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Which is needed? Resume or LinkedIn Profile

Excellent resumes and LinkedIn profiles have common characteristics like a strong summary, specific keywords related to your profession and brevity. Although a LinkedIn profile is becoming important in today's tech savvy world, the humble and powerful piece of paper titled "Resume" has its own place. Each of them differs in certain ways and hence, both have an important role to play in shaping the career of an individual. Although the resume and profile convey the same piece of information, they do so in very different ways and cannot replace the other. Here are some of the ways in which they differ:

1. Space constraints: A resume is usually restricted to two pages while LinkedIn allows you to use 2,000 characters for your personal statement. However, there is no limit on the information you want to include in the profile.

2. Difference in tone: Usually, a resume is written in the third person without the use of the pronoun "I" and is more formal in nature. On the other hand, a LinkedIn profile is more informal in nature and is a social medium that allows you to connect with like minded professionals, employers and organizations. You are free to narrate your story in the first person.

3. Difference in presentation: A resume requires the use of certain complex words that shorten the length of a paragraph without compromising on the meaning. There is a certain format in which the resume needs to be prepared. On the other hand, there is no such restriction on LinkedIn and you are free to present the information in a diagrammatic form or through a presentation.

4. Different target groups: You would usually prepare a resume for a specific organization that you are applying to. In contrast, your LinkedIn profile is more general and can be viewed by several hiring managers, recruiters and employers all over the world. Hence, it is more generic and allows you to display a broader set of skills.

5. One size fits all: This is definitely true in the case of a LinkedIn profile. You can only create a single profile that showcases a variety of skills, abilities and competencies. In fact, that is what makes a profile effective. Subsequently, it allows you to explore a wide variety of opportunities without restricting you to a particular field of specialization. So, for instance, if you have significant experience in IT as well as marketing fields, you can showcase these skills and relevant experience in your profile and choose from a variety of opportunities in both fields. On the other hand, a resume is specific and precise. You cannot have a single resume for two different jobs. You will have to tweak it for both the jobs.

6. Difference in purpose: A resume is specifically used to seek a job and one can openly write about this fact in the resume. However, openly stating this in your LinkedIn headline would jeopardize your profile. Words like "Unemployed" and "Looking for a Job" have a negative connotation and should be avoided in the headline as it often turns down potential employers.

7. Profile picture: A profile picture is extremely important in a LinkedIn profile and improves your visibility on LinkedIn. A professional looking profile picture is a must in order to create a sound LinkedIn profile as it allows you to connect with the audience. On the other hand, employees are told to avoid pasting their photos on their resumes.