TL;DR: Your resume is short, tailored to one job and written without “I”. Your LinkedIn profile is your full story, written in first person and aimed at everyone. Titles and dates must match exactly; almost everything else can differ.
Many people paste their resume into LinkedIn, or their LinkedIn into a resume. Both miss what each one is for.
5 things that should be different
| Resume | ||
|---|---|---|
| Voice | No “I”, crisp bullets | First person, conversational |
| Length | 1–2 pages | Your full story |
| Tailoring | One version per job | One version for everyone |
| Headline | Your job title | Title + what you do + for whom |
| Proof | Achievement bullets with numbers | Posts, projects, media, recommendations |
What must always match
- Job titles
- Company names
- Employment dates
- Education details
Recruiters often check both. Mismatched dates raise questions quickly.
A better LinkedIn headline
- Resume title: Senior Data Analyst
- LinkedIn headline: Senior Data Analyst | SQL, Power BI, Python | Turning sales data into decisions
A better “About” section
Three short paragraphs: what you do, your proudest results, and what you’re looking for. Write it like you’d introduce yourself to a hiring manager.
Should your resume link to LinkedIn?
Yes. Put your custom LinkedIn URL (linkedin.com/in/yourname) in your resume header. Recruiters who like your resume often check LinkedIn next, so make sure it backs up what your resume says.
Link them together
Add a link to your resume on LinkedIn. On GoResume you can turn your resume into a public profile link that updates automatically every time you edit, so the version on LinkedIn is never out of date.
Profile photo
A professional, recent headshot helps on LinkedIn. GoResume’s AI Photo Studio can create one from your selfies; the first photo is free.
Build your resume and shareable link free →
Sections on LinkedIn that your resume doesn’t have
LinkedIn gives you space your resume doesn’t, so use it:
- About: a short first-person story of what you do and what you’re looking for
- Featured: links to projects, articles, presentations, a portfolio or your GoResume public profile
- Recommendations: short endorsements from managers, clients or colleagues
- Activity: posts and comments that show your expertise
- Open to work: visible to recruiters only, or to everyone
None of these belong on your resume, but together they make your profile more convincing.
Sections on your resume that LinkedIn doesn’t do well
- Tailoring: your resume can change for each job; your LinkedIn profile is the same for everyone
- Prioritisation: on a resume, you choose exactly what appears in the first third of the page
- Brevity: a resume forces you to keep only the strongest evidence
A 15-minute LinkedIn refresh
- Update your headline: title + core skills + what you’re known for
- Rewrite the first 3 lines of About (that’s what shows before “see more”)
- Check that titles and dates match your resume exactly
- Add 3–5 results with numbers to your latest role
- Add a professional photo
- Add your resume link to Featured or Contact info
Keeping both up to date
The easiest way to keep both in sync is to update your resume first, then copy the key changes (titles, dates, top results) to LinkedIn. With a GoResume public profile link, the resume version you share is always the latest one.
FAQ
Should my LinkedIn be longer than my resume?
Yes. It can include more roles, details and media.
Can I import my LinkedIn into a resume?
GoResume offers an Import LinkedIn option to start your resume from your profile.
Do recruiters look at both?
Often, yes, especially for experienced roles.
