University admissions officers are eager to get to know prospective students, and advise and guide them on their Master’s application journey. That is why university websites and education event platforms encourage or even require prospective applicants to create a profile, upload their CV or resume, or share the link to their LinkedIn profile. How to choose among these options.
CV, resume, and LinkedIn
A CV, resume, and LinkedIn profile each have unique roles in your academic and career progression. They differ in several ways. The CV and resume are static documents, while LinkedIn is a dynamic platform for networking and personal branding. As the names suggest, the Curriculum Vitae (CV) is longer, while the resume is shorter and focused. The CV can be several pages. The resume should be one page and a half, while LinkedIn has no volume limitations. The CV and resume also differ in design and structure. Understanding these differences helps you make the most of each tool, ensuring your academic and professional story reaches the right audience in the right way.
Initial communication with universities
At the initial stages of communication with universities or business schools, you can use a format of your choice – a CV or a resume. However, you must tailor the information for each university because they are all different, and have specific requirements, university culture, and a unique mix of students. Highlight academic work, skillset, and achievements demonstrating your potential for graduate school studies in the desired field. Highlight academic, professional, and community experiences, volunteering and hobbies that make your profile unique and contribute to the university.
Master’s education event and platform profiles
Exploring universities and programme options will take you to education and study abroad events or university selection platforms. To make the most of these opportunities, build a custom Master’s candidate profile on their websites or apps. In most cases, you can add a link to your LinkedIn profile or upload a CV/resume.
Ensure your Master’s event or platform profile is as impressive as your LinkedIn, CV or resume. It will be reviewed by Master’s consultants or university admissions officers. It makes a difference when you upload a professional photo in addition to listing all relevant achievements, experiences, and Master’s study preferences.
Master’s application for admission
When submitting your official Master’s application documents, the university will guide you on the preferred format – a CV or a resume. The CV has different formats, e.g. the Europass is commonly used in Europe. A link to your LinkedIn profile may also be required, but even if not, include it in your CV or resume. The facts, dates, and numbers on your LinkedIn profile, CV, and resume must be consistent.
LinkedIn and other social media profiles
Differentiate between personal and professional social media activity. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is a professional network, so keep personal content and activity to other social media channels of your choice.
However, if you have a social media profile that demonstrates your academic and professional achievements, make sure you provide a link to it in your CV or resume. Some examples are a YouTube channel where you publish your content in the desired field of study, an Instagram profile with your creatives, design, and marketing materials, or a portfolio on a professional platform.
Building a focused and informative profile will put you in the spotlight of university admissions officers and Master’s consultants. Their role is to advise and guide you to admission to the programmes and universities that are the best fit for you.
About the author
Iliana Bobova is a seasoned international education and career coach. In addition to writing articles, she has been the Chief Editor of the annual Access Masters, MBA and EMBA Guide for the past 10 years. She also advises prospective MBA and Master’s students globally during the Access Masters, MBA and EMBA events of Advent Group. Iliana has gained expertise at Harvard University, the International Association of International Education (EAIE), the Institute of International Education (IIE), NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Global Career Development Facilitator, and Randstad RiseSmart, among others.
