Why your CV should be different from your LinkedIn profile:
Clients often ask me why they cannot just replicate their CV ‘word for word’ into their LinkedIn profile- After all, it would save them a lot of time and it is basically the same material-Right?
Wrong!
Where your CV and LinkedIn profiles are similar, is that they should both be using optimised keywords which attract the algorithms in search engine optimisation. (SEO). But the two are different and I will tell you why below.
1. Tailoring for Job Applications:
CV:
Tailor your CV to fit the specific job requirements outlined in a job specification. Focus on keywords relevant to the job, highlighting achievements and quantifiable results using the SMART model (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Your CV should focus on your key strengths relevant to the job description and highlight your key career features relevant to the job for which you are applying. Your CV should be keyword optimized, to attract SEO search algorithms.
LinkedIn:
While mirroring some content from your CV, LinkedIn should be more generic. It serves as a digital career profile, your professional career footprint, providing a comprehensive view of your skills, achievements, roles, hobbies, recommendations and endorsements.
2. Length and Presentation:
CV:
Keep it short, usually one or two pages in length. In the UK, CVs typically do not include a photo.
LinkedIn:
It can be longer and more embellished, offering a detailed overview of your professional career journey. Your LinkedIn profile should be laid out in a similar fashion to that of your CV and should have a logical flow- but it can be longer than your CV and should illustrate specific case studies on which you successfully worked as well as your key deliverables on a specific task.
Additional LinkedIn Features:
Recommendations and Endorsements:
Showcase what your colleagues say about you through these sections.
Digital Activity:
Display your engagement through posts, likes, and interactions with groups and individuals you follow.
LinkedIn SSI (Social Selling Index):
Regularly monitor your SSI, which measures your effectiveness in establishing your professional brand, finding the right connections, engaging in conversations, building professional relationships and following relevant business influencers.
Project Section:
Utilize this section to add case studies of your successful projects, emphasizing quantifiable outcomes and using relevant keywords to attract recruiters' algorithm
While both your CV and LinkedIn profiles should use optimized keywords for search engine optimization, they serve different purposes. Your CV is customized for specific job applications, focusing on achievements and results, while your LinkedIn profile offers a broader view of your professional identity, including endorsements, digital activities, SSI, and detailed project case studies. Tailoring each document according to its purpose maximizes your chances of effectively reaching both automated algorithms and human readers.