In the digital age, most people have an online presence in some form or another. This includes having profiles on professional networking sites like LinkedIn and having a resume or CV posted online. For recruiters and hiring managers, being able to find someone’s resume online can provide valuable insight into their background, skills and experience before reaching out or bringing them in for an interview.
There are several approaches you can take to finding someone’s resume online. The most direct method is to use Google search. Simply search for the person’s name in quotation marks along with keywords like “resume” or “CV.” This will pull up any online resumes or CVs that person has posted. You can also search for their name and “LinkedIn” to pull up their profile.
Beyond a simple Google search, there are several other techniques you can use:
Check career sites and job boards
Many people post their resumes to major career sites and job boards like Monster, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, etc. Search for the person’s name on some of the top sites to see if their resume comes up. Even if they aren’t actively searching, they may still have their resume posted from previous job searches.
Look for profiles on professional networking sites
LinkedIn is the top professional networking site, so be sure to search here. But also look for profiles on sites like Xing, Viadeo and others. On these sites you can usually find a resume or at least a detailed professional profile.
Search resume databases
There are many online resume databases that job seekers use to get their resumes in front of recruiters and hiring managers. Sites like Resume-Library, Resume.com and ResumeTargeter allow users to upload their resumes into a searchable database. Try searching these databases by name to uncover resumes.
Look for personal websites
Some people, especially those in creative fields like design, writing or programming, maintain a personal website to showcase their work and skills. Search “[person’s name] website” to find any personal sites they have created. Sometimes you can find a resume or CV download on these sites.
Try searching social networks
There is a chance the person may have posted their resume or a link to it on a social media site like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. You can search name and keywords on social sites to uncover any resume sharing. Just keep in mind the results may be limited if the person’s profile is private.
Search academic sites
If the candidate was a recent graduate, look for any profiles they may have on university career sites and databases. Most colleges and universities offer job search resources for students and alumni, including resume databases employers can search.
Places to Find Resumes Online
Here are some of the top sites and resources for finding resumes online:
Google Search
As mentioned, simply searching Google for the person’s name in quotes along with “resume” or “CV” can surface online resumes in the search results. TheResume.com also compiles Google search results specifically for resumes.
Every LinkedIn profile has a place for members to showcase their resume or CV. You can search LinkedIn profiles by name and location. If the profile includes their resume, you’ll be able to view or download it.
Monster
Monster is one of the most popular job boards, with millions of resumes and CVs in their database. You can search by name and location to uncover resumes. Note that database access usually requires a paid employer account.
Indeed
Indeed is another leading job board with an extensive resume database. Like Monster, searching is free but accessing full resumes often requires a paid subscription. Still, you can see snippets of resume info in search results.
CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is another major job site with a searchable resume database. Job seekers can post their resumes for employers to find. Use name and location to search.
ZipRecruiter
Over 26 million job seekers have resumes on ZipRecruiter. Search by name and filter by location to find resumes posted to their database. Access requires a paid account.
Resume-Library
Resume-Library lets job seekers upload resumes into their searchable database. You can perform name searches filtered by country to find resumes. Access to full resumes requires a paid account.
ResumeTargeter
ResumeTargeter compiles resumes aggregated from major job boards and other sources. Search by name and country to uncover resumes. Full access requires a paid subscription.
Academic Sites
Most colleges and universities offer academic databases you can search by name to find resumes and profiles posted by students and alumni. These include sites like Experience.com.
Personal Websites
As mentioned, some professionals post their resumes or CVs on their own websites. Search “[person’s name] website” to find personal sites to view.
Tips for Effectively Searching for Resumes Online
Here are some tips to improve your search results when looking for resumes online:
Use quotes around names
Searching the person’s full name in quotes like “John Smith resume” ensures the results will contain that exact name phrase. This weeds out irrelevant results.
Try variant name formats
If the common name search doesn’t produce results, try variations like John A Smith, J Smith, etc. People sometimes user abbreviated versions of their name online.
Include middle names/initials
Middle names and initials can help uncover the correct person from others with a common first and last name when searching online resume sources.
Search by location
Most resume database sites allow you to filter results by location. Add in the target person’s city, state or country to pinpoint relevant results.
Use multiple keywords
In addition to “resume” and “CV” use other keywords like the person’s job title, skills and field. For example, “John Smith programmer resume.”
