Alex Ruben
How To Remove Your Resume from LinkedIn
Okay, so you want to get rid of an old resume on LinkedIn. Honestly, it’s usually not that complicated, but sometimes the app or website just won’t cooperate. You’d think it’d be straightforward, but of course, LinkedIn’s interface can be a little… quirky. Anyway, here’s what’s worked over time, and some tips to avoid dead ends.
Step 1: Open LinkedIn and get to your profile
First things first, fire up the LinkedIn app or go to the website. Log in if you aren’t already. On desktop, it’s usually easier to do this through the browser, but the mobile app works too. Make sure you’re on your profile page—that’s the main thing. Sometimes, toggling between app and web helps if things aren’t syncing right.
Step 2: Find the ‘Add profile section’ or ‘Edit your profile’
On desktop, click on your profile photo or name to get to your profile page. There’s usually a big “pencil” icon near your profile picture or the sections you want to edit. But here’s the tricky part: unlike earlier versions, resumés aren’t exactly a dedicated section anymore. Instead, it’s buried under ‘Featured’ or ‘Job Preferences’. On mobile, tap the ‘View Profile’ button, then find the ‘Pencil’ icon.
Some folks find that on newer LinkedIn layouts, resumes are tied to the ‘Job Preferences’ section. If you can’t spot a dedicated resume, look there. Ah, and don’t forget—if you’re on the mobile app, it can be a little fiddly to get to the right spot, so switching to the web version might make things easier.
Step 3: Locate the resume or uploaded document
In the Job Preferences or Featured section, look for your uploaded resume. Sometimes, LinkedIn shows a thumbnail or label like ‘My Resume’. If you see an icon or a link titled ‘Resume,’ click on it. That’s usually where the magic happens.
If in doubt, check the ‘Settings & Privacy’ area, specifically under ‘Data Privacy’ or ‘Download and Delete Data’. Might be an indirect route, but some users have found that from the privacy settings, they can control what info gets shared or stored, including resumes.
Step 4: Remove or delete your resume
Next, click the three-dot menu (⋮) or an ‘Edit’ button next to the resume. Here’s where the inconsistent experience kicks in—sometimes the ‘Delete’ option pops right up; other times, you have to select ‘Remove’ or ‘Unshare’. On some setups, clicking the resume opens a preview with a ‘Delete’ button right there. Not sure why it works one way on one machine and differently elsewhere, but that’s the way it is.
If pressing delete doesn’t do anything, try logging out and back in, or clearing app cache. Sometimes, LinkedIn just refuses to update right away due to stale session data. Oh, and make sure you’ve got a solid internet connection—no half-assed Wi-Fi dropping out mid-delete.
Step 5: Confirm the removal
After hitting delete, you should get a confirmation prompt—something like “Are you sure you want to remove this resume?” Confirm it. Then, revisit the ‘My Qualifications’ or ‘Featured’ to verify it’s gone. If it’s still there, repeat the process but also check if there’s an alternative location the resume might be stored—like in the ‘Media’ section. Some people report that deleting from the profile doesn’t always clear the data everywhere, especially if you’ve linked your resume to a job post or a career page.
Additional tips & common issues
Here’s a couple of things that might trip you up:
- Make sure your app or browser is up to date—outdated versions can mess with options showing up.
- If nothing happens, try logging out, restarting the device, then logging back in. Sometimes, the app just needs a fresh start.
- For desktop users, try clearing cache or cookies if the delete options seem broken. Sometimes, a tucked-away bug causes this weirdness.
- On some setups, toggling off the ‘Share Resume Data’ in Settings & Privacy → Data Privacy can help ensure the upload disappears on the backend, even if the UI still shows it.
And yes, because of course, LinkedIn has to make it more complicated than it should be.
Summary
- Check where your resume is stored—profile, Featured, Job Preferences
- Use the three-dot menu or edit options to delete or unshare
- Clear app cache or log out if things get stubborn
- Verify removal by revisiting the profile summary or qualifications
Fingers crossed this helps. On some versions, it takes a couple of tries or a quick app restart to get it to stick — but usually, after you do it once or twice, it’s a smooth sail. At least, that’s how it’s gone for me and a few others.