Update your resume section by section without starting over

LinkedIn lets you change your resume—called your profile—one section at a time. You do not have to delete everything and rebuild from scratch. You can edit your work history, add skills, update your headline, or change your photo whenever something changes in your career. The edits go live when ready, so anyone viewing your profile sees the current version right away.

The fastest way is to go to your profile, find the section you want to change, and click the pencil icon next to it. LinkedIn will open an editing box where you type or paste new information. When you click Save, that section updates. You can do this from a phone or computer, though a computer screen makes it easier to see what you are editing.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the pencil icon next to any section of your profile to edit it without touching the rest of your resume.
  • Your headline, work history, and skills sections update when ready and are visible to anyone viewing your profile.
  • You can upload a PDF resume file to your profile, but LinkedIn also lets you build your work history directly in the profile itself.
  • Changing your profile photo, headline, or job title triggers a notification to your network, so make updates when you are ready for people to notice.
  • LinkedIn saves your changes automatically, so you do not have to worry about losing edits if you close the browser.

Edit your headline and about section

Your headline is the line that appears under your name. By default, LinkedIn fills it with your current job title and company, but you can change it to anything you want—a summary of what you do, what you are looking for, or a combination. To edit it, click on your profile photo in the top left corner, then click View Profile. Find your name and headline at the top, and click the pencil icon next to your headline.

The About section is where you write a few sentences about yourself, your experience, or what you are looking for. Click the pencil icon next to About to open the editing box. You can paste text from another document, but LinkedIn limits this section to 2,600 characters, so keep it focused. When you finish, click Save.

Update your work history and job titles

To change a job you already listed, scroll down to the Experience section and hover over the job title. A pencil icon will appear on the right side of that job entry. Click it to open the editing box. You can change the job title, company name, dates you worked there, location, or the description of what you did.

If you want to add a new job, click the plus icon at the top of the Experience section. Fill in the company name, job title, employment type (full-time, part-time, contract, and so on), location, and dates. You can also add a description of your responsibilities. LinkedIn will suggest your company name as you type, so you can click the match instead of typing it all out. When you are done, click Save.

If you want to remove a job entirely, click the pencil icon next to it, then scroll to the bottom of the editing box and click Delete. LinkedIn will ask you to confirm before it removes the entry.

Add or change skills and endorsements

Scroll down to the Skills section. You will see skills you have already added, and a box that says Add a skill. Click that box and type the name of a skill—for example, "Project Management" or "Python". LinkedIn will show you matching skills as you type. Click the one you want, and it gets added to your list. You can add as many skills as you want.

To remove a skill, click the X next to it. To change the order of your skills so the most important ones appear first, click the pencil icon next to the Skills heading, then drag skills up or down. Your top three skills are the ones people see first, so put the ones that matter most for the jobs you want at the top.

Endorsements are when other people click a button to say you have a skill. You cannot add endorsements yourself, but you can hide ones you do not want to show. Click the pencil icon next to Skills, find the skill you want to hide, and click the eye icon next to it to turn off visibility.

Upload or link a resume file

LinkedIn lets you upload a PDF or Word document resume to your profile. Scroll to the top of your profile and click the pencil icon next to your profile photo. Look for a section called Resume or Media, and click Add resume. Choose a file from your computer and upload it. The file will appear on your profile so recruiters can read it.

You do not have to upload a file—many people just keep their work history and skills updated directly in LinkedIn instead. If you do upload a file, make sure it matches what is in your profile sections, because recruiters will see both. If your uploaded resume says you worked somewhere from 2018 to 2020 but your Experience section says 2017 to 2021, that looks like a mistake.

Change your profile photo and background image

Click on your profile photo in the top left corner, then click View Profile. Click the camera icon on your profile photo to change it. You can upload a new photo from your computer, take a photo with your camera, or choose from photos you have already uploaded. LinkedIn recommends a clear headshot with good lighting and a plain background.

To change your background image (the banner behind your name), click the camera icon on the background image itself. You can upload a custom image or choose from LinkedIn's templates. When you change your photo or background, your network gets a notification, so only do this when you are ready for people to notice the change.

Control who sees your changes

By default, everyone can see your profile and all the changes you make to it. If you want to limit visibility, click the pencil icon next to your profile photo and look for Privacy settings. You can set your profile to Private (only people you know can see it), or Public (anyone can see it). You can also hide specific sections—for example, you might hide your phone number or email address from public view while keeping your work history visible.

When you change your job title, headline, or profile photo, LinkedIn notifies your connections. If you want to make changes without alerting people, do it when you are comfortable with the attention. There is no way to hide the notification once you save the change, so think about timing if you are job hunting and do not want your current employer to notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does LinkedIn notify people when I update my resume?

LinkedIn notifies your connections when you change your profile photo, headline, or job title. Other changes like updating your skills or adding a new job do not trigger notifications. If you want to avoid alerting your network, make smaller edits to sections that do not send notifications.

Can I undo a change I made to my profile?

LinkedIn does not have an undo button, but you can edit the section again and change it back. If you deleted a job or skill by mistake, you can add it back by clicking the plus icon and filling in the information again. LinkedIn does not keep a version history of your profile.

What happens if I upload a resume file and also fill in my work history?

Both will show on your profile. Recruiters can see your work history sections and also read your uploaded resume file. Make sure they match so you do not look inconsistent. If you update one, update the other so they stay in sync.

Can I make my profile private so only certain people see my changes?

Yes. Click the pencil icon next to your profile photo and look for Privacy settings. You can set your entire profile to Private, which means only people you have connected with can view it. You can also hide specific sections like your email or phone number while keeping your work history public.

How long does it take for changes to show up on my profile?

Changes save when ready. When you click Save, the update goes live right away and anyone viewing your profile will see the new information. There is no waiting period or approval process.