Try general search engines
Beyond just Google, also try searching for resumes on sites like Bing or Yahoo. Different search engines will produce different results.
Attempt broad searches
If a name search yields no results, try broad searches by keywords only, without a name. You may find resumes that way.
Try search alerts
You can set up search alerts for some sites to notify you whenever a resume matching the target name and keywords is added to the database.
Advanced Strategies for Finding Resumes
If your initial searches don’t uncover the person’s resume, here are some more advanced strategies you can try:
Search by email address
Many people list an email address on their resume. Searching “[person’s email] resume” may turn up hits even without their name.
Use Google alerts
Set up a Google alert for the person’s name and keywords. You’ll get an email notification whenever their resume appears in Google search results.
Check cached pages
Even if a resume is no longer online, cached versions may still exist on Google or the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. Search there to find.
Try email lookup tools
Tools like Voila Norbert can lookup a person’s name and company to discover their business email. Search that for their resume.
Ask contacts for referrals
Friends, former colleagues or professors may have a copy of the resume already that they can share with you.
Consider hiring a recruiter
Executive recruiters have access to resume databases and extensive search capabilities. They may be able to track down hard-to-find resumes.
Use social media research
Look for social media profiles and connections to uncover biographical details that can aid your resume search.
Check domain name registrations
Search WHOIS domain name registrations for any websites registered to the person’s name. These may contain resumes.
Make use of search operators
Search operators like site:, intitle:, and filetype: can help narrow results to specific sites, titles or file types like PDF.
How to Know If You’ve Found the Right Person
When searching for someone’s resume online, how can you be sure you have actually found the resume of the person you are looking for and not someone else with the same name? Here are some tips:
Match the location
Compare the location on the resume to where your candidate lives/has lived. If the cities don’t line up, it may be a different person.
Compare email addresses
Cross-check the email on the resume to any contact info you already have for that person. If the domain names don’t match, it likely isn’t their resume.
Look for companies in common
Do the companies and roles on the resume align with that person’s career history that you are already aware of? Major discrepancies indicate a mismatched resume.
Confirm university details
If you know where they went to university, ensure the education section of the resume lists the same details.
Look for LinkedIn/social links
Many resumes include links to the person’s LinkedIn profile or other social media. Compare to confirm it is their account.
Compare skills and expertise
Do the skills, areas of expertise, certifications and accolades on the resume align with what you know of the person’s capabilities?
Look for a photo
Some online resumes and profiles include a photo. A matching picture helps confirm the resume belongs to your target candidate.
Check publication citations
For researchers or academics look for citations of published papers and patents that match their body of work.
Verify with the source
When in doubt, reach out to the person themselves or the source/site the resume came from for verification before using any resume you find online.
Ethical Considerations
While finding a resume online can provide useful background on a job candidate, there are some important ethical considerations as well:
Avoid using outdated resumes
Old online resumes may no longer accurately reflect someone’s skills and experience. Get the most up-to-date version directly from the candidate when possible.
Don’t judge gaps unfairly
Gaps in an employment history could be due to positive reasons like education, family or travel. Avoid assumptions.
Get consent before using
Ideally, ask the candidate if you can use the resume copy you found or if they would prefer to provide you with the latest version themselves.
Watch for irrelevant personal info
Online resumes sometimes include things like birthdate, marital status, etc. that could lead to unconscious bias, so focus only on skills.
Beware of false information
People do lie or exaggerate on resumes. Verify anything that seems suspicious.
Maintain confidentiality
Avoid further circulating or sharing a resume you find without permission to respect the person’s privacy.
Discard resume copies responsibly
Delete/destroy any resume copies containing sensitive information like contact details after you are finished with your background research.
Get legal guidance as needed
In certain cases, checking candidates’ online resumes without consent could create legal risks. Consult an attorney with any concerns.
Conclusion
Searching online can be an effective way to find resumes and get background on job candidates before hiring. With the massive amount of professional information now available on the internet, chances are good you can uncover useful details like work history, skills and accomplishments. Just be sure to use ethical practices in accessing and using any resumes you discover online. Consider the context and intent the person originally published it for as you evaluate their resume. With the right approach, online resume searching can aid your recruiting and due diligence without compromising candidate privacy.