After reading the title of this article you’ve either reacted
- No way, that can’t be true or
- Of course, I know they are different!
Well, if former has been your reaction - you know why! Since LinkedIn’s success, recruiters have been constantly discussing if resumes will be replaced by a LinkedIn profile, the answer to that is simple - NO.
Both these documents are created for different purposes and the more you understand their purpose, the more you know why both of them are equally important.
A resume is a document you submit while you are applying for a job which means it needs to be tailored to the job. You highlight skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the job role.
On the other hand
A LinkedIn profile is a document that allows recruiters and like-minded professionals not only to invite you to apply to a job but also to build a strong network. Your LinkedIn profile gives you the liberty to highlight more than relevant skills which gives your audience a broader perspective of your professional journey.
Here are some of the other ways that make them different from each other
A resume is a more formal document and demands to be crisp with restrictions of its length depending on your work history. Keeping in mind that most employers use applicant tracking systems(ATS), keywords should be structurally selected to create impact and maintain relevance. On the other hand, a LinkedIn profile invites some personality, you can keep it informal while you call out your accomplishments. Storytelling can be leveraged at its best from the header, about me section to recommendations.
The scope of being visually engaging with a resume is limited. You may choose to add color to your resume with new designs but that’s far as you can go with it. As you can’t add any physical evidence on your resume, you need to weave in verifiable proof by including numbers to quantify the impact. While LinkedIn allows you to validate your work by adding supplementary documents like attachments, hyperlinks, videos, presentations, skill endorsements, and recommendations from former colleagues.
Your LinkedIn profile is an ever-evolving document. The key is to add personality to your profile, it could simply be through making the most of your 160 characters in your headline, 2000 characters in your summary with additional links to your portfolios, blog posts to create a reputation and position yourself as a thought-leader in your industry. Have you checked out the new feature “featured” that allows you to display your work in collaboration with others in your industry? As far as for your resume, you might tailor it each time to make it relevant to a job you’re interested to apply to but the time you hit “save”, its a final document for that one job.
Depending on the country you are looking to apply to there may be a need to submit a resume with a photograph (for example - Germany) but the majority of them don’t require you too. Honestly, I would advise against it as it helps eliminate any bias. Unlike LinkedIn, where a photograph builds credibility and adds personality to your overall profile. There are tools built to help you assess your likeability. It allows you to upload a photograph keeping in mind the industry you work within.
Your resume is a private document that is shared with a recruiter and hiring managers that are involved in the interview process. While crafting your resume, the need to state your personal details such as race, religious beliefs, age, marital status, must be avoided to maintain privacy. The same doesn’t apply to LinkedIn as its a public platform so anyone in your network has access to all your information so refrain from stating your physical address and confidential business metrics.
