12 Best LinkedIn Headline Examples For Job Seekers

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.

How to Write a LinkedIn Headline for Job Searching

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. Include current or past job titles if those are relevant to the jobs you’re pursuing now
3. Communicate the value you bring to a new employer (why should they care?)
4. Include at least one keyword/phrase for the type of job you want, whether a job title or other keyword
5. (Optional) Demonstrate 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 of this in the LinkedIn headline examples coming up.

Let’s jump into examples of LinkedIn headlines for job seekers now, with 12 formulas you can use to write your own headline and get more interviews…

The Best LinkedIn Headline for Entry-Level Job Seekers and Recent Grads

If you’re looking for a job as a fresh graduate with no industry experience, I’d recommend using this headline formula:

Recent ___ graduate with a focus in ___, ___ and ___

LinkedIn Headline Example for Fresh Graduates:

Recent Finance graduate with a focus in financial analysis, reporting, and auditing

However, if you’re a recent graduate who has any relevant work experience, even an internship or part-time work, I’d recommend highlighting that with any of the LinkedIn headline formulas that we looked at previously.

That’s REAL experience that employers will care about and value. So you can use any headline we’ve previously looked at.

FYI- if you just graduated and aren’t sure what career path to choose, I just wrote an article with the 3 best jobs for recent graduates.

LinkedIn Headline Examples for Job Seekers with Experience

Next, I’m going to share multiple strong headline examples for your LinkedIn profile if you have work experience. For each, I’ll share the basic formula/template and then examples of how it would look in real-world LinkedIn profiles.

Finally, I’ll explain the strategy behind each headline and what type of job seeker it’s best for (fresh graduate, experienced candidate, career-changer, etc.)

1. Role | Specific Achievement

LinkedIn 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. 

2. Role | Years of Experience in Industry | Fun Fact to Stand Out

Headline 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

3. Role | Industry/Expertise | Unique Value You Bring

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 career expert Madeline Mann.

This is similar to LinkedIn headline example #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.

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

Headline Example:

Social Media Manager | Helping software start-ups manage and grow their social media to drive more sales

Below is an even simpler formula following this same general idea. I recommend this headline variation for freelancers, consultants, and coaches on LinkedIn:

5. I help ___ (type of company) do ___ (desired result)

LinkedIn Headline 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…

6. What you do/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. 

7. <Role/Job Title> specializing in ____, ____, and ____

Headline 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.

8. X Years of Experience in ____ | Helping companies ____

Headline Examples:

5+ Years of experience in software product management | Helping tech companies grow and deliver outstanding mobile and web applications

8 years of experience in customer support for multiple Fortune-500 companies | Helping global brands deliver an outstanding customer experience

This is similar to headline example #2 from earlier, but leads with your years of experience and then follows up to explain exactly how you’re helping companies grow/succeed (which is important if you want them to see why they should hire you instead of someone else).

If you feel your amount of experience is one of your biggest strengths or unique selling points, then this is a good LinkedIn headline formula for you.

9. Area of Expertise #1 & Area of Expertise #2

Headline Examples:

Creative Advertising Expert & Digital Marketing Strategist

Engineering Team Lead & Project Management Professional

Sometimes less is more when it comes to showing employers you’re the best candidate for the position.

If you’ve been doing the exact type of work that an employer needs in your past roles, then this headline formula is simple and effective. All you’re doing is picking your top two skills or areas of work that are relevant to the next job you’re looking to land, and then stating those two areas in your LinkedIn headline with no distractions/clutter.

If you’re looking for a short, simple headline for your job search, then this is one of the best options to consider.

Should You Say “Actively Seeking Opportunities” 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…”)

10. <Role> seeking a ___ opportunity

OR

11. <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 in addition to saying, “Actively seeking opportunities.”

You should never just use your LinkedIn headline to say that you’re actively seeking opportunities. 

How to Choose the Right Keywords For Your LinkedIn Headline

If you’re job hunting, you want to get found by recruiters.

So try to brainstorm industry-specific keywords that can go into your LinkedIn headline, no matter what formula/example you’re using above.

Avoid generic phrases like, “Experienced Leader” and think about hard skills and specific knowledge useful in the type of jobs you’re seeking.

This can be technical terms or specific areas of work within your industry.

Examples:

• HTML
• Content Marketing
• GMP Manufacturing
• Audit Compliance
• Sales Prospecting
• Employee Onboarding
• Phone Customer Service
• HR Compensation and Benefits
• Etc.

This is important for every job seeker, but especially those who are changing careers or industries.

Make sure you include keywords that employers are looking for in your NEXT ideal job.

One More Tip – Your LinkedIn Headline For Job Searching Doesn’t Need to Include Your Last Job Title

You may have noticed in a lot of the headline formulas/templates above, there’s a place to include your role or main area of work/expertise.

However, there’s no rule that this needs to be your exact job title.

You can put the title of the jobs you’re targeting, for example.

Or if you have an unusual title like, “Client Happiness Manager,” you can change it to something more common/recognizable. (Which will also put a more relevant keyword in your LinkedIn headline).

So just keep this in mind as you use the templates above to write your own LinkedIn headline for job searching.

Think more about what keywords/titles your future employer will want to see, rather than what your past employer decided to name your previous role.

What To Do Next: Write Your Own LinkedIn Headline for Job Hunting

It’s time to put this info to use!

Go grab a piece of paper or open a blank document on your computer, and try to plug your information into some of the LinkedIn headline examples above to see which ones you like.

Come up with three to five headlines that sound good to you and then come back a day later and see which one stands out (stepping away for a day after writing something is a good way to come back with a clear perspective!)

Then go update your LinkedIn profile!

If you follow the LinkedIn headline tips above, you’ll have a headline that gets noticed in your job search and gets you more interviews. 

And if you want help updating the rest of your LinkedIn, here’s everything I recommend putting on your LinkedIn profile as a job seeker.