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How to Put Your LinkedIn URL on a Resume (and Do It Right)

Updated: 10 hours ago


Including your LinkedIn URL on your resume can raise your chances of getting an interview by 71%. Here’s how to format it, where to put it, and how to make it work for you.

Putting your LinkedIn URL on your resume is no longer optional. It’s now a basic expectation in the hiring process.

That one link lets recruiters see more than your resume alone can show. It builds trust and gives them a clearer picture of your experience—often enough to tip the decision in your favor.

Why a LinkedIn URL on Your Resume Is Now Essential

Think of your resume as the highlight reel and your LinkedIn profile as the full-length feature film.

While your resume gives the key stats and wins, your LinkedIn profile lets hiring managers see the story behind your career. Think of it like a portfolio or landing page.

How LinkedIn Helps Recruiters Learn More About You

Recruiters are investigators at heart. Your resume gives them a technical, to-the-point recap of your history and biggest accomplishments. Your LinkedIn on the other hand, is where your narrative comes into place (think big picture).

This is where they can dig into things like:

  • Recommendations: Written testimonials that speak to your work ethic, teamwork, and specific contributions to past projects.

  • Professional Activity: Your posts, comments, and shares show you’re engaged and knowledgeable about your industry.

These pieces come together to create a credible picture of who you are and acts as a supplement to the resume you hand in.

The Value of Social Proof on LinkedIn

The platform’s role in hiring is just staggering. LinkedIn now processes a mind-boggling 6,060 job applications every single minute.

And get this: a massive 87% of recruiters call it their most effective tool for screening candidates. They aren't just glancing at profiles; they're relying on them to make critical decisions.

You can learn more about these powerful statistics on LinkedIn's role in recruiting to see the full picture.

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Your LinkedIn profile is your digital handshake. It’s often the very first "meeting" a recruiter has with you, shaping their initial impression long before an interview is even on the table.

At the end of the day, a missing LinkedIn URL can at times be a red flag. It might signal that you're out of touch with modern professional norms or not fully invested in your industry.

Including a link means you're not just adding a URL—you're providing a sort of proof of your professionalism and making the recruiter's job a little easier.

Before you even think about dropping your LinkedIn URL onto your resume, take a hard look at the URL itself.

LinkedIn’s default URLs are long, clunky, and packed with random numbers, like linkedin.com/in/john-doe-a5b3c2d1.

A clean, custom URL, on the other hand, looks polished and professional. It’s an easy win that reinforces your personal brand and shows you know your way around the platform.

How to Create a Clean, Professional LinkedIn URL

The good news is that customizing your URL takes less than a minute. You can do it right from your profile page.

It’s one of the simplest yet most effective tweaks you can make to your professional presentation.

When you land on your profile, you're looking for the "Edit public profile & URL" option in the top right corner. Clicking that will take you to the page where you can find the small pencil icon—that's your ticket to a much cleaner link.

Here's the quick rundown:

  • Go to your LinkedIn profile and click "View profile."

  • Look to the top right and select "Edit public profile & URL."

  • On the new page, you'll see an "Edit your custom URL" section on the right side.

  • Click the pencil icon, type in your new, professional URL, and hit "Save."

What If Your Name Is Already Taken?

With over a billion users on LinkedIn, there’s a very real chance linkedin.com/in/yourname is already gone. Don't panic and definitely don't just tack on random numbers. That defeats the whole purpose.

The visual difference between a default URL and a thoughtful, custom one is striking. It’s immediately obvious which one looks more credible to a hiring manager.

Let's look at a quick comparison.

Custom vs Default LinkedIn URL Examples

See the difference? One looks like an afterthought, while the other looks like a deliberate branding move.

If your name is taken, get a little creative while keeping it professional. Try one of these alternatives:

  • Add a middle initial: john-f-doe

  • Include your industry or a key credential: johndoe-cpa or johndoe-marketing

  • Use your city or region: johndoe-toronto

This small adjustment is more than just cosmetic; it's a crucial part of creating a resume that sails through modern hiring software. For a deeper dive into this, check out our complete guide on how to properly format an ATS-friendly resume.

Best Place to Put Your LinkedIn URL on a Resume

You’ve got your polished, custom URL ready to go. Now for the million-dollar question: where exactly on your resume does it belong? Don’t treat this as an afterthought. Where you place your LinkedIn URL on your resume is a strategic decision that directly impacts how easily recruiters and automated systems can find it.

