How do I add LinkedIn to my resume PDF?

Adding a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume is a great way to provide more information about your background and qualifications to potential employers. Including your LinkedIn URL makes it easy for hiring managers to view your full profile and make a more informed decision about whether you would be a good fit for the role.

Why Include LinkedIn on Your Resume

There are several key reasons why you should include a LinkedIn link on your resume:

• It allows employers to see more about your work history, skills, accomplishments, recommendations, and other credentials.
• It gives hiring managers a way to verify your background and qualifications.
• It demonstrates your professional online presence and digital capabilities.
• It shows you are leveraging technology and social media to build your brand and network.
• It provides a simple way for employers to connect with you and begin the recruitment process.

Essentially, adding LinkedIn to your resume gives employers additional insight into your profile as a candidate and makes it easier for them to learn more about you. Given how prevalent LinkedIn is in the job market today, including it on your resume is becoming standard practice.

How to Add LinkedIn to Your Resume

Adding a LinkedIn link on your resume is easy and straightforward. Here are some tips for including LinkedIn on a resume correctly:

1. Place your LinkedIn URL in the contact section of your resume. This is typically at the top under your name and address.
2. Use a clear heading like “LinkedIn” or “LinkedIn Profile” so it’s obvious what the link is for.
3. Hyperlink the text so it’s clickable for recruiters viewing digitally. For example: LinkedIn Profile
4. Use your customized public profile URL on LinkedIn, not just LinkedIn.com.
5. Double check that your profile is up-to-date and portrays your professional brand before adding to resumes.
6. Test the link to make sure it works correctly and directs to your profile.

As an example, your contact section with LinkedIn could look like:

Jane Doe

New York, NY | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | LinkedIn Profile

This makes it easy for anyone viewing your resume to click and go directly to your LinkedIn profile in just one click.

Tips for an Impactful LinkedIn Profile

To maximize the power of including LinkedIn on your resume, you’ll want to make sure your profile is robust, professional, and reflective of your qualifications. Follow these tips:

• Craft a strong profile headline that sums up your experience and “brand,” similar to a resume objective.
• Use a professional photo – a headshot or you at a job site are good options.
• Include at least 3 past position descriptions with bulleted achievements.
• Highlight all relevant skills, awards, licenses, volunteer work and courses.
• Get recommendations and endorsements from managers and colleagues.
• Publish articles, links, media, presentations, etc. to showcase content.
• Join targeted LinkedIn Groups and follow relevant companies to build connections.
• Customize your profile URL – edit it to be /firstname-lastname.

Having a complete, polished LinkedIn presence will make the profile you link to on your resume much more valuable for potential employers.

Formatting LinkedIn on a PDF Resume

Many job applicants will submit resumes to employers or application systems as PDF documents rather than Word files. Adding a clickable LinkedIn link on a PDF resume takes a little extra effort:

1. Add your LinkedIn URL just as you normally would in text format in the resume file before converting to PDF.
2. When converting your Word resume to PDF, go to document settings and check the box to make links clickable.
3. Test the final PDF to make sure the link navigates correctly to your profile.
4. An alternative is to use a small LinkedIn icon or logo instead of text – this remains clickable on PDF.

Following these steps will ensure your LinkedIn click-through works properly in the final PDF version of your resume document.

Should You Include LinkedIn on Every Resume?

Generally, it’s recommended to include a LinkedIn link in the contact section of all your resumes. However, there are a few cases where you may want to omit it:

• If applying for certain old-school or conservative industries that may frown upon social media, such as defense contracting, finance, or government.
• If you have a very sparse or out-of-date LinkedIn profile – better to focus on improving it before adding it.
• If applying for entry-level positions where LinkedIn may be less expected or relevant.
• If your particular situation makes posting your resume profile publicly an issue (i.e. confidentiality reasons at certain employers).

Use judgment on whether showcasing LinkedIn aligns with your target role and industry. But in most cases today, including it is beneficial for job seekers.

Should You Customize the Link for Each Employer?

Some resume experts recommend customizing the specific LinkedIn URL you include for each employer you apply to. This involves setting your profile to public, and generating a unique link to send to particular companies.

In theory, this allows you to track which employers are viewing your profile, and then remind those connections later to check out your resume and application. However, it also requires manual tracking and messaging for each link generated.

This tactic takes significant extra effort compared to including your standard profile URL. For most job seekers, sticking with your normal public profile link on all resumes you submit is fine. But custom links are something to consider if you want to closely monitor engagement and follow up with recruiters.

Best Practices Summary

To recap, here are the best practices for adding LinkedIn to your resume:

• Include your LinkedIn URL in the contact section of your resume
• Use a clear label like “LinkedIn Profile”
• Hyperlink the text so it’s clickable and directs to your profile
• Use your customized public profile URL, not the generic LinkedIn.com address
• Ensure your profile is polished and professional before linking to it
• For PDF resumes, check settings to make links clickable before converting from Word
• Include a LinkedIn link on most resumes, except in certain conservative industries
• Custom profile links for tracking individual employers takes extra effort

Following these tips will make adding LinkedIn to your resume a seamless and effective way to showcase your professional brand and qualifications.

Common Questions

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about including LinkedIn on resumes:

Should I put my full LinkedIn profile URL or shorten it?

Use your full customized URL instead of shortening with a link shortener. Recruiters may be suspicious of shortened links. Your full URL looks more professional.

What if I don’t want my current employer to see my LinkedIn profile?

You can set profile visibility settings to exclude your connections from your current company from seeing your full profile. Or wait until you have left that employer to add it to resumes.

Is adding LinkedIn still helpful if I already include an online portfolio or website link?

Yes, LinkedIn offers unique value in showcasing your professional brand beyond a personal website. Include both your LinkedIn profile and any other online presence.

What if I don’t have many connections or recommendations on LinkedIn yet?

Focus on populating your profile as much as possible first before linking to it from resumes. Or use a conservative selection of just your most impressive connections and recommendations.

Could linking my LinkedIn profile ever hurt my candidacy?

It’s unlikely, as long as your profile presents your professional image accurately. But you can set your profile to private and then back to public once your job search is complete.

Conclusion

Adding a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume provides substantial value in today’s digital-focused job market. It enables employers to quickly verify and learn more about your background and professional capabilities beyond just the resume document.

Include your LinkedIn URL prominently in the contact section of your resume, and ensure your profile is optimized to make the best impression. Maintaining an impactful presence on LinkedIn and linking to it from your resumes will boost your reach, visibility, and credibility with recruiters.