Did you create your resume using a Microsoft Word template? Stop right there. Really. Stop. Please.

I’ve been using LinkedIn (sign up if you haven’t already!) for quite a while to keep track of my academic and professional history and while I frequently send people there to check out my qualifications, I always kept my resume up-to-date saved somewhere on my desktop. I use Apple’s iWork which has some cool resume templates but the hassle of keeping it up to date still exists.

Today I was on LinkedIn and I discovered you can export your LinkedIn profile to a print-friendly PDF version to use as a resume. This is great because you can print a copy today, make a change to LinkedIn next week and print a new, up-to-date copy. It will not be the most beautiful resume you’ve ever seen but it looks much nicer than many of the resumes I’ve seen others try to pass off.

LinkedIn does throw their logo on the bottom of the resume but its a small price to pay for having your own “living document” and it provides a way for you to direct any resume readers to your LinkedIn page to view recommendations and extend your own personal network.