Did you know you can use LinkedIn to build your resume?

Just view your Profile, click under More, select Save to PDF, and your resume will magically appear!

As part of Microsoft’s AI initiatives, this is a clever way to create a resume with little effort.

Or is it?

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using LinkedIn to build your resume:

Your LinkedIn Profile won’t have the data needed for a truly outstanding resume.

Most companies, whether they’re startups, public companies, boutique firms, or PE-owned, do NOT want private data released online – especially if it illuminates their struggles.

No matter if you’re a turnaround leader, sales driver, or executive, you CAN’T put insider data on LinkedIn, even though you WILL need to add it to your resume.

Measurable achievements are the strongest content needed for an effective resume, as you can see by reading 7 Tips to Take Your Executive Resume From Old-School to Outstanding.

Unfortunately, this fact alone will make your LinkedIn Resume Builder-generated document unusable. Your resume simply MUST have a standout personal brand message AND the metrics to prove it!

Your LinkedIn-generated Resume uses fairly attractive formatting… but now your resume will look just like everyone else’s document.

If you’re a novice in using Microsoft Word or other tools, you’ll be grateful to see your resume information populated very quickly by LinkedIn.

The PDF tool shows a dark-shaded column to the left, which contains your contact details, links to your websites, 3 top skills, certifications, honors, and publications. Your Experience section will show the details of your work history, with indents under each employer and job entry.

However, your resume is a business presentation and the format of your resume DOES matter. Why use a format that fails to distinguish you from other candidates?

Even the placement of key information and the font chosen can make a distinct difference in how employers react when they read it (which is why most resume experts advise against using Comic Sans).

Still unconvinced that layout matters? This resume eye-tracking study published in 2018 shows why a clean, clear format is essential.

Your LinkedIn Resume Builder-generated resume will “hide” your education.

Most employers want to see your education details to gauge your qualifications. Unfortunately, your LinkedIn Resume buries this data all the way at the bottom of your document.

Yes, hiring authorities can scroll down to see it, but remember the 6-7 second rule? Most will just glance at your resume and assume something is missing.

To add to the cons of this method, your Education entries (especially if they’re like mine, with some post-graduate certifications) are buried under any professional training you’ve completed since college.

When LinkedIn Resume Builder produces your resume, it will only grab your top 3 Skills.

If you believe an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is only seeking 3 keywords, you’re mistaken.

To be effective, both your LinkedIn Profile and resume will need a multitude of keywords suited for the exact career level you’re pursuing (see point #5 in What Your Resume Should Look Like in 2020).

These terms must be scattered throughout your document to be most effective. You can also create a short grouping to show both ATS and human readers a strong snapshot of skills gained throughout your career. LinkedIn’s Resume Builder will unfortunately NOT allow you to do this.

In summary, using LinkedIn to build your resume has serious limitations.

 It may be a relief to generate a resume with little-to-no effort, especially if you’re new to resume writing. But if you haven’t fully populated your LinkedIn Profile, you’re in for a big challenge. Even if you HAVE updated LinkedIn, you may not be able to feature top achievements (due to corporate confidentiality).

So you’ll still need to put in the work and document your biggest successes, personal brand, quantifiable career wins, and promise of value… whether you choose to work with a skilled resume writer or dedicate hours to writing a resume for yourself.