Lost Your Resume's Original Word File? Update the PDF Directly

A new computer, a lost original Word file, or a resume that only ever existed as a PDF template to begin with — in any of these situations, "just update my resume" turns out to stall right at "there's no editable source file." The good news is you can skip that step entirely and edit the PDF directly.

Updating work experience or skills

Open LocalPDF, use the "Edit Original Content" tool to click whatever text needs changing — your most recent job's end date, a new skill, a reworded job description — and type over it directly; size and color carry over automatically. See our article on editing original text in a PDF for details.

Swapping your resume photo

If your resume has an outdated photo, use the same "Edit Original Content" tool to click the existing photo — a "Replace Image" button appears, and choosing a new photo automatically fits it into the original position and size, no manual re-layout needed.

Reordering content

Want your most recent job moved further up the page? For repositioning a whole block of content, highlight or box the area first to keep track of what you're moving, since the content itself still needs to be placed section by section. If you just want to reorder entire pages (moving a portfolio page earlier, say), drag it directly in the thumbnail panel.

Adding something new

Want to add a new certification or project line? Use the "Text" tool to add it in the right blank space, matching size and color to the surrounding text by eye.

After you're done

Save the updated version under a new filename (adding the update date, say) — it makes it easy to tell apart versions sent to different companies, and to find an older version if you ever need to roll back.