Post Your Resume Online: Benefits, How To and Tips

Updated May 26, 2023

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When applying for a job, it's important for your resume to get a lot of visibility. The more potential employers who see your resume, the better your chances of successfully finding a new position, and one simple way to accomplish that is to post your resume online. Once your resume is well-designed, optimized and of high quality, you can post it to multiple job websites for increased visibility.In this article, we explore the benefits and best practices for posting your resume online.

Benefits of posting your resume online

Posting your resume online increases the chances of a recruiter or hiring manager finding you. While applying for jobs online is a strong start, your completed job application often only reaches the one hiring manager for that specific position.Alternatively, when you post your resume online, multiple hiring managers may browse your resume as they search for potential applicants. Most companies have moved their hiring process online and search large databases on job websites for prospective candidates. As virtual networking and remote work become increasingly popular, posting your resume online helps employers contact you directly about job opportunities.

When should you post your resume online?

Post your resume online when you are confident it's well-designed and of high quality. When posting your resume online, the quality of your resume is more important than the number of websites you post it to. In today's online job search atmosphere, it's the well-written and highly optimized resumes that are more likely to get the attention of recruiters and hiring managers, regardless of the number of job websites they're on.Take the time to improve your resume by reviewing resume writing tips, considering a resume writing service and proofreading before posting it online.Related: 10 Resume Writing Tips to Help You Land a Job

Where can you post your resume online?

There are many job sites online where you can post your resume, such as Indeed. The type of job you're searching for may help determine which job websites to post your resume to. Search for and review as many job websites as you can, focusing on both the most popular job websites and smaller, more industry-specific websites. Take into consideration the reputation, quality and size of the website, the number of jobs posted on the site, the networking capabilities of the website and whether the site caters to a wide variety of employers and your area of specialty.Here are some examples of different job websites to explore:

Niche or specialty job websites
Professional association websites
Company websites
Regional job websites
Aggregator sites that combine search results from multiple sources, like Indeed

How to post your resume online

You most likely need to upload your resume in order to post it to a job website. While each job website may have slightly different requirements, the following directions can help you with uploading a resume as a document:

Create an account with the job website.
Save your resume in an accepted format, such as PDF or .docx.
Click the upload button.
Select the correct resume file in the correct format.
Click the upload button again.
Save your progress if possible.

Some job websites may ask you to copy and paste sections of your resume directly onto their website. If this is the case, the following steps can help you copy your resume into a website's resume format:

Create an account with the job website.
Open your resume document.
Copy and paste the correct sections from your resume onto the website.
Double-check that all your information and its format are pasted correctly.
Avoid leaving any requested sections on the website blank.
Save your progress as you go until you complete all the sections.

Related: How To Post a Resume on Indeed

Tips for posting your resume online

When showcasing your resume online, you may find the following tips helpful:

Only post your resume to reputable sites. You can reduce the risk of spammers getting your personal information if you only post to reputable job websites.
Keep a general resume to use as your default resume. This provides you with a ready-to-use default resume with your most relevant skills and qualifications.
When posting to industry-specific or job-specific websites, tailor your resume accordingly. If possible, tailor your resume to specific jobs, companies or industry-specific websites to make it more appealing. Tailoring your resume helps hiring managers who are searching for a specific keyword or skill find your resume.
If possible, set your resume to searchable. Most job websites give you the option to make your resume searchable or not searchable. If you make your resume setting searchable, it becomes visible to employers actively searching for candidates.
Take advantage of skills assessments or additional features the job website may provide. Taking part in the extra features a job website offers can help to boost your profile, such as showcasing your skills with skill assessments or getting endorsements from past coworkers.
Routinely update your resume with recent information, such as skills, certifications or promotions. Providing recruiters and hiring managers with the most up-to-date information about your qualifications can increase your chance of success.

Get interview-ready with tips from Indeed

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FAQ about posting resumes online

Here are some frequently asked questions about posting your resume online:

Should I stop applying for jobs once I post my resume online?

It's best to keep applying for specific jobs, even though you posted your resume online. While recruiters and hiring managers can browse your resume, you can keep actively applying to as many jobs as you qualify for.

Is my personal information safe to post online?

Check each website's terms and conditions to see who has access to your resume. The website should state that it blocks out your personal information, like your address, phone number and email, only sharing it with potential employers you respond to or apply with.

Do I really need a resume if I've created a profile?

Many job websites let you create a comprehensive profile that includes much of the same information you may have on your resume. Although your profile may include a lot of the same information, it's still helpful to have a high-quality resume document that you can send to inquiring employers.