The answer is simple: put it right in your contact header.

This is your resume’s prime real estate. It's the very first place a hiring manager looks to figure out who you are and how to get in touch. Placing your profile link alongside your name, phone number, and email makes it impossible to miss and incredibly easy to click.

Tips for Making Your LinkedIn Link Easy to Use

Pasting the raw URL is fine, but we can do better. For any digital version of your resume, like a PDF, using a clean, clickable hyperlink is the most professional move. It keeps your header looking sharp and removes any friction for the reader.

You’ve got a couple of great options here:

Honestly, either one works beautifully. The first option is tidy and professional. The second subtly reinforces your personal brand. The most important thing is that the link is active and clickable. For a deeper dive into why these small usability details are so critical, you can explore the latest job search statistics for 2024.

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Think of it this way: a clickable LinkedIn link in your header removes a barrier. Instead of making a recruiter go search for you, you’re inviting them to see your full professional story with a single click.

Given how dominant LinkedIn has become in hiring, this is a non-negotiable advantage. With 72% of recruiters using the platform to find and vet talent, and millions of hires made through it every year, you want to guide them directly to your profile.

These LinkedIn hiring statistics show just how much the platform shapes modern recruiting.

Your resume header is your first—and best—chance to make that connection effortless.

Make Sure Your Profile Is Ready Before You Share It

Putting your LinkedIn URL on a resume is a great move, but only if the profile you're linking to is ready for prime time.

Linking to a half-finished or outdated profile can do more harm than good—it sends a message of carelessness, not professionalism.

Before you even think about adding that link, you need to run your profile through a final pre-flight check. Your goal is to make sure it's an undeniable asset, not an overlooked liability.

Building a Profile That Tells Your Story

Start with the basics that create that critical first impression. This means a professional, high-quality headshot—not a cropped vacation photo—and a headline that packs a punch. Your headline needs to be more than just your current job title. Think of it as your professional elevator pitch, loaded with keywords describing your value.

A good example? "Senior Project Manager | PMP Certified | Driving Digital Transformation in SaaS." It tells recruiters who you are, what you do, and the value you bring in just a few words.

Next, dive into your "About" section. This is your chance to write a concise, keyword-rich narrative about your career journey. It should align perfectly with the story your resume tells but with more personality and context.

Then, audit your experience section. Do the dates, titles, and companies listed on your resume match up exactly with what's on LinkedIn? Even small discrepancies can look like red flags to a detail-oriented recruiter. For each role, make sure you're highlighting key achievements with bullet points, not just listing daily tasks.

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Think of your resume as the "what" and your LinkedIn profile as the "why" and "how." It's where you add color, context, and credibility to the facts presented on your resume.

Finally, let's talk social proof. A profile with zero endorsements or recommendations can feel a bit empty. It’s worth your time to proactively ask a few trusted colleagues or former managers to endorse your most relevant skills. Just a handful of endorsements adds a layer of credibility that self-proclaimed skills can’t match.

For some more advanced ideas, our guide offers 7 tips to optimize your LinkedIn profile that can really take it to the next level.

And remember, a truly powerful profile isn't a one-and-done project; it involves ongoing engagement. If you're serious about building authority in your field, you can learn more about developing an effective Content Strategy for LinkedIn. Once you’ve run through this checklist, your profile will be ready for recruiter scrutiny.

Common Mistakes to Avoid With Your LinkedIn URL

Putting your LinkedIn URL on your resume is a no-brainer. But some surprisingly small mistakes can completely sabotage your efforts, making you look sloppy or unprepared in a recruiter’s eyes. These aren't just simple typos; they're credibility killers.

One of the biggest blunders I see is linking to a private or restricted profile. A recruiter clicks your link, ready to be impressed, and instead hits a dead-end "profile not available" page. It’s an instant red flag. It wastes their time and immediately signals a lack of attention to detail. Always, always double-check your privacy settings to make sure your public profile is fully visible to non-connections.

Another classic mistake is a broken hyperlink. This happens all the time when you save your resume as a PDF and the link formatting breaks. Before you hit "send" on any application, test the final document. Click the link yourself. If it doesn't work, it's just as useless as not including one at all.

The Problem With Profile Inconsistencies

This is where things can get really damaging. Major inconsistencies between your resume and your LinkedIn profile don't just create confusion—they can completely erode a hiring manager's trust.

The details matter. A lot.

