Which method to use
| Method | Who sees it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Save it for job applications | Only employers you apply to with Easy Apply | Most job seekers: apply faster with the same resume |
| 2. Upload it during one application | Only that employer | Sending a resume tailored to one job |
| 3. Feature it on your profile | Anyone who views your profile | Freelancers and consultants who want clients to download it |
| 4. Share it in a post | Your network and their networks | Rarely; an "open to work" post works better without the file |
If you are job hunting and want recruiters to find you, your profile does that work, not a resume file. Recruiters search LinkedIn profiles by title, skills and location, so a complete profile matters more than an uploaded PDF. See LinkedIn summary examples and our free LinkedIn headline generator.
Method 1: Save your resume for Easy Apply (private)
LinkedIn lets you store a few resumes in your job application settings. When you use Easy Apply, you pick one of them instead of uploading a file each time.
- Open Jobs, then the job preferences or settings area (on desktop it's usually under Preferences, or in Settings → Data privacy → Job application settings).
- Find the section for resumes and application data.
- Upload your resume as a PDF or Word file. Keep it under a few megabytes and give the file a clear name, like *Jordan-Lee-Resume-2026.pdf*.
- Check that the option to save resumes for future applications is turned on.
Saved resumes are shared only with the employers you apply to. You can keep several, for example one for product roles and one for project management, and delete old versions.
Recruiters see the file name. "Resume_FINAL_v3 (2).pdf" looks careless; your name plus "Resume" looks prepared.
Method 2: Upload a resume to one application (private)
When you click Easy Apply on a job, LinkedIn shows your saved resumes and a button to upload a new one. Upload a version tailored to that job, then continue through the form.
This is the method worth using most. A resume that matches the job's wording gets through applicant tracking systems more often than a generic one; our guide on how to tailor your resume to a job description shows how, and the free ATS checker shows which keywords from the posting your file is missing.
If the job sends you to the company's own site instead of Easy Apply, you'll upload your resume there, not on LinkedIn.
Method 3: Feature your resume on your profile (public)
The Featured section shows posts, links and files near the top of your profile. You can add your resume there as a document.
- Go to your profile and choose Add profile section (or Add section).
- Find Featured (usually under the recommended sections) and choose to add media or a document.
- Upload your resume, give it a title such as *Resume: Product Designer*, and save.
Anyone who views your profile can open and download this file, including people outside your network. That suits freelancers, designers and consultants who want clients to see their work. For most employees it adds little, because recruiters already have your profile in front of them.
Method 4: Share your resume in a post (public)
You can attach a document to a regular post. It reaches your connections and anyone they share it with.
We don't recommend posting the file itself. A short post that says what role you want, your strongest result and that you are open to opportunities usually gets more replies, and you can send the resume privately to anyone who asks. LinkedIn's Open to Work setting also lets you signal you're looking, either to recruiters only or to everyone.
On the LinkedIn mobile app
The same options exist on the app, in slightly different places:
- During Easy Apply: the resume step lets you pick a saved file or upload one from your phone or cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox).
- Saved resumes: tap your profile picture, open Settings, then look under data privacy or job seeking preferences for job application settings.
- Featured section: from your profile, use the + or Add section button and choose Featured, then add a document or media.
Phones are fine for applying, but check the PDF you upload on a bigger screen first. A file exported badly from a phone app can lose its formatting.
If the upload doesn't work
- The file won't upload: check it's a PDF or Word document and not too large. Scanned or image-heavy PDFs are often several megabytes; export a fresh PDF from your resume builder or word processor instead.
- Your saved resume doesn't appear in Easy Apply: some applications only accept a new upload, and some employers send you to their own site. Upload the file in the application itself.
- The layout looks broken in the preview: Word files can shift when opened on another computer. A PDF keeps the layout exactly as you designed it.
- You uploaded the wrong version: delete it from your saved resumes so it isn't picked by accident next time. Applications already sent can't be changed, so a quick, polite email to the recruiter with the right file is the fix.
Resume vs LinkedIn profile: what goes where
| Resume | LinkedIn profile | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | One or two pages | As long as it needs; every role can have a description |
| Tailoring | Changed for each important application | One version for everyone |
| Tone | Short, results-first bullets | First person is fine; a little more story |
| Contact details | Phone, email, city | Email optional; never your home address |
| Extras | Only what fits the job | Recommendations, posts, volunteer work, courses, media |
| Who finds it | People you send it to | Anyone searching LinkedIn, including recruiters |
Your headline does the most work on LinkedIn: it shows next to your name in search results. Our resume headline examples work for LinkedIn too, and the job-by-job resume examples show results-first bullets you can reuse in your profile's role descriptions.
What to remove before making your resume public
A resume you send to one employer and a resume anyone on the internet can download are different documents. Before methods 3 or 4:
- Your phone number and home address. Keep a professional email and your city; drop the street address entirely.
- References' names and contact details. They agreed to be called by employers, not by strangers.
- Confidential numbers from your employer, like unpublished revenue or client names under NDA.
- Salary history or expectations.
- Your date of birth, photo ID numbers or marital status. They shouldn't be on a US or UK resume at all.
Make your resume and profile tell the same story
Recruiters often open your LinkedIn profile right after your resume. If job titles, dates or employers don't match, it raises questions. Before you upload:
- Same job titles and dates on both.
- Your LinkedIn headline matches the role on your resume (for example "Senior Accountant | CPA | Month-end close").
- Your top achievements appear in both places, worded for each: shorter bullets on the resume, a little more story on LinkedIn.
- Your resume links to your LinkedIn URL. Customize it in your profile settings so it reads *linkedin.com/in/yourname*.
Need a resume worth uploading first? Start with how to write a resume, or pick one of our ATS-friendly resume templates.