If you don’t want to be noticed, don’t bother with a LinkedIn headline, or at least not one that shows the world who you are and what you are about. Conversely, crafting a killer headline is a no-brainer if you want to stand out on a platform with almost a billion users.
Are you interested in being in your profession’s top LinkedIn search results? Read on!
In this post, you’ll learn why your LinkedIn headline is so critical and how to optimize it for maximum impact.
The headline is fairly straightforward to write, but it’s also easy to dismiss. That’s why it’s so crucial to craft it flawlessly. Optimizing your entire profile on LinkedIn is critical, but not all LinkedIn parts are created equal.
Why Is the Headline So Important?
Your photo and headline are the two most vital parts of your profile. The reason is that they are the only two items shown in a returned search result. Recruiters and hiring managers quickly skim the search results and only select those with a captivating headline and/or photo.
Your headline is like your shadow – it follows you everywhere. Among these are linkedIn searches, messages, posts, invitations to connect, job applications, recommendations, and the list of people you might know.
Your LinkedIn profile summary may be incredible. However, despite having a great LinkedIn summary, what good is it if you don’t appear in LinkedIn search results? Unfortunately, managers aren’t that patient and will only skim your headline. It has to be compelling – so let’s ensure you nail it!
LinkedIn headlines communicate who you are, what you do, and whether you are a good candidate. It is critical real estate located under your name, stretching across the top page, and seen everywhere.
Do You Know What LinkedIn Does Automatically?
LinkedIn will update your headline if you fail to keep it updated. How? By pulling your most recent job title and company from the Experience section. So recruiters will keep scrolling if you have an obscure job title and work for a company unfamiliar to most.
NOTE: If you only receive a few profile views, the first thing to change is your headline.
You have 220 characters to create your one-liner resume. Make them count!
How To Change Your Headline
Log into LinkedIn and:
- Click the Me icon
- View Profile
- Click the Edit icon
- In the Headline field, write your Headline and SAVE
LinkedIn Headlines: How to Write a Great One
Display Your Value Message
Consider what would prompt a hiring manager or client to click on your profile.
Put your focus on what you can do for a potential client or customer rather than awards, achievements, or fancy titles.
Good Proposition: Auditor at Ernst & Young | Billing and Collections Consultant | Financial Planning Analyst
Bad Proposition: Auditor at Ernst & Young
Target a Specific Audience
Make your headline stand out to the audience you wish to target. Incorporate any or all of the following in your headline:
- Job title
- Expertise and the value you provide
- Hard skills
- Certifications
- Affiliations
- Location
- Big achievements
- Personal Values
Keywords That Work
Strategically select your keywords so that you actually appear in a large sea of similarity. What‘s your secret sauce? What makes you unique?
Kris Burnett, Cost Accountant at BG Products, created a brilliant idea for making this work best:
- Look for job postings for positions you would like to hold. They don’t have to be local-they just need to describe the kind of job you would like.
- Use wordcounter.net or a similar tool to count the words in these job postings. You’re looking for the keywords or phrases that are most commonly used.
- Decide which ones apply to you.
- Your LinkedIn headline should begin with your current job title. Add a separator (e.g., |, -) and one or more keywords.
- Continue adding separators and keywords until you’ve used up the available space.
This method covers every keyword recruiters, or potential clients look for, from job titles to industry-specific terms.
Utilize LinkedIn Optimization Tool
The LinkedIn Optimization tool from Jobscan analyses your LinkedIn headline for free to determine whether it contains the right keywords.
- Sign in to your LinkedIn account.
- Save your profile as a PDF by clicking the “More” button.
- Click “Connect with LinkedIn” in the LinkedIn Optimization tool and log into your LinkedIn account.
- On the next screen, upload the resume you created from your profile.
- Once you’ve pasted the job descriptions you want to compare your profile to, you’ll see a report filled with tips and insights on optimizing your LinkedIn profile based on those descriptions.
How Not To Write Your LinkedIn Headline
There are a few things to avoid in writing your headline. They are:
- Overcapitalization
- Bragging
- Topics of controversy
- Emoji overload
- Misspellings and grammatical errors
- Capitalizing everything
- Ignoring the headline section
- Cryptic words
- Uncommon abbreviations
- Using inappropriate language
Summary
In a world of endless scrolling and fleeting attention spans, a compelling headline can be the difference between getting noticed or being lost in the noise. Crafting a powerful LinkedIn headline requires creativity, integrity, and strategic thinking. Remember, your headline is your virtual handshake, the chance to leave an indelible impression. So, embrace the art of the headline, unleash your unique value proposition, and watch as your LinkedIn presence radiates, attracting connections, opportunities, and achievement. Choosing the right headline can open doors that you did not think possible. Be bold, be memorable, and be yourself.