Did you know you can use LinkedIn to build a resume?

Just view your Profile, click under More, select Save to PDF, and your resume will magically appear!

To be clear, this is a PDF version of your profile, but it looks like a professionally formatted resume.

It appears to be a clever way to create a resume with little effort.

Or is it?

Based on my experience helping thousands of job seekers for 20+ years, I believe you should know the pros and cons of using LinkedIn to build your resume:

1 – Your LinkedIn Profile probably lacks the data needed for a standout resume.

Most LinkedIn Profiles do NOT contain attention-getting success stories, skills, or other details that would attract employers.

Many people are wary of putting company revenue, strategic initiatives, or other data online – or they don’t update LinkedIn because they’d rather avoid alerting their employers that they’re looking elsewhere.

For these reasons, your LinkedIn Profile might not contain the EXACT information you need for a powerful resume.

In 7 Tips to Take Your Executive Resume From Old-School to Outstanding, I’ve described the data-driven metrics and achievements that elevate your resume from boring to captivating.

To build an impressive resume, you must describe compelling accomplishments and specific metrics – and if this information isn’t on LinkedIn, it won’t magically appear on your LinkedIn-generated PDF Resume.

2 – Your LinkedIn-generated PDF Resume will use attractive formatting (but it will look like everyone else’s document).

If you’re a novice in using Microsoft Word or other tools, you’ll be grateful to see your resume information populated very quickly by LinkedIn, with an appealing format.

However, your resume is a business presentation and the format of your resume DOES matter.

Why use a design if it doesn’t distinguish you from other candidates?

As you can see in this Chief Information Security Officer resume, important elements such as achievements, skills, metrics, and a personal quote are set off with headings, color, and precise placement.

It also employs a custom graphic representing achievements such as reductions in technical debt and risk, stronger compliance, and thousands in cost savings – all essential facts that make this CISO a stronger candidate.

STILL unconvinced that layout matters? A well-known resume eye-tracking study found that a clean, clear format is essential for your job search.

3 – Your LinkedIn PDF Resume is far too long – and will bury crucial details.

The gold standard for resume length is typically 2 to 3 pages; if your resume is longer, employers may not have sufficient time to read it.

However, my LinkedIn-generated PDF Resume extends to 10 pages, making it too long to use in the job market.

In addition, many employers want to see important credentials (such as your education) in order to gauge your qualifications. Unfortunately, your LinkedIn PDF Resume buries this data all the way at the end of your document.

Yes, hiring authorities can scroll down to see it, but many recruiters and employers take only a quick glance at your resume… and will move on if key information appears to be missing.

If you use LinkedIn to build a PDF Resume, your Education entries (especially if they’re like mine, with some post-graduate certifications) will be tucked under any professional training you’ve completed since college.

For this reason, it may be best to use a LinkedIn-produced PDF Resume as a guide to helping you build a resume tailored to your personal experience.

4 – When LinkedIn builds your resume PDF, it will only grab your top 3 Skills.

If you believe an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) or employer is only seeking 3 keywords, you’re MISTAKEN.

To be effective, both your LinkedIn Profile and resume will need a multitude of keywords suited for the exact career level you’re pursuing (see point #5 in What Your Resume Should Look Like).

One of the best improvements in recent years has been the expansion of the LinkedIn Skills section to 100 entries, which allows you to add many more keywords (these are crucial in recruiter LinkedIn searches!).

You’ll also want to use as many keywords (skills) as possible throughout your resume, as this will show both ATS and human readers a strong snapshot of your strengths.

Unfortunately, LinkedIn’s PDF Resume Builder will NOT allow you to display even a third of the 100 Skills entries available on your profile.

5 – Your LinkedIn Profile probably doesn’t address your career gaps or shout your top accomplishments.

A well-written resume isn’t a recitation of past jobs: it’s a MARKETING document intended to put your best foot forward.

LinkedIn, on the other hand, simply presents your career history in a straightforward manner, with no way of adjusting the order or the presentation.

As you can see by this EVP of Sales resume example, it’s important to list both your experience AND describe it in a manner that resonates with the hiring audience (as proven by the Career History – Unlocking Solution Sales in Tight Markets section heading and listing of top sales wins at the beginning of the document).

If your career has significant gaps or notable successes, you’ll need a plan for how to either showcase or explain these periods in your work history.

Unfortunately, the LinkedIn Resume PDF generator will NOT allow you to do this.

In 5 Strategies for Handling a Gap on Your Resume, I’ve described powerful strategies for downplaying certain aspects of your  career.

The idea is to focus on your top qualifications… with a strategy for placing them front-and-center on your resume.

In summary, using LinkedIn to build your resume has serious limitations.

It may be a relief to generate a resume with little-to-no effort, especially if you’re new to resume writing. 

But if you haven’t fully populated your LinkedIn Profile, or you have a unique career trajectory, or there are compelling details you want to showcase when applying for a job, you’re in for a BIG challenge.

Even if you HAVE updated LinkedIn, you may not be able to arrange key aspects of your background in the order that makes the most sense.

So you’ll still need to put in the work and document your biggest successes, personal brand, quantifiable career wins, and promise of value… whether you choose to work with a skilled resume writer or dedicate hours to writing a resume for yourself.

Recruiter-Endorsed, Premium Executive Resume & LinkedIn Writing Services

Become the TOP candidate by working one-on-one with a multiple award-winning executive resume writer and former recruiter skilled in positioning 3,600+ leaders for success at Amazon, Eli Lilly, GE, Disney, Google, EY, Kaiser, Oracle, Ericsson, UHC, Intel, Pfizer, and others.

Your new, personally branded Resume and LinkedIn Profile will gain attention from Fortune-ranked, niche, PE, multinational, startup, and boutique companies - even in a competitive job market.

See why my expert resume writing and LinkedIn skills open doors to C-Suite, EVP, Board, VP, and Director roles by viewing interview-winning resumes that show a clear competitive advantage.

- Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CPBA, TCCS, COPNS, CIC, CTTCC, NCOPE