How to Add Your Resume to LinkedIn (4 Ways, Step by Step)

Quick answer: To add your resume to LinkedIn, go to Jobs → Preferences → Resumes and application data and click Upload resume to save it privately for job applications. To show it publicly on your profile instead, go to your profile, click Add profile section → Recommended → Add featured, then click + → Add media and upload your resume as a PDF. You can also upload a resume each time you use Easy Apply, or share it in a post.

LinkedIn has over a billion members and a lot of recruiters, which makes it a great place for your resume. It also has a menu system that changes just often enough to make "where's the upload button?" a legitimate research question.

This guide walks you through every way to add your resume to LinkedIn, on desktop and mobile, plus which method to use, how to protect your privacy, and how to make your resume and profile work together.

LinkedIn updates its layout regularly, so labels may look slightly different in your account. The steps below reflect the current layout.

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4 Ways to Add Your Resume to LinkedIn

Before you start, decide who you want to see your resume:

• Saved in job application settings: private; only employers you apply to see it
• Uploaded with Easy Apply: private; goes to one employer for one job
• Added to your Featured section: public; anyone who visits your profile can view and download it
• Shared in a post: public; appears in your network's feeds

If you're quietly job hunting while employed, stick with the first two. If you're openly looking or freelancing, the Featured section gets you more visibility.

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Method 1: Save Your Resume in Job Application Settings

This stores your resume on LinkedIn so it's ready to attach whenever you apply. It's private: it doesn't appear on your profile.

On desktop:

1. Sign in and click Jobs in the top navigation bar.
2. Click Preferences in the left sidebar.
3. Select Resumes and application data.
4. Click Upload resume and choose your file.
5. Confirm the upload and check the file name.

LinkedIn keeps a few of your most recent resumes here, so you can choose the right version for each application. You can also turn on the option to share your resume data with recruiters when you apply, which can speed up the application process.

File tips:

• Upload a PDF to keep your formatting intact. Word files (DOC or DOCX) also work.
• Keep the file small and simple. A one- or two-page resume with standard fonts uploads without problems.
• Give it a clear file name, like "Jordan-Lee-Resume-Marketing.pdf." "resume_final_FINAL_v7.pdf" tells recruiters more about your editing process than they need to know.

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Method 2: Upload Your Resume With Easy Apply

Many LinkedIn jobs have an Easy Apply button, which lets you apply without leaving LinkedIn.

1. Search for a job and open a listing with the Easy Apply button.
2. Click Easy Apply.
3. Check your contact information and click Next.
4. In the resume step, select a saved resume or click Upload resume to add a new one.
5. Answer any screening questions.
6. Review your application and click Submit application.

Best practice: tailor your resume for each job before you upload it. Mirror the job description's keywords and lead with your most relevant achievements. Uploading a new resume won't change applications you've already submitted, so make sure the right version goes out the first time.

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Method 3: Add Your Resume to Your LinkedIn Featured Section

The Featured section sits near the top of your profile and shows off links, posts, and files. Adding your resume there makes it public.

On desktop:

1. Click Me → View Profile.
2. If you don't have a Featured section, click Add profile section, then Recommended → Add featured.
3. In the Featured section, click the + icon and choose Add media.
4. Upload your resume file.
5. Add a clear title (like "Jordan Lee – Marketing Manager Resume") and an optional short description.
6. Click Save.
7. View your profile as a visitor to check that the file opens correctly.

On the LinkedIn mobile app:

1. Tap your profile photo, then View profile.
2. Scroll to Featured (or tap Add section → Recommended → Add featured if it's missing).
3. Tap the + icon and choose Add media.
4. Select your resume from your phone's files.
5. Add a title, then tap Save.

Before you make it public, remove anything you wouldn't post on a billboard: your home address, personal phone number, and any confidential details from current or past employers. Use a professional email address, or add "Contact me via LinkedIn" instead.

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Method 4: Share Your Resume in a LinkedIn Post

This is the most visible option, and the least private. It works best if you've recently been laid off or are openly looking.

1. On your homepage, click Start a post.
2. Click the + (more) icon and choose Add a document.
3. Upload your resume and give the document a title.
4. Write a short message: what kind of role you want, your top skills, and how people can help.
5. Click Post.

A good post is short and specific: "After 6 years in B2B marketing, I'm looking for my next Marketing Manager role in Chicago or remote. My resume is attached. I'd appreciate any introductions or referrals!" Your network can't help if they don't know what you're looking for.

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Should You Make Your Resume Public on LinkedIn?

Benefits:

• Recruiters can download it instantly without messaging you first
• It shows details your profile may not, like a clean layout and key metrics
• It's useful for freelancers, consultants, and anyone openly job hunting

Risks:

• Your current employer, coworkers, and anyone else can see it
• Scrapers and spammers can grab your contact details
• A public resume can't be tailored to each job, and it can go out of date quickly

Our recommendation: if you're employed and searching quietly, keep your resume private (Methods 1 and 2) and use Open to Work with visibility set to Recruiters only. If you're openly looking, add a scrubbed, up-to-date version to your Featured section.

