If you missed it, you can check out HowTo LinkedIn #1: Creating your unique URL here.
Go check out the competition. Search LinkedIn for keywords that might find someone like you. Chances are, you see hundreds or thousands of search results within miles of you. Your profile can easily be lost in a sea of people with similar backgrounds and career interests. How do you get attention from a potential client, employer or influential contact?
One way to break through the clutter: a killer headline.
A headline is your chance to make a personal statement about who you are, what you believe, and what you have to offer. It’s an opportunity to pique a reader’s interest or connect with an employer’s need. While the profile speaks to qualifications for a job, a headline can speak to motivation. Profile: professional, Headline: personality. Use this space to sell yourself as the individual that you are.
Some things to keep in mind when writing a headline:
- Keywords — Ultimately, the higher in a search you appear, the more likely you are to be scoped out by a potential connection. Understand what keywords are most likely to be used in a search for someone like you. You’ll want to pepper them through your profile, but having them in your headline will help your search positioning.
- Catchy — If your headline can make a reader stop and wonder, you’re in good shape. Try to craft something that will induce someone to click on your profile, even out of sheer curiosity.
Some examples:
Marketing maven with a passion for online communities.
IT specialist devoted to creating stable, scalable solutions for small business.
Office Manager and your next indispensable right hand.
Or, whatever makes sense for your situation.
Now, if you’re looking for a new opportunity like me, you may also want to consider putting that information in your headline. Here’s my current headline as an example:
So, go take a crack at making your own splash in LinkedIn search, and let me know how it goes. What’s your headline? Share it in the comments below.
Related posts:
- HowTo LinkedIn #4: Your professional experience
- HowTo LinkedIn #1: Creating your unique URL
- Left out on LinkedIn: How can I use LinkedIn more effectively?
- HowTo LinkedIn #6: Linking out
- HowTo LinkedIn #5: Add a photo
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Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Thats was a classic bit of information,, very helpfull… thanku soooooooo very much,,,, U do great
I’ve read several of your articles over the weekend. Extremely insightful!!
Thanks for sharing the fine work!
Glad you’re all finding it useful!
Excellent advice! What advice can you give some one who can not come up with creative tag lines / headlines or is having a hard time coming up with a creative tag line /headline?
Hi Richard! You can look for creative inspiration — find others who seem to be doing it right and figure out why it’s working for them. Or get help from someone who’s good at putting thoughts together that way. Many people engage a pro to help them with positioning and messaging. You can also make that a discussion topic with some of the free services out there — career centers, etc. Good luck!
Hi Kristi,
What would you recommend for a recent college grad? I have experience, but none of it is related–I worked odd jobs to pay for my education. I have an English degree and sociology minor; I would like to work in the nonprofit sector serving children and families. Thanks! Erin
Hi Erin: Without a deeper look at your experience, the best bet is for you to work on reaching out to people in the types of organizations that you’re interested in and ask for their feedback. Be clear that you’re only looking for advice — what types of roles would be good for an entry level person, what kind of experience they’d want to see. That should give you a good starting point. Good luck!
Thank you so much for your reply! I have compiled a list of organizations I am interested in and will begin requesting information interviews. Thanks again, Erin
What would you recommend for someone without much experience? For instance, I am in school and have had a few internships, but I am not sure how to describe myself yet because I am figuring out what I want to do. I am looking for more experience working in public relations.
I was thinking – Public Relations Intern and soon-to-be expert!
Is my LinkedIn headline a place for humor?
I’m torn about recommending people use the best key words and the catchy tagline. Unless they really have something unique, I tend to recommend sticking to key words. I like it when people use both but they also seem to get “stuck” trying to come up with a clever tagline. Thanks for an excellent resource I can now refer my students to.