Your LinkedIn Profile and Resume Are NOT the Same Thing

(And Here's Why That Matters)

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Welcome to issue #077 of LinkedIn Unlocked. Twice a week, I share practical, unfiltered advice for free to help senior executives land their next role—faster, and without wasting time on strategies that don't work.

I've spent 20 years in the medical devices industry, including 5 at the C-level.

Today, I lead the global life sciences practice at one of the top 10 executive search firms worldwide. I know exactly how headhunters use LinkedIn—because I do it every day.

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"Kristof, should my LinkedIn profile match my resume exactly?"

The answer is absolutely not.

And if you've been treating them as identical twins, you've been shooting yourself in the foot for months.

Let me explain why these two documents serve completely different purposes—and how understanding this distinction will transform your executive job search.

The Fatal Mistake 95% of Executives Make

Most executives copy-paste their resume into LinkedIn and call it a day.

Big mistake.

Your resume gets seen AFTER someone finds you. Your LinkedIn profile? It's working 24/7 to get you discovered in the first place.

Think about it this way: your LinkedIn profile is your storefront window. Your resume is the detailed product catalog you hand over once someone walks inside.

If your storefront doesn't attract the right customers, your catalog never gets read.

Here's What Actually Happens in Executive Search

When I get a new search assignment, I don't start by reading resumes.

I open LinkedIn Recruiter and type specific keywords into the search bar.

"Chief Financial Officer" "SaaS" "M&A Integration" "EMEA"

The algorithm ranks profiles based on keyword matches and shows me the top results.

If your profile doesn't contain these exact terms, you don't appear in my search.

Simple as that.

Your beautifully crafted resume sits in a folder somewhere, completely irrelevant to this process.

The Framework That Changes Everything

I've broken down exactly how these two tools differ across every dimension that matters.

Look at this comparison—it's eye-opening:

This table reveals why your current approach is probably failing.

🧠 If you want to speed up your job search book a strategy call with me here →

The Real-World Impact

Last month, I worked with Maria, a VP of Operations who'd been job searching for eight months.

Her resume was impressive—clear achievements, strong metrics, perfect formatting.

But her LinkedIn profile? Disaster.

• Generic headline: "Experienced Operations Leader"

• Sparse About section: Three sentences about her "passion for excellence"

• Missing keywords: No mention of "supply chain," "lean manufacturing," or "cost reduction"

Here's what we changed based on the framework above:

LinkedIn Profile (Discovery Tool):

• Headline: "Vice President of Operations | Global | Manufacturing | Supply Chain Optimization | Cost Reduction"

• Packed Skills section with 100 searchable terms

• About section loaded with industry keywords

• Standardized job titles that match recruiter searches

Resume (Selection Tool):

• Tailored to specific opportunities

• Led with quantified scope and achievements

• Included exact internal titles with context

• Dense, results-focused content

Within 48 hours of fixing her LinkedIn profile, she received her first recruiter message.

By week two, three different search firms had reached out.

Same qualifications. Same resume. Different visibility strategy.

Why This Distinction Is Critical

Look at the "Contact Pathway" row in the table.

• LinkedIn: InMail, direct messages, recruiter tools, Open to Work

• Resume: Direct contact details

This tells you everything about sequence.

Recruiters find you on LinkedIn first. They contact you there. Only then do they ask for your resume.

If you're invisible on LinkedIn, your resume never gets requested.

Your Action Plan for This Week

Stop treating your LinkedIn profile and resume as identical documents.

For your LinkedIn profile (Discovery):

1. Pack your headline with searchable keywords

2. Use standardized job titles recruiters actually search for

3. Fill all 100 Skills slots with technical competencies

4. Write your About section like a database entry, not a story

For your resume (Selection):

1. Tailor the content to each specific opportunity (quick tip: use tealhq.com to make it yourself easy)

2. Lead with quantified achievements and scope

3. Include exact role titles and context

4. Focus on proving fit, not getting discovered

The Bottom Line

Your LinkedIn profile gets you found. Your resume gets you hired.

The table above shows you exactly how to optimize each tool for its specific purpose.

The executives who understand this distinction move through the job market faster, with better opportunities, and less frustration.

Those who don't? They keep wondering why qualified candidates with similar backgrounds are getting the calls they should be receiving.

Which group do you want to be in?

Have a great weekend,

Kristof

P.S. Want the complete system for optimizing both your LinkedIn profile and resume strategy? My LinkedIn Optimization for Executives course shows you exactly how to make yourself discoverable to headhunters. Stop letting perfect qualifications go unnoticed.