I often hear the opinion that a CV is outdated and that a LinkedIn profile is all candidates really need. That may be true in some parts of the world, so why shouldn’t it work here as well?

I don’t want to claim that without a traditional CV you have no chance in a hiring process. There are plenty of companies whose HR teams can work solely with a LinkedIn profile and won’t even ask you for a CV. However, the job market still has many employers who run recruitment in the classic way – meaning you won’t even be considered without submitting a CV.

Beyond the capital

Let’s leave Prague behind and look at how recruitment works in medium-sized and smaller companies outside the main city. For example, take a Czech manufacturing company in the West Bohemian region. It’s been on the market for over 25 years, employs 60 people, and has very low staff turnover – hiring just 1 or 2 employees a year. The company has a solid product, invests in production technology, and is currently searching for a new production director.

Although they do have an internal HR team, the managing director wants to personally review all applications – and he doesn’t use LinkedIn. They post a job ad with instructions to send a CV to an email address, or they contact a recruitment agency to find suitable candidates and forward their CVs. Of course, you could ignore the request and just send a LinkedIn link instead, but a better approach is to comply and put effort into preparing a CV. This considerate step might be what gets you invited for a personal interview.

Bottom line

Keep in mind there are industries and regions where you may not need a CV. But there are still many fields and employers where you won’t even get to the interview stage without one.

My recommendation is simple: focus on the needs and preferences of your potential employer and be flexible. Relying solely on your LinkedIn profile won’t always work, everywhere.