LinkedIn allows you to easily share your profile with other members by sending it in a message. This can be a quick and convenient way to introduce yourself professionally and provide details about your background and experience.
Sending Your Full Profile
The simplest way to send your profile is to include the full profile URL in a LinkedIn message. To find your profile URL:
- Go to your profile page
- Copy the URL from the address bar of your browser
- Paste this URL into a LinkedIn message to the desired recipient
When the recipient clicks on the link, they will be taken directly to your full public profile page where they can view all the details you have included – your work experience, education, skills, accomplishments, recommendations etc.
This is an easy way to share your full profile with just one click. The main limitation is that the recipient will only see the public version of your profile that you have set to be visible to wider connections, not the full view you see when logged into your account.
Sending As PDF Attachment
To share your full profile including all details visible to you, generate a PDF version of your profile and attach it to a LinkedIn message:
- Go to your profile page
- Click on the “More” drop down menu at the top
- Select “Save to PDF”
- Your full profile will download as a PDF document to your computer
- Go to LinkedIn Messaging and start a new message
- Attach the PDF profile document
- Write your message and send
This PDF will contain everything you see when logged into your profile. The recipient will be able to view all your profile sections, work history, education, volunteer experience, skills, accomplishments, recommendations etc.
The main limitations are that the PDF profile will be a static document, while your actual online profile is dynamic and interactive. Any updates you make to your profile will not automatically update the PDF version sent previously.
Sending As Message Attachment
An alternative to downloading and attaching your full profile as a PDF is to copy and paste it directly into a LinkedIn message.
To do this:
- Go to your profile page
- Triple click to highlight and copy all the text
- Paste this into a new LinkedIn message
- You can edit or format the text as desired, e.g. bold your name and job title
- Add any additional message text as required
- Send to the desired recipient
This inserts a text version of your profile into the message body itself rather than as an attachment. The advantage is the recipient can immediately view your profile within the message without having to open an attachment.
Limitations are that any formatting, images and interactive elements from your profile will be lost when pasted as plain text in the message.
Sending As Image
If you want to send your profile in a more visual way, you can screenshot key sections and include them as image attachments.
For example you may want to showcase just your featured Experience and Education sections. To do this:
- Go to your profile page
- Take a screenshot of your experience section
- Take another screenshot of your education section
- Crop the screenshots if desired to highlight key parts
- Save the images to your computer
- Attach both images to a LinkedIn message
This allows you to selectively share visual snapshots of your most relevant profile sections. You can include explanatory text in the message body along with the images.
The limitation is that just partial snippets of profile text and data can be captured this way. But it provides an eye-catching way to share profile highlights.
Sending As Profile Snippet
LinkedIn also allows you to generate formatted snippets of your profile to share in messages or emails.
To create a profile snippet:
- Go to your profile page
- Click on the “More” menu at the top
- Select “Share profile”
- Choose the sections you want to include e.g. picture, headline, experience etc.
- Generate the profile snippet
- Copy and paste this formatted text into your message
This is a convenient way to customize exactly which parts of your profile you want to highlight in a formatted, stylized way. You can tweak which sections to include each time.
The main limitation is that recipients will not be able to click or interact with your actual online profile, it will appear as static text in the message.
Connecting With Your Profile
Rather than sending your full profile details directly, another option is to briefly highlight key parts in your message and then encourage the recipient to view your full online profile.
For example your message could say:
“Hi John, I saw we have some common connections and similar roles in the tech industry. I’m a Senior Product Manager with 5+ years experience at ABC Company, currently leading projects in mobile apps and cloud platforms. My core skills include Agile methodologies, digital product design, and cross-functional team leadership. I’d love to connect and network. Check out my LinkedIn profile here to learn more about my background: [your profile url]”
This provides an overview snapshot tailored to the recipient, and then links them to your profile to learn more details if interested.
The advantage of this approach is your profile remains the live, interactive version that will stay up to date. The downside is the recipient has to take the extra step of clicking through, and may not bother reviewing your full profile.
Following Up After Sending
Once you’ve shared your LinkedIn profile with a connection, follow up with them afterwards. Send a message asking if they had a chance to review your background. Offer to answer any questions they may have.
If they have not yet looked at your profile, politely ask if they would mind taking a quick look when they have a chance. Highlight key sections you think would be most relevant to them.
This helps ensure your message and profile snapshot are seen by them. It also facilitates further discussion that can strengthen your professional relationship.
Customizing Your Profile
Keep in mind your LinkedIn profile may be viewed by connections in your network. Tailor it to highlight details you want to showcase, such as:
- Core skills, experience and achievements for your profession
- Technical expertise and thought leadership on key topics
- Cross-functional skills applicable to a wide range of roles
- Education credentials relevant to your industry
- Volunteer activities and causes that a connection may share
The profile snapshot you send should be tailored both to the recipient and your professional brand. Review it each time before sharing to ensure quality and relevance.
In summary, LinkedIn provides various options to selectively share parts or all of your profile via messaging. Choose the method that best suits your purpose and the recipient’s needs.
