Should I upload my CV to LinkedIn? [LinkedIn Series]

No – you should not put your CV on LinkedIn. Here’s why.

Clients occasionally ask us whether they should upload their CV to LinkedIn.

The answer is a resounding no!

There are three key reasons that you shouldn’t upload your CV to your LinkedIn profile:

1) LinkedIn already serves as an online CV

On your LinkedIn profile, you’re already providing a professional summary and outline of your work experience.

Because the information on your profile largely overlaps with the information on your CV, you don’t want to be redundant by also uploading a copy of your CV.

If you upload your CV, you may even give off the impression that you aren’t aware of how the LinkedIn platform functions.

2) You want to use your LinkedIn profile as a teaser

The content on your LinkedIn profile should be less detailed than that of your CV.

Your LinkedIn profile should outline the following for your readers:

• Where you worked and when
• Which positions you held
• What you were broadly responsible for in each role
• Major accomplishments
• Skills and areas of expertise
• Future goals

Based on this information, recruiters and potential connections will get a sense of whether they would like to learn more about you.

If so, they’ll typically reach out directly to request a copy of your CV.

3) You may potentially reveal sensitive information

On your CV, you may cite specific examples of projects you worked on and results that you were able to drive for your company.

Unless this information is confidential, it’s generally okay to disclose on your CV – assuming you are exercising discretion and not posting it on public job boards.

While it is possible to adjust your profile settings to make your LinkedIn more private, we encourage you to assume that anyone can see the information you’re posting.

Don’t risk damaging your reputation by including potentially sensitive information such as the following unless you’re confident that it is fine to do so (such as when the company shares this information publicly):

• Specific performance results
• Profitability metrics
• Sales metrics
• Document uploads
• Names of external clients
• Descriptions of confidential projects

About CV Pilots

CV Pilots is an award-winning executive CV writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world’s leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied at top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here’s how we can help you:

CV, Cover Letter and LinkedIn Writing Services: If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional CV writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up. 

Executive CV Template Downloads: If you plan to prepare your own CV, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly CV templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email [email protected].

About the Author

Matt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of CV Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked for global companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.

At CV Pilots, Matt combines his solid business and writing background to craft CVs that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He has lived in the UK, US and Italy.

Based in London, he currently works with applicants ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing CVs for over 10 years.

He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, The Times and Thrive Global.