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How to Let Recruiters Find You (Without Telling Your Boss)

The top guides mostly skip this, but it's often more useful than a public resume. LinkedIn's Open to Work feature tells recruiters you're available without uploading anything publicly.

1. Go to your profile and click Open to.
2. Select Finding a new job.
3. Add the job titles, locations, workplace types (on-site, hybrid, remote), and start date you want.
4. Under visibility, choose Recruiters only to keep it private, or All LinkedIn members to add the green #OpenToWork photo frame.
5. Click Save.

LinkedIn says it takes steps to hide your Open to Work signal from recruiters at your current company, but it can't guarantee it. If confidentiality is critical, be thoughtful about what you share.

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Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work Like a Resume

Recruiters use LinkedIn Recruiter to search profiles, not uploaded files. A complete profile often matters more than the resume itself.

• Headline: go beyond your job title. Add your specialty and value. Need ideas? See our LinkedIn headline examples.
• About: three to five sentences on who you are, what you do best, and what you're looking for.
• Experience: list your roles with two to four achievement-focused bullet points each. Here's how to write strong resume bullet points.
• Skills: add your most relevant hard and technical skills so you appear in recruiter searches.
• Education, certifications, and volunteering: fill these in completely.
• Photo and banner: profiles with a professional photo look more trustworthy and get more attention.
• Keywords: use the terms that appear in job listings you want, naturally, throughout your profile.

Keep your resume and LinkedIn consistent

Your resume and profile don't need to be identical, but they should never contradict each other. Make sure your job titles, employers, dates, and degrees match. Recruiters notice when your resume says "Senior Manager" and LinkedIn says "Coordinator."

Your profile can be broader and more conversational, while each resume should be tailored to a specific job.

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How to Add Your LinkedIn Profile to Your Resume

It works both ways. Adding your LinkedIn URL to your resume gives recruiters an easy way to learn more about you.

1. Customize your URL: on your profile, click Edit public profile & URL, then change your URL to something clean like linkedin.com/in/jordanlee.
2. Add it to your resume header next to your email and phone number. Leave out "https://www."
3. Hyperlink it in your PDF so recruiters can click straight through.

For more on what belongs at the top of your resume, see our guide to resume headings.

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Can You Turn Your LinkedIn Profile Into a Resume?

Sort of. LinkedIn lets you download your profile as a PDF: go to your profile, click Resources (or More, depending on your layout), and choose Save to PDF. You'll get a plain document with your headline, About section, experience, education, and skills.

It's handy as a quick backup or a starting point, but it's not a great resume to send to employers:

• It's not tailored. It includes everything on your profile, not just what's relevant to one job.
• The layout is basic and often runs to several pages.
• It reads like a profile, not a resume. Conversational About sections and long descriptions don't translate well to a document a recruiter skims in seconds.

A better approach is to use your LinkedIn profile as the raw material, then build a focused one- or two-page resume from it. Pick the experience, achievements, and skills that match the job you want, cut everything else, and format it cleanly. Our Resume Builder can help you do that quickly, and you can always check how long your resume should be before you upload it.

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Common Mistakes When Adding a Resume to LinkedIn

• Posting a public resume with your home address and personal phone number
• Forgetting to update the Featured resume, so recruiters download a version from two jobs ago
• Uploading several public versions, which looks cluttered and confusing
• Mismatched details between your resume and profile
• Using a heavily designed resume with graphics and columns that are hard to read or parse
• Sending one generic resume to every Easy Apply job
• Relying only on Easy Apply. Popular postings get hundreds of applicants, so also reach out to recruiters and hiring managers directly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add my resume to my LinkedIn profile?

Go to your profile, click Add profile section → Recommended → Add featured, then click + → Add media and upload your resume. Add a title and click Save. This makes your resume public on your profile.

How do I upload my resume to LinkedIn without making it public?

Go to Jobs → Preferences → Resumes and application data and upload it there. It's only shared with employers when you apply. You can also upload a resume directly in an Easy Apply application.

How do I add my resume to the LinkedIn app?

Tap your profile photo, open your profile, scroll to Featured, tap +, choose Add media, and select your resume file. For private use, upload it in the resume step of an Easy Apply application.

Can I add a PDF resume to LinkedIn?

Yes. PDF is the best format because it keeps your layout intact. LinkedIn also accepts Word documents (DOC and DOCX).

How do I update or replace my resume on LinkedIn?

In Resumes and application data, upload the new version and delete the old one. In the Featured section, click the pencil icon on the old resume to delete it, then add the new file.

Should I put my resume on LinkedIn?

Yes, at least privately, so you can apply quickly with Easy Apply. Add it publicly only if you're openly looking for work, and remove sensitive contact details first.

Can recruiters see my resume on LinkedIn?

Recruiters can see a resume you add to your Featured section or share in a post. Resumes saved for job applications are only seen by employers you apply to.

How do I add my LinkedIn URL to my resume?

Customize your LinkedIn URL under Edit public profile & URL, then add it to your resume header next to your phone number and email, ideally as a clickable link.

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Need a Resume Worth Uploading?

Your LinkedIn resume is only as strong as the document itself. Our Resume Builder helps you create a clean, ATS-friendly PDF resume in minutes, ready for Easy Apply, your Featured section, and every application in between.