How to add your resume to LinkedIn (3 ways)
By the Presr team ·
A LinkedIn profile is text in sections, not a document, so there’s no single “resume” slot. What you can do is attach a resume file to your profile, send one with each application, or put its contents into the profile. They do different things, and only one of them is private.
The short version.
- Show it on your profile: upload the file to the Featured section. Anyone who can see your profile can open it.
- Send it to employers: upload it when you apply, or save it in your job application settings. It goes to the employer, not to your profile.
- Make the profile do the job: write your resume’s content into the headline, About and Experience sections.
1. Add it to your profile in the Featured section
The Featured section sits near the top of your profile and takes files, links and posts. A resume uploaded here is a PDF people can open from your profile.
- Open your profile and choose Add profile section.
- Pick Featured (it’s listed under Recommended), then Add media.
- Upload the file and give it a clear title, such as “Resume”. Save.
LinkedIn moves its menus around, so the labels above may differ a little on your screen. If you don’t see Featured, look for the pencil or plus icon on your profile’s sections.
Before you upload: the file is as public as your profile. Take your home address and personal phone number off the copy you attach, and use a PDF so the layout holds. If you’d rather not post a resume at all, skip this one.
2. Add it to your job applications
Most of the time a resume matters at the moment you apply, and LinkedIn handles that separately from your profile.
- While applying: in an Easy Apply form, upload a resume or pick one you saved. Some employers send you to their own site instead, and the file goes there.
- Saved resumes: LinkedIn keeps resumes you’ve uploaded under your job application settings, so you can pick one next time or delete it.
Use a different file for different jobs. A resume tailored to the job description does better than one copy sent everywhere, and these saved copies aren’t shown on your profile.
3. Put what’s on your resume into your profile
Recruiters search profiles, not attachments. The text of your headline, About section, job titles and skills is what comes up in LinkedIn search, so this is the way of “adding a resume” that gets you found.
- Headline: the role you want, your specialty and one piece of proof. See 30 LinkedIn headline examples.
- About: the short story of your resume’s summary. See LinkedIn About section examples.
- Experience: the same titles, employers and dates as your resume, with the bullet points that matter for the job you want.
Keep the two in step. A different title or date on each looks careless, and recruiters often open both. Presr’s LinkedIn profile optimization shows where your profile and your resume say different things.
Which one should you use?
- Applying for jobs: use #2, and #3 so your profile backs it up.
- Want recruiters to find you: #3 matters most.
- Freelancing or networking: #1 can help, with a version that has no private details.
Going the other way: from your profile to a resume
If you don’t have a resume file yet, you can build one from your profile instead of starting from a blank page. See how to turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume, or how to download a resume from LinkedIn if you’re looking for one you already uploaded.
Questions about adding a resume to LinkedIn
Can you upload a resume to your LinkedIn profile?
Yes, in the Featured section, as a file. Anyone who can see your profile can open it, so check what’s on it first.
How do I add a resume to LinkedIn without making it public?
Upload it when you apply, or save it under your job application settings. Those copies go to the employer you apply to, not to your profile. Keep the file out of Featured if you don’t want everyone who visits your profile to see it.
Should I put my phone number and address on a resume I add to LinkedIn?
Not on a copy anyone can open. Leave off your home address and personal phone number; your name and an email you’re happy to publish are enough. Send the full version when you apply.
Is a LinkedIn profile a replacement for a resume?
Not for most applications. Many employers ask for a file, and a resume is cut and worded for one job while a profile covers everything you’ve done. The two should agree on titles, employers and dates.
How do I remove a resume from LinkedIn?
Open your profile, go to the Featured section, open the pencil icon, and delete the file. For copies saved for applications, open LinkedIn’s job application settings and remove the one you don’t want.
Build your resume from your LinkedIn profile with Presr. Free to start, no account needed.
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