  • Employment Dates: Make sure the start and end dates for every single job are identical on both documents. Your resume can't say 2020-2023 while your LinkedIn says 2020-2022.

  • Job Titles: Use the exact same titles. "Marketing Lead" on your resume and "Marketing Manager" on LinkedIn looks messy and raises questions.

  • Company Names: Double-check that all company names are spelled and formatted the same way across the board.

These might feel like minor details, but to a recruiter scanning dozens of profiles, they scream carelessness. These are just some of the biggest resume mistakes you can make, and they are so easy to avoid with a quick review.

The goal is to present a unified, coherent professional story. Any conflict between your resume and your LinkedIn profile can fracture that narrative and raise unnecessary questions for a hiring manager.

Ultimately, including your LinkedIn URL on a resume is a massive advantage. According to a study by Standout CV, candidates who do it receive 71% more interviews. Yet, less than half of job seekers take this simple step.

Don't let these easily fixable errors stop you from capitalizing on such a powerful opportunity.

Q&A: Answering Your Questions About LinkedIn on Your Resume

Even with a solid plan, you'll run into small, nagging questions when you're trying to get your resume just right.

Let's clear up some of the most common things that trip people up when adding a LinkedIn URL to a resume.

Should I Include the 'https://' Part of the URL?

This is a tiny detail that makes a big difference in how polished you look. The answer depends on one thing: is the resume digital or printed?

For any digital version, like a PDF you email or upload, you absolutely want a clean, clickable hyperlink. This is non-negotiable. It looks professional and makes it effortless for a recruiter to check out your profile.

Do it like this:

However, if you're printing your resume for a career fair or an in-person interview, ditch the https://www.. The cleaner linkedin.com/in/yourname-specialty looks much neater on paper and is far easier for someone to type if they have to do it manually.

What if My Profile Is Incomplete or Inactive?

This is a critical point, so I'll be blunt: it is 100% better to leave your LinkedIn URL off your resume than to link to a sparse, outdated, or unprofessional profile. A weak profile doesn't just fail to help—it actively hurts your chances by raising red flags about your professionalism and attention to detail.

Think of your LinkedIn link as a promise you're making to the recruiter—a promise of more detail, context, and proof of your skills. If that profile is a ghost town, you've broken their trust before the conversation even starts.

Before you even think about adding that link, make sure you’ve invested the time to get it right. That means a professional headshot, a compelling headline, a detailed "About" section, and fully fleshed-out work experiences. A complete profile is a career asset; an incomplete one is a liability.

Is It a Good Idea to Put My LinkedIn URL on My Cover Letter?

Yes, absolutely. Putting your custom LinkedIn URL in your cover letter's contact header and even your email signature is a smart, strategic move. It reinforces your personal brand and creates a cohesive feel across all your application documents.

Doing this gives a hiring manager another convenient, low-effort chance to see your professional story in full. It’s a subtle but powerful signal that you understand how to manage your professional brand in a modern context.

Just as you might share your resume on your profile, you should share your profile on your resume. We actually have a whole guide on how to add a resume to your LinkedIn profile that dives into this. It's all part of building a professional story that makes you a much more compelling candidate.

Is it okay to include my LinkedIn URL if my profile isn’t complete?

No. Only include it if your profile is complete, professional, and up-to-date. A weak or outdated profile can hurt your chances more than help.

How does a LinkedIn URL help with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)?

ATS software can store and parse hyperlinks in your contact section. A properly formatted LinkedIn URL ensures recruiters can access your profile directly from the ATS.

Should I put my LinkedIn URL on my cover letter or email signature too?

Yes. Adding it to your cover letter header and email signature reinforces your brand and gives hiring managers multiple touchpoints to view your profile.

Can I use a shortened link (like Bitly) for my LinkedIn profile?

No. Recruiters prefer seeing the actual LinkedIn domain for trust and transparency. Use the official LinkedIn format.

Should I match my LinkedIn profile exactly to my resume?

Yes. Keep job titles, dates, and company names consistent across both to avoid raising doubts about accuracy.

How do I test if my LinkedIn link works before sending my resume?

Open the final PDF or Word document and click the link. Test it on both desktop and mobile to make sure it goes directly to your profile.

Author

Alex Khamis, CPRW

Alex Khamis is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and Managing Partner at Final Draft Resumes and Resumatic.


He has over six years of experience helping job seekers create compelling career narratives on top of 12 years of business and technical communications experience in the engineering industry.


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