How To Add a Resume to LinkedIn
Adding your resume to LinkedIn can help you showcase your professional experience, skills, and accomplishments to potential employers. Whether you’re actively job hunting or simply want to keep your profile up to date, uploading your resume gives recruiters easy access to more detailed information than your LinkedIn profile alone. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple steps to upload your resume to LinkedIn and offer tips to make the most of this feature.
Ways To Add Your Resume to LinkedIn
Depending on your goals, you can add a resume to LinkedIn in several ways. You can upload it to your profile, share it when applying to jobs through LinkedIn, or even keep it private but ready to attach quickly when applying.
1. Upload your resume to your LinkedIn profile
One of the most common methods is adding your resume to the Featured section of your profile. This makes it visible to anyone who visits your page.
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile
- Scroll to the “Featured” section
- Click the “+” button
- Choose “Add media”
- Upload your resume file (PDF or DOCX format recommended)
- Add a title and description
- Click “Save”
Once uploaded, your resume will appear on your profile, allowing anyone who views it to download and read it. This highlights your experience to potential clients or recruiters browsing LinkedIn.
2. Add your resume when applying for a job on LinkedIn
LinkedIn allows you to apply for jobs directly through the platform. Some job listings have an “Easy Apply” button, where you can attach your resume.
Here’s how to do it:
- Find a job listing with the “Easy Apply” feature
- Click “Easy Apply”
- Upload your resume when prompted
- Fill in any additional application fields
- Submit your application
You can also upload multiple resumes and choose the most relevant one for each application. LinkedIn saves the last five resumes you’ve uploaded, so you can reuse them as needed.
3. Store resumes privately in your LinkedIn account
LinkedIn lets you store up to five resumes privately if you don’t want your resume publicly available on your profile, but still want it ready when you apply for jobs.
Here’s how:
- Go to the LinkedIn Jobs tab
- Click “Application Settings”
- Upload your resume to be used for job applications
- Choose the default resume or manage multiple versions
This option provides flexibility while keeping your resume accessible only to the employers you apply to directly.
Example: Uploading your resume to your LinkedIn profile
Situation:
Logan Hall is a digital marketing specialist actively looking for new opportunities. She wants recruiters who visit her profile to be able to easily access her most recent resume without needing to request it.
Steps she follows:
- Logan logs into her LinkedIn account and goes to her profile page
- She scrolls down to the “Featured” section
- She clicks the “+” icon and selects “Add media”
- She uploads her resume file named “Logan-Hall-Digital-Marketing-Resume.pdf”
- She gives it a professional title: “Logan-Hall-Resume – Digital Marketing Specialist”
- In the description, she writes:
“This resume highlights my experience in digital marketing strategy, content creation, and analytics. Updated September 2025.” - She clicks “Save,” and the resume appears in her Featured section
Result:
Now, when recruiters visit Logan’s LinkedIn profile, they immediately see her resume in the Featured section. It’s easy for them to download and review, increasing the chances of being contacted for relevant roles.
Tips for Uploading the Right Resume
Tailor your resume for LinkedIn
LinkedIn allows you to stand out, but uploading a generic resume may not help you get noticed. Before you upload, tailor your resume for your target job or industry.
Remove personal details that don’t belong on LinkedIn (like your full address) and ensure they align with your LinkedIn profile’s tone and structure.
Use a professional file name
Avoid uploading a file called “Resume_final_final2.docx.” Name your resume something clean and professional, like “John-Doe-Resume.pdf.” Recruiters and hiring managers will see the filename, so make a good impression right away.
Save your resume in the right format
PDF is usually the best file type to upload to LinkedIn. It preserves formatting and looks the same on any device. Avoid using overly designed templates with columns or tables that may display incorrectly.
Should You Upload Your Resume to LinkedIn?
While uploading your resume to LinkedIn has clear benefits, there are also some things to consider.
Pros
- Makes it easy for recruiters to access more detailed info about your background
- Allows clients or partners to learn about your qualifications
- Speeds up job applications by saving time
Cons
- Public resumes can make you a target for spam or scams
- Employers may assume you're job hunting even if you're not
- Details may become outdated if you forget to update them
If you’re actively job seeking, uploading your resume can be a great tool. If you’re employed or prefer more privacy, consider using the private upload option or applying directly through job posts.
How To Keep Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile Aligned
Update both regularly
If your resume and LinkedIn profile don’t match, it can confuse hiring managers. Ensure that both are updated simultaneously with consistent job titles, dates, and achievements.
Don’t copy and paste your resume into your profile
Your LinkedIn profile should be more conversational and focused on highlights. Your resume can go into detail. Keep them aligned but not identical.
Link to a portfolio or website
If you want to share more than what fits on a one-page resume, consider linking to your portfolio or personal site in your profile or resume. This gives recruiters more context about your work.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adding a Resume to LinkedIn
Yes. If you add your resume to the Featured section, it becomes publicly visible. Anyone who views your profile can download it.
A PDF file is the safest and most professional option. It maintains formatting and is compatible across all devices.
When applying to jobs, you can upload different resumes tailored to each position. LinkedIn saves the last five for easy reuse.
It depends on your goals. Keeping it private and only attaching it to applications might be better if you're actively applying. If you want visibility, add it to your profile.
No. Your LinkedIn profile should still be complete. Recruiters use your profile to learn more about you, even if you upload a resume.
Resume.org offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.