘off’ specific selections to control your visibility. Do you want your profile visible to everyone? Do you want visitors to your profile to see your email address? Do you want to share your connection list with others? Do you want people to see when you are active on LinkedIn and when you have read their messages? With so many options to choose from, it’s a good idea to review all of your communication and privacy settings before sharing your profile on your resume. This way, you can confidently invite important influencers and decision-makers to visit your profile, knowing that you’re in control of what they see.

Once you have ensured there is a reason you think a hiring manager would benefit from going to your LinkedIn profile, then, by all means, list your customized LinkedIn profile URL in the heading section of your resume. I say ‘custom’ as you will want to go into your account settings and customize your URL to something as simple as possible, using only your name if you can. I often suggest the use of linkedin.com/in/first name-middle initial-last name.com

I love seeing a robust LinkedIn profile that adds value by going beyond the basics. As an entry-level candidate, kudos to you for considering how you can add value to your candidacy .

More career advice

• How to prepare for your first virtual job interview
• Figuring out how much job experience to present on a resume
• Does updating my LinkedIn profile send a red flag to my current employer?
• Should you clean up for your LinkedIn headshot if that doesn’t reflect who you are?

Samantha Nolan is an Advanced Personal Branding Strategist and Career Expert, founder and CEO of Nolan Branding. Do you have a resume, career, or job search question for Dear Sam? Reach Samantha at [email protected] . For information on Nolan Branding’s services, visit www.nolanbranding.com or call 888-9-MY-BRAND or 614-570-3442.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

7 tips to help you get a job in government contracting, according to recruiters

• Government contracting opportunities are increasing, but entry can be challenging and nuanced.
• BI spoke to recruiters to learn best practices to land work at a government contracting company. 
• Recruiters say candidates should avoid short stints, keep their LinkedIn updated, and network. 

As Americans seek stable work and flexibility with jobs, interest in public sector jobs is growing .

Following industry-wide layoffs, a growing number of graduates are shifting away from pursuing jobs at typical tech companies and doubling down on applications to government roles, according to a Handshake report published in January.

While lower pay in government jobs is sometimes viewed as a drawback of the sector, contracting companies tend to pay better than the federal government, and opportunities in this field are also increasing.

According to a spokesperson for recruiting company The Judge Group, the company has seen a 15% increase in government, aerospace, and defense opportunities in the last year or two.

But the world of government contracting is vast and it can be tricky to break into. While some people bid on their own contracts , there are also opportunities to work as an employee at a company that regularly signs contracts with the government.

While these kinds of companies aren't owned by the government, they have niche requirements and nuances that separate them from other corporate roles. Business Insider talked to three recruiters in the field to learn the best practices for getting a job in the industry.

1. Avoid job hoppiness on your résumé

Matt Grussendorf, a delivery manager at The Judge Group, oversees hiring for aerospace, government, and defense employers — and he said job "hoppiness" is a red flag.

For some roles, it's okay to have one six-month contract after another on your résumé, Grussendorf said. But in certain fields, like aerospace and defense, employers may be looking for longer tenure, he told Business Insider.

While short stints may seem inevitable in the industry, there are ways to avoid positioning them that way. Lauren Irizarry, a senior talent acquisition partner at A2 Federal, said if you do have shorter contracts, there's a way to format your résumé to make it look more consistent.

For example, she said if you've worked as a data scientist for 12 years with eight different contracting companies, you can put "data scientist" at the top of your résumé and list the individual contracts underneath instead of listing eight separate lines with the same role.

2. Make sure your clearances are up to date

Many government contracting roles require clearances, which can vary depending on the role and may also expire over time.

Irizarry said it's often easier to start with a larger company so that they sponsor your clearance. However, Quadesha Bynum, who worked in HR at various government agencies and contracting companies before starting her own company , said it can be difficult to land a government contracting job at a big company when starting out, so smaller firms may be a good place to start.

Whether you have the required clearance or not, it's important to accurately list it, Grussendorf said. Recruiting companies like The Judge Group check candidates' clearance, so applicants should verify their status when they apply for a role.

Related stories

Additionally, candidates who are unwilling to get their clearance verified or checked can be a red flag.

3. Network, network, network

Irizarry said the government contracting industry is "all about networking." That means joining groups on LinkedIn or other platforms and getting in touch with people in the field.

Grussendorf said if you're breaking into the field out of college, you may have the advantage of attending career fairs and events centered on government contracting, he said.

While college fairs may be more accessible for young candidates, there are other networking opportunities. Clearancejobs.com, the largest platform for people with security clearance has a career fair page with a list of upcoming events to directly meet and speak with employers.

4. Reach out to recruiters directly

Since many government contracting opportunities have specific requirements, it can make a big difference to speak with a recruiter directly to find out what you need to do for that specific job.

An easy way to do so is by making a profile on Clearancejobs.com. The site allows users to browse through thousands of open roles, many of which have contact info for recruiters.

Grussendorf recommends reaching out to recruiters, talent acquisition at staffing agencies, or direct employers and telling them the job and salary range you're looking for to stay on their "candidate hot list."

5. Be open to relocation

There are several government hubs around the country, including in D.C., Seattle, Southern California, Alabama, and Denver, said Grussendorf. Most direct hire opportunities offer relocation packages, but contract or contract-to-hire positions typically don't, he said.

But Grussendorf said many employers end up extending the contract or hiring a candidate after they make the commitment to the company. Employers don't want to let strong employees or candidates go if they don't have to.

6. Make sure your LinkedIn is up to date

While some industries are more relaxed about certain standards, government jobs tend to be more traditional. Since many jobs in the sector require background checks and clearances, they may also do more digging than other corporate jobs.

Irizarry said candidates should keep LinkedIn fully professional — that means omitting irrelevant interests or experiences and using headshots from the shoulders up with a plain background.

Irizarry said she looks for information that will grab her attention. For example, if you're a cyber expert or speak multiple languages, list it.

7. Know what you're signing up for

Bynum said it's important to do research on the field before applying. Career fairs, she said, are a great place to do that.

Bynum said candidates should know details like how long the contract lasts and whether there are other positions available. She also said it's important to know what clearances are required for the job and how long that process will take to complete.

• Main content