The 10 Best LinkedIn Headlines For Job Seekers ( with Examples)

Getting noticed (and getting interviews) on LinkedIn starts with your headline. It’s the FIRST thing people see after your name… …When you comment on a post… When you appear in search results (and recruiters are searching LinkedIn CONSTANTLY)… Or when a hiring manager checks out your profile before interviewing you.

>> And a lot of hiring managers view your profile even if you didn’t apply via LinkedIn!

So you really need to make a good impression. In this article, we’ll look at examples of the best LinkedIn headlines for job seekers, and how to write your own.

The Best LinkedIn Headlines for Job Seekers

The best LinkedIn headlines for your job hunt have a few things in common. They will:

1. Show your skills and expertise (what do you do?)
2. Communicate the value you bring to a new employer (why should they care?)
3. Include at least one keyword/phrase for the type of job you want
4. (Optional) Show something unique to make your LinkedIn profile stand out – Maybe it’s a specific accomplishment. Or an award. Maybe it’s a passion or a hobby. You’ll see some examples of this coming up.

Let’s jump into examples of LinkedIn headlines for job seekers now, with 10 formulas you can use to write your own headline and get more interviews…

Headline Formula 1:

Role| Specific Achievement

Headline Examples:

B2B Inside Sales Rep | $2.4MM generated in 2018

Digital Ads Manager | 5 Years Experience Managing 7-figure ad budgets

This is a great LinkedIn headline for job seekers who have past results they can quantify.

…And don’t write this off just because you’re not in sales!

There’s usually a way to quantify your work in ANY role if you take the time to think about it.

For example… if you’re a writer, how many pieces of content did you create?

If you’re in tech support, how many users did you help per week? Or how many requests did you solve?

Nothing beats specific results/proof when it comes to convincing a new employer you’d succeed in their job, which is why this is one of the best LinkedIn headlines for job seekers. 

Headline Formula 2:

Role | Years of Experience in Industry | Fun Fact

Examples:

Human Resources Manager | 10+ Years of People Experience | Disneyland Annual Passholder

Senior Manufacturing Engineer | 6+ Years in GMP Manufacturing | Cat fanatic

This LinkedIn headline formula is a great way to include multiple keywords for the type of job you’re targeting (so you can get found in LinkedIn searches), while showing some personality, too.

This is one of the best LinkedIn headlines for job seekers with at least a couple of years of experience.

Credit for this formula goes to Kyle Elliot of caffeinatedkyle.com

Headline Formula 3:

Role | Industry/Expertise | Unique Value

LinkedIn Headline Examples:

Director of HR at Oracle | Software Technology | Certified HR Trainer

R&D Scientist at Pfizer | Oncology Research | Science Blogger

Credit for this formula goes to Madeline Mann.

She also created a great YouTube video walking you through this same formula that you can watch here:

This is similar to LinkedIn headline formula #2, above, but with one key difference:

The middle section is focused on your industry, rather than the number of years of experience.

So this may be a better option for job seekers with less experience, but experience from the same industry that they’re applying for jobs in now.

LinkedIn Headline 4:

Role| Helping ___ (type of company) do ___ (result)

Example:

Customer Support Representative | Helping software start-ups manage and grow their social media to drive more sales

Here’s an even simpler formula following this same general idea.

I recommend this variation for freelancers, consultants, and coaches:

LinkedIn Headline 5:

I help ___ (type of company) do ___ (result)

Example for Freelancers:

I help coaches and consultants generate an additional $10,000-20,000 per month via video ads

Career Coach Sarah Johnston uses a variation of this headline herself on her LinkedIn profile.

I asked her if she had a formula and this is what she gave me…

LinkedIn Headline 6:

Description of what you do or how you meet someone’s pain point | Keyword 1 | Keyword 2 | Keyword 3

Example Headline:

I help manufacturers become more efficient through process engineering | GMP-Certified | Project Manager | CQE

The keywords should be what a recruiter or hiring manager would search for if they were looking for someone with your skills or background. 

Sarah also added this tip: “I also use free online keyword analytic tools to pick the best keywords. For example, for a while I was saying “job search strategist”, but after doing a keyword search found that more people search for “career coach”. Since shifting my language, I’ve seen about a 30-40% increase in LinkedIn search appearances.”

That’s an important tip to follow no matter which of these LinkedIn headlines you end up using for your job search. 

LinkedIn Headline 7:

<Role> specializing in _____, _____ and _____.

Example:

Content Marketing Strategist specializing in press releases, blog content, and social media

This is a relatively simple formula that puts your job title or main keyword at the very front of your profile so it gets noticed immediately.

This will get you more clicks from recruiters and hiring managers looking for the skill set you highlight (in the example above, Content Marketing).

Then, there’s an opportunity to include more keywords and show what you’re BEST at throughout the rest of the headline.

Now you’re more likely to get found and clicked in searches for those keywords.

I Don’t Recommend Saying, “Actively Seeking” in Your LinkedIn Headline

You may have noticed that NONE of the LinkedIn headline examples so far have said, “actively looking for opportunities.”

Here’s why I don’t think it’s a good idea to put this as a job seeker on LinkedIn.

First – this communicates absolutely nothing, other than the fact you’re out of work and need a job.

Second – the most in-demand, highly-skilled job candidates never put this. They have multiple opportunities, recruiters chasing them, etc.

And so they conduct a quiet, undercover job search.

I know you may not be flooded with interviews and job offers yet, but you still want to act like it. You want to position yourself as an in-demand job seeker!

And shouting to the entire world that you’re actively seeking a job is the OPPOSITE of doing this.

>>> If you do insist on doing this, at least add some keywords and indicate the exact type of role you’re looking for. Here’s an example…

LinkedIn Headline Formulas 8 & 9: (If you insist on saying “Actively Seeking…”)

<Role> seeking a ___ opportunity

OR

<Role> looking for opportunities in ___ (specific area)

Examples:

“Certified Public Accountant (CPA) seeking a management opportunity”

“Financial analyst looking for opportunities in the private sector”

That way, your headline at least communicates something about your expertise and what type of job you’re a fit for.

via careersidekick