resume linkedin

How-To Geek

How to add your resume on linkedin.

Let recruiters see all your career achievements!

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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

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How to Add Your Resume to LinkedIn

In this guide, find out how to add your resume to LinkedIn and how to optimize your resume to get noticed by recruiters.

You can upload your resume to your LinkedIn profile to share with your network, upload it to LinkedIn while applying for a job and save it to use with future applications, or create a specific LinkedIn post featuring your resume. There are many time-saving and networking benefits when you know how to add your resume to LinkedIn. Let’s explore your options for highlighting your resume on LinkedIn.

Choose a method of uploading your resume to LinkedIn. 

Once you've created your LinkedIn account, you can use it in various ways to enhance your professional career. Along with networking with others in your industry, you can upload your resume for recruiters to view and apply for jobs on LinkedIn. 

Upload your resume to the Featured Media section. 

The featured media section is where you can upload or add items to your main profile page. You can use it to showcase your work, such as articles you’ve written and presentations you’ve given. You’ll also find that it allows you to provide external links to portfolios, resumes, and other content. Uploading your resume to this section is simple:

Go to your LinkedIn profile page. 

Next, click “Add section.” 

Expand the section labeled “Featured.” 

Click on “Media.” 

Search your files for the resume you want to feature and upload it from your computer or device.

If you choose this method, remove any contact information from your resume, as it will be publicly available. Don’t worry about being reachable. If someone sees your resume and thinks you may be a good fit for a job, they can message you on LinkedIn.

Apply simply with Easy Apply. 

LinkedIn posts millions of jobs on its site [ 1 ]. When you find a job you want to apply for, LinkedIn's Easy Apply option will come in handy. Note that if the job posting only has an “Apply” option, you'll visit an external site to fill out an application directly with the company. Here's how to add your resume to a job posted on LinkedIn when the Easy Apply option is available:

Pull up the job listing for which you’d like to apply. 

If Easy Apply is an option that the job poster has allowed, you’ll click the blue button that says “Easy Apply.”  

A window will pop up that asks for some information. Make sure you've filled this out correctly, then click "Next." 

Use the "Upload Resume" button to find your resume file from your computer or device, upload it, and click next. 

There will be a few additional prompt slides asking you for a bit more information. 

The last prompt gives you a chance to review your application. Make sure all information is correct, then click "Submit Application."

Create a post for your resume.

Having your resume available is a good idea for employers and recruiters who come across your profile. A more proactive way to get it in front of more eyes is to make your resume a LinkedIn post that will appear in your connections' home page feeds. All you have to do is:

Click the “Start a Post” button at the top of your LinkedIn feed.

Click the icon that looks like a note.

Click “Choose File” and upload your resume. 

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

With this method, people can now download your resume directly from the post. Again, make sure you remove any contact information from your resume that you don't want to share publicly. Since this is a feed post, consider adding a few simple sentences about your career goals and aspirations. 

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Treat your profile like a resume.

You can also add all of the information on your resume to your LinkedIn profile page. This is one of the most common ways people use LinkedIn. Profiles are a great way to showcase work experience, educational background, and other skills that are typically on a resume. 

Profile Pro Tip

Putting your resume information front and center allows your profile to show up in search results when hiring managers or recruiters are looking for new hires. It also gives you a place to send potential employers or clients to see credentials. Many job application systems on company sites will include a field for your LinkedIn profile URL.

How do you add your resume to your LinkedIn profile? It’s simple:

First, it will ask for a few sentences about you in the “About” section. 

Next, add your complete job history under the “Experience” section. 

After that, you’ll fill out the “Education,” “Volunteering,” “Skills,” and “Honors and Awards” sections. Add relevant experiences to each section.

Take advantage of having a resume on LinkedIn.

There are many advantages of having a resume on LinkedIn. Uploading to Easy Apply simplifies the application process. Having your resume on LinkedIn also helps you gain exposure, letting recruiters and connections alike know you are job searching.

Once uploaded, LinkedIn also uses your resume to recommend jobs, help grow your network and personalize your feed. Here are a few other things to do to get the most out of LinkedIn:

Download the LinkedIn app. Treat it like any other social media app. Check it often, engage with others, follow potential employers to stay up to date on their happenings, and share articles that you think are interesting. 

Have a current and professional profile picture. According to LinkedIn, users with profile pictures have 21 times more views and nine times more requests for connections than those without a picture[ 2 ]. When choosing a photo, keep in mind this is a professional platform. 

Make connections that matter. Seek out the accounts of coworkers and professional contacts in your industry. Think of your LinkedIn connections as quality over quantity. 

Contribute more content. Sharing content is an easy way to make sure you’re being seen. It’s also a way to showcase your knowledge and impress future employers.

Get noticed on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a networking platform with more than 900 million users [ 3 ]. It’s an excellent place to make connections and grow your network. There are several ways to make sure your profile stands out among the digital crowd. Here are a few:

Include relevant keywords. 

Having good keywords in both your profile and resume plays a big part in you showing up in searches made by recruiters. Titles, location, and skills weigh heavy here—although location-based keywords may become wider in range as remote work continues to grow in popularity. For example, it may not matter that you live in San Francisco, so USA will suffice. 

One good way to choose keywords is to look at job listings that fit what you’re looking for and use the keywords from those listings in your profile. Many of the keywords you see in postings will also be what recruiters use when searching for candidates. Be wary of fluff or buzzwords that sound interesting but are not good keywords. Examples of these would be words like rockstar and guru .

Use resume optimization tools. 

Many candidates submit job applications online, where a person does not read the application. Among Fortune 500 companies, 99 percent use AI-based applicant tracking systems to sort out the best, most qualified candidates, according to Jobscan [ 4 ].

Thankfully, just as technology tracks applications, you can also use technology to optimize your resume and hopefully reach the hands (or inbox) of an actual human.

Some services exist solely to help you optimize your resume keywords—Jobscan and Skill Syncer, to name two. These tools compare your resume to the description of the job you’re applying for. It calculates how well you match the job description and recommends keywords to add to your resume. 

Taking advantage of these technologies will give your application a boost over hundreds of other applications that did not optimize their resumes.

Read more: Key Action Words to Enhance Your Resume

Align industry and location.

When applying for jobs, it’s essential to ensure your location and industry align with the jobs you’re applying for. This means making sure your listed location aligns with where you’re hoping to find a job and not necessarily where you currently live or work. The same recommendation applies to the industry. It can be good to list the industry you’re aiming to work in rather than the industries you’ve worked in previously. 

Take the next steps 

If you do not yet have a resume built, you can use resources that offer free resume templates. Canva is a great place to create an attractive resume. Google Docs also has a free template gallery. Both of these websites are user-friendly.

After you’ve perfected your resume and learned how to add a resume to LinkedIn, it’s time to start networking and applying.

To learn how to write a winning resume , take this course from the University of Maryland:

Article sources

LinkedIn. " LinkedIn Has Millions of Jobs and the Right One for You , https://blog.linkedin.com/2019/april-/22/linkedin-has-20-million-jobs-and-the-right-one-for-you." Accessed May 30, 2023.

LinkedIn. " 5 Tips for the Perfect LinkedIn Profile Picture in 2021 , https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-tips-perfect-profile-picture-linkedin-2021-chris-wooley/." Accessed May 30, 2023.

LinkedIn. " About LinkedIn , https://about.linkedin.com/." Accessed December 21, 2021.

JobScan. " 99% of Fortune 500 Companies use Applicant Tracking Systems , https://www.jobscan.co/blog/99-percent-fortune-500-ats/." Accessed May 30, 2023.

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