What's the difference between a CV & LinkedIn profile?

Social media has dramatically increased in popularity over the past decade with each platform being used for different reasons and to target very different audiences. LinkedIn is a great place to connect with colleagues, friends, and companies that you inspire to work for. It also allows you to upload your previous work history, gain recommendations from previous employees, and write a quirky bio that briefly describes who you are and your experience. This makes it easy for potential employers to look at your profile before speaking with you or offering you an interview / job.

Even though it has many benefits, it can be slightly confusing what the difference is between a LinkedIn Profile and a CV – in fact, it’s a question that we get asked quite a lot being a specialist recruitment agency.

SO, WHAT ACTUALLY IS THE DIFFERENCE?

In a nutshell, your CV is tailored and sent directly to an individual business whereas your LinkedIn profile has the potential to attract a much wider audience and can showcase what you stand for along with your previous experience. 

Your CV is still the main means of applying for a job and it should be tailored and relevant to each role and company you're applying for, even if that means adapting your CV for every position. A few tips here are:

• Identify the keywords used on the job description and ensure they are incorporated in your CV (where applicable)
• Highlight only relevant education, skills and experience
• Change your personal statement to outline why you want to work for that particular company and industry

LinkedIn can be a bit more visual than a typical CV, which is perfect if the role you’re applying for requires you to be creative (architecture being a great example here). It gives you the opportunity to bring your skills and experience to life; adding videos, blogs, different projects and tasks you’re working on, which you can’t do on your CV.

It’s important to consider how you applied for the job in the first place and whether the recruiter will look at your CV first or your LinkedIn profile. If the job application didn’t require you to submit a CV, then your recruiter may search for you on LinkedIn after they receive your application. However, the recruiter may also look you up on LinkedIn even if you did send a CV (so it’s always good practice to make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to scratch). In fact, recruiters often use the social media platform to search for potential candidates that fit the criteria for a particular role, even if they haven’t started advertising it yet. It’s also important to remember that a lot of companies utilise the expertise of recruitment agencies these days, especially if is a niche or specialised sector, and these agencies will predominately use LinkedIn to find suitable candidates.

HOW DO I MAKE MY LINKEDIN PROFILE STAND OUT?

There are many ways you can create a strong LinkedIn profile which will ultimately increase your chances of being noticed and approached by recruiters and recruitment agencies. Recruiters use advanced data analytics tools to find passive and active jobseekers so it is crucial to have an up-to-date profile, frequent online activity and a profile that will get you noticed. Here are some tips to have an engaging LinkedIn profile:

• Upload a recent and professional profile photograph
• Add a headline which shows off your industry experience keeping it nice and simple. If you’re actively looking for a new role you can also state it here “Ambitious Business Development Manager with over 10 years’ experience working within the Private Sector. Currently seeking a new role.”
• Ensure your skillset and experience are relevant and up-to-date. You can support your experience here by uploading visual examples of your work (PDFs, videos, photos, Graphics etc.)
• Include relevant work experience, accurate employment history and examples of the work carried out within each role
• Include endorsements and recommendations from other people you have worked with – it is good practice to do the same for others within your network as they will most likely return the favour
• Regularly sharing content that is relevant to your industry
• If you are openly looking for work, adjust your profile settings to show recruiters and hiring managers that you are available

Although CVs are still the most common way to apply for a job, it is also important to ensure that you are utilising your LinkedIn profile to attract other recruiters and specialist recruitment agencies. It is a great platform to bring your CV to life, showcases everything that you have to offer and allows other colleagues to share their positive experiences of working with you – which will ultimately help you secure your perfect role.

Spending time updating both your LinkedIn Profile and CV can take some time but remember this is what will make you stand out from everybody else, so it is the most important aspect for any job seeker.