Landing a job on LinkedIn isn’t as easy as it sounds. Unlike a resume, employers look at a whole lot more of your profile than just your past work experience.
One major part of your LinkedIn profile that employers check out is your headline. This is what helps catch their eye, showcase who you are, and serves as a 5-second elevator pitch.
Lucky for you, you don’t have to come up with this headline all on your own. Thanks to modern technology, a Linkedin headline generator can help you create an eye-catching one-liner for employers. Here’s how to use a LinkedIn generator the right way.
Let’s Start With the Basics: What Is a LinkedIn Headline?
Before we dive into LinkedIn headline generators, let’s take a second to talk about what a LinkedIn Headline actually is.
A LinkedIn headline is just a short blurb under your name on your LinkedIn profile. It can be up to 220 characters in length, so it really is a blurb! This is what sits right at the top of your profile, and any time your name appears on the platform, the blurb appears right along with it.
And yes, I really do mean anywhere on the platform. This includes LinkedIn searches, messages, posts, invitations to connect, job applications, recommendations, and in the list of people you might know.
Because the blurb appears in so many places, it’s what most people’s first impression of you is. Think of it like a 5-second elevator pitch. It’s also often what most hiring managers first look at, giving them an idea of whether to say “yeah” or “nay” to your profile.
The result is that having this blurb fully planned out is extra important if you’re going to be applying for jobs or if you want to make an impression on the platform.
One thing to note is that if you don’t come up with your own LinkedIn headline, the platform will automatically give you one. All they do is use your title and job position from your most recent company to give you a quick little blurb.
Why Does a LinkedIn Headline Matter?
As you now know, one major reason why your LinkedIn headline matters is that it appears everywhere on the platform. It serves as a first impression for people who are looking for your profile.
However, that’s not the only reason this headline matters. It’s also important because your LinkedIn headline actually shows up in Google search results. In other words, people will see it if even if they’re searching for you outside the LinkedIn platform.
It also matters for LinkedIn SEO. LinkedIn SERPs display profiles with certain keywords in them. One of the main places that LinkedIn pulls those keywords is from your headline, meaning that’s what helps determine when, where, and how often you show up in search results.
Tips for Writing a LinkedIn Headline
With the definitions out of the way, let’s get into the nitty gritty of LinkedIn headlines. If you’re going to craft a killer headline, there are really a few things you’ve got to keep in mind.
Let’s go over each of these tips to help you create a solid LinkedIn headline.
1. Think About Your Audience
The first thing to think about when developing a Linkedin headline is who your audience is. In general, on the LinkedIn platform, it’s other professionals that you want to network with or hiring managers.
When creating a headline, you want to use language that these individuals will understand. Make who you are clearly understandable from the get-go, and don’t leave any ambiguity. That way, searchers know right away who you are and what you offer.
For example, let’s say that you work in customer service. You’ll want to use terms in your headline that are geared toward people in this field. A couple of terms you might want to think about include:
- Customer support
- Customer service
- Client experience specialist
2. Have a Unique Selling Proposition
The next thing to think about with your LinkedIn headline is how to make it unique. Everyone has their own unique selling proposition, or what makes them stand out.
Although the headline is only a few characters, you can still make yourself stand out. Be specific in who you are and what you do. For instance, going off the customer support example, try to make what you do clear. If you work in retail, add that to your intro! Or, if you’re in IT, add that instead!
Here are a few examples of what I mean:
- IT Customer Support Specialist
- SEM Customer Support Agent
- Live Chat and Phone Specialist
- Networking Support Agent
3. Don’t Go Overboard
One thing that I often see in LinkedIn headlines is people claiming to be ‘experts.’ Now, if you really are an expert with multiple certifications and credentials to your name, that might be fine to use. However, if you’re just an average Joe trying to sound impressive, it’s not usually the way to go.
Using hyperbolic terms like these comes across as arrogant and unrealistic. They also don’t actually give any valuable information about the type of experience you have. Try to avoid these types of hyperbolic statements and stick to the facts.
On the other hand, you’re welcome to throw in certifications that you might have. For example, if you have an MBA, feel free to add that! This is much more descriptive and credible than just saying ‘Expert’ in front of your headline.
4. Don’t Forget the Keywords
Remember how I mentioned LinkedIn SEO? Well, as with any kind of SEO, keywords are a big part of it.
Although you don’t want your LinkedIn headline to be all SEO and no substance, you do want to keep the keywords in mind.
Using terms that recruiters are searching for or common job titles can help you show up more in LinkedIn searches. This improves your visibility and ups the chances of a recruiter reaching out to you.
How to Use a LinkedIn Headline Generator to Make a Great Intro
While those tips can help you craft your own LinkedIn headline, sometimes the task can still seem daunting. The good news is that this is where a LinkedIn headline generator comes in.
These generators are basically computer systems where you plug in your details and the software does the work for you! All you have to do is fill in a couple of boxes on a form and the generator will craft a headline that’s eye-catching, accurate, and professional.
Then, you can canopy and paste the headline into your profile to start attracting recruiters and new networking contacts.
The 3 Best LinkedIn Headline Generators
If the idea of using a LinkedIn headline generator is appealing to you, don’t worry. I’m pretty lazy, so I love generators that will come up with witty bylines for me. Plus, as someone who’s been on the LinkedIn platform for a while, I know a thing or two about writing good bylines.
To help make your job easier, I’ve gone through several popular LinkedIn generators and picked a few of my favorites for you. That way, it’s easier for you to come up with a great headline!
1. BAMF
Of all the headline generators out there, BAMF is by far my favorite. When you first land on the page, there’s no nonsense to worry about. No ads popping up, no text to scroll through, and no need to sign up for the platform.
The generator has an intuitive form that you fill out, giving it details like:
- Your job title
- Your mission statement
- Any achievements or certifications
- A personal touch
Then, you submit all those details and the platform quickly whips up a great one-liner! Here’s an example that it came up with for me:
CEO at the Travel Cast . Person Brand Builder . Founder of The Travel Cast . Podcast Host
2. Picsart
Picsart is a much simpler LinkedIn headline generator than BAMF. This generator has just four boxes for you to fill out before hitting the generator button.
What I like about this generator is that it asks you to choose a tone. This is a nice feature because it helps give some personality to your headline while also keeping things professional.
Here’s an example headline that it generated for me:
As a Coffee Shop Manager, I bring experience as a 10-time Coffee Master Competition winner & am Coffee Tasting Certified. My passion for quality and excellence sets me apart.
3. Neural Text
The last headline generator is Neural Text. Like the other two, for this generator, you don’t need to sign up for any kind of account.
On top of that, this particular generator doesn’t involve a ton of inputs. Instead, all you have to do is write 2-3 sentences about what you do and then the software turns it into a short blurb!
Here’s a quick example of a blurb I got from this particular generator:
Content Writing Expertise | 3+ Years of Boosting Business Growth 📈 Marketing Manager
Final Thoughts
A good LinkedIn headline is often the difference between an employer choosing you or the next guy. It’s what gives an instant first impression and lets people know what you’re about, what you’re looking for, and what you’re like to work with.
That’s why it’s important to create a headline with a strong USP, that caters to your target audience, and that includes keywords.
The good news is that thanks to LinkedIn headline generators, you don’t have to come up with all that yourself. Although there are quite a few generators out there, my top pick is BAMF. It gets the job done, lets you personalize your headline, and doesn’t use kitschy emojis.
Whether you use this LinkedIn headline generator or come up with one on your own, however, I’m confident that you’re ready to start pulling in hiring managers. Good luck!
