Make your CV go a step further by adding your LinkedIn URL

A well-crafted CV is a crucial component of the job search process, but it's only part of the equation. Job hunters must embrace complementing tools and platforms to enhance their quest for their next role. Enter LinkedIn. 

In this article, we'll explore why LinkedIn is a vital tool for your job search and how you can leverage it to your advantage by including it on your CV in a way that's sure to impress prospective employers and recruiters alike. 

Why LinkedIn is essential for job hunters

LinkedIn is a vital asset if you're looking for a job. There are over 39 million LinkedIn users in the UK alone, which means there are plenty of reasons why you should create a LinkedIn profile and use it to aid your job search process. Some of those reasons include:

  • Recruiters: Recruiters use it to advertise jobs, giving you a wider pool of possibilities

  • Headhunters: Headhunters use it to scout out their next candidate - and you could be on their radar

  • Networking: You can build a virtual professional network that may lead to professional support, job opening advice, and company introductions

  • Industry news: You can use the Groups function to stay on top of industry news and trends

  • Organisations: You can follow organisations and stay informed about their updates and vacancies

In short, a LinkedIn profile offers many ways to help you get ahead in your professional career.

Benefits of putting your LinkedIn URL on your CV

As a job hunter, you can use LinkedIn to complement your CV. Some of the advantages of adding your LinkedIn URL to your CV include:

Additional information

Your CV is designed to give a prospective employer a snapshot of your latest career achievements that correspond with the vacancy's requirements. This two-page document is a tight and concise pitch to get your foot in the door of the hiring process.

Adding your LinkedIn profile to your CV is a way to expand on the professional summary on your CV and offer the prospective employer a more comprehensive overview of your experience, skills, and accomplishments. 

Also, on LinkedIn, hiring managers can see additional information about you, like endorsements, recommendations, and multimedia content such as presentations or portfolios. 

Credibility and validation

If a recruiter likes the look of your CV and thinks you could be a good match for the role, they won't call you immediately. Instead, they're more likely to trace your digital footprint to verify your qualifications and experience to learn more about you.

If you include your LinkedIn URL on your CV, recruiters can easily cross-reference the information on your CV with the details on your well-maintained profile and gain extra insight into your professional background.

Enhanced professionalism

LinkedIn is a professional social media network and, if you include your LinkedIn profile on your CV, you show prospective employers that you are a true professional who proactively manages their personal brand and online presence. 

Additionally, including your LinkedIn profile shows that you understand the importance of using modern tools for professional networking and career advancement and are driven to maintain this.

Convenience

And lastly, by putting your LinkedIn URL on your CV, you simply make a hiring manager's life a lot easier because you've provided them with the correct link to your profile.  That means they don't need to spend time and effort hunting for the right LinkedIn profile. Plus, it reduces the risk of confusion with other individuals with similar names.

How to customise your LinkedIn URL for your CV

Every person's LinkedIn URL is formatted in the same way when they create a profile. The URL will always begin with linkedin.com/in, followed by your name and a random assortment of letters and numbers. 

While it's somewhat acceptable to add this automatically generated LinkedIn URL to your CV, you can easily smarten up the last part of the URL so it looks slick and professional. And it only takes a few clicks.

To customise your LinkedIn URL, simply go to your profile, head to the top-right of the page and click the pencil button next to “Public profile & URL,” which will open up a new tab. In the top right of this tab, click “Edit your custom URL,” et voilà! Now you can customise your URL. 

Most people opt for their name in the format of “firstname-surname.” If your name is taken, consider adding your middle initial, middle name, or a number at the end, e.g. “firstname-surname-2,” or even your profession, e.g. "firstname-surname-jobtitle."

How to update your LinkedIn profile before adding a link on your CV

Putting your LinkedIn profile on your CV is a great choice, but only if your profile is current and presents you in the best possible light. Here are a few ways to refresh your profile before adding that all-important link:

Update your profile photo

You should always have a professional-looking photo that accurately represents you in a professional context. If you don't have one, it's easy enough to take one yourself with your phone. Simply find a well-lit area with a neutral background, use portrait mode, and use the gridlines to focus on your face. 

If the photo is a few years old but still looks like you, don't worry too much about updating it. As long as it's professional, you're onto a winner.

Update your headline and summary

When clicking on your LinkedIn profile, your headline and summary will be the first thing the recruiter reads. Update your headline to reflect your current job title and expertise, or change it to mirror your career aspirations if you're publicising you're looking for work.

Also, update your LinkedIn summary, ensuring that it targets the audience you want, shows off your talents, and makes a strong impression.

Review and update your experience section

Naturally, your experience section should be reviewed and updated too. Focus on your most recent role, as the recruiter will likely gravitate towards that first. Like you would on your CV, use bullet points to highlight key achievements and projects undertaken in your role.

A word of warning though: do not directly copy the content from your CV on your LinkedIn profile. It should complement, not plagiarise. 

If you have any particularly old roles no longer relevant to your current career path, such as a cashier at a supermarket from your college days, you can delete them. 

Review and update education and qualifications

In the same way, review your education and qualifications section, ensuring that it includes your most recent educational achievements and certifications that showcase your continuous professional development.

If you find that details of university courses that were once your way to impress recruiters as a graduate are no longer relevant, you can trim them.

Engage with content and connections

Anyone who lands on your profile can see your latest LinkedIn activity, including your posts, comments, and images. If your LinkedIn activity section looks particularly dusty, engage with content and connections. 

If posting on LinkedIn isn't your thing, don't worry. You can directly reshare posts without any commentary or add a comment to someone else's post, which will appear in your activity feed.

Check in little and often, engaging with relevant content and connections to your industry to show prospective employers that your profile isn't sitting dormant. 

Review privacy notice and notification settings

There's little point in including your LinkedIn URL on your CV if a hiring manager can't access the content. Review your privacy settings to ensure that your profile is visible and adjust notifications to receive alerts about profile views and messages.

Examples of how and where to list your LinkedIn URL on your CV

The best place to put LinkedIn on your CV is with your contact details, after your email address. For example, in order, it would be:

  • Your Name

  • Job Title

  • City

  • Phone number

  • Email address

  • LinkedIn URL

CV headers and contact details come in different formats. Here are a few examples of how to put your LinkedIn on your CV:

Example 1

Here the LinkedIn profile is as a naked URL in the top-right corner. You do not need to include the https:// in the text, but make sure the link works when formatting in this way:

Example 2

Here the LinkedIn URL is a hyperlink with the text “LinkedIn” in the top-right corner:

Adding your LinkedIn URL to your CV is pretty simple when you know how. But the real skill is updating your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate your skills, experience, and accomplishments in an impressive way that doesn't copy your CV. No fear – the experts are on hand to deliver a LinkedIn Makeover that showcases your expertise and enhances your digital presence.

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