Short answer, YES! Resumes are still needed when applying to jobs online. Even when the company gives you the option of applying with your LinkedIn Profile. And your LinkedIn Profile isn’t going to have all the responsibilities and successes for each area of your expertise. Do you know why? You are only allowed 2,000 characters in the job summary field and if you have a few years at that job, you should have more achievements than 2,000 characters can shine light on.
So, keep that resume updated yearly, so you won’t miss that awesome achievement you had a few years back. It’s also a great tool for you to use when updating your LinkedIn profile, creating your personal brand statement, and getting ready to go to your annual review meeting. Now, cover letters…that’s another answer for another day.