30 LinkedIn headline examples that will make people click (+templates!)

One second. 

That’s how long it takes me to scan a connection request’s headline on LinkedIn, which isn’t even fully populated in this particular view, and either accept, click or ignore it.

While I don’t have scientific proof that everyone else does this too, I promise you, they do, especially on LinkedIn, hence the reason your LinkedIn headline is incredibly important. 

That’s not the only spot your LinkedIn headline shows up though. It’s on people’s feeds, people’s LinkedIn profiles, as “recommended people to follow,” the “people you may know” section on their network page, in search results, and obviously, on your profile page itself.

TLDR: Your LinkedIn headline will make or break your chance of not only getting accepted by the right people but also getting seen by the right people, so keep reading, and we’ll teach you how to do just that.

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What makes a good LinkedIn headline?

• It quickly illustrates the value you bring to the table through your past achievements or results you brought to your employers or clients.
• It includes relevant keywords in your headline. Check what the top results show and the kind of keywords they’re using.
• A good LinkedIn headline has a value proposition that shows your approach to work and what makes you different from everyone else.
• It's specific about the industry you specialize in and the type of people you've worked with, so visitors and future customers/employers can set the right expectations.

Finally, an awesome LinkedIn headline highlights your personality. It shows visitors who you are outside of work and what your interests are, helping you build your personal brand on LinkedIn.

How to come up with a good LinkedIn headline

Brainstorm

If you’re an experienced professional, remembering all of your past achievements and roles can be difficult, especially if you haven’t been documenting all along. And if you’re a professional newbie, you might think you don’t have any notable achievements, but that’s usually not the case once you dig a little deeper.

Ask Yourself Questions

A great way, for the experienced and less experienced, to solve this problem is to ask questions. 

Here’s a list of questions to jumpstart your brainstorming: 

• If you had five seconds to describe yourself when meeting a new colleague, what would you say?
• Which in-demand skills do you have? (If you’re wondering how to figure out which skills are in-demand, I’ll show you how in the next section.) 
• How are you unique? What is your competitive advantage over others with the same job title?
• What skills and accomplishments do you have that your target employers need?
• Do you work (or have you worked) for a brand-name company (e.g., MIT or Google)?
• Have my posts or projects received a lot of attention -- views, reads, shares, etc.? 
• Where have I been featured?
• Where can I find mini-testimonials? Who have I impressed and why? What have people said about me?
• What courses have I taken recently or what books have I read?
• What industry/professional tools am I good at?
• What professional memberships, sites or groups am I a part of?
• Have I achieved any awards?
• How have you stood out at jobs or projects among your peers?
• Did I save my company money?
• Did I consistently meet or exceed goals or quotas?
• What problems do I or have I solved for clients or bosses?
• If asked what makes you really good at what you do, what would you say?

If you can’t remember all of this stuff off the top of your head, then do some digging. When I’ve searched for my accomplishments in the past, I’ve reviewed:

• Social Media (To see what I posted about throughout the years. I usually post about my achievements on these networks.)
• Google Drive
• Emails: Look for any thank-you emails or emails detailing any projects or achievements.
• Medium
• Quora
• Trello
• Previous resumes and portfolios
• Performance reviews
• Productivity tracking tools, like TimingApp

Ask your manager, peers, and mentors for feedback

For those early on in their career, ask your internship supervisor or boss to review your resume or LinkedIn, if you have a good relationship. They’re usually happy to. It can be eye-opening to read what other people think your accomplishments are or what you did that was most valuable to them.

Research

Think like a recruiter or prospect. 

When they do a search on LinkedIn, using LinkedIn Sales Navigator or LinkedIn Recruiter, they can get very specific with their searches and filters. 

One recruiter explains this in great detail in a LinkedIn post.

When recruiters do a search on LinkedIn, LinkedIn enables us to get really specific by using filters like current company, location, how many miles from a specific location, seniority level, years in current position, industry, schools, recent updates and many, many more.  We can get as granular as we need to by either using the filters that come with a LinkedIn Recruiter subscription, or by doing a Boolean search. 

For example, if I wanted to find a software engineer with New York City with experience in React, I’d come up with a Boolean search string like this: ("software engineer" OR "software developer") AND ("New York City" OR "NYC") AND React

To find software engineers in New York City with experience in React on LinkedIn, I  can use the following Boolean search string: ("software engineer" OR "software developer") AND "New York City" AND React site:linkedin.com.

There’s a few different ways to get a taste of which keywords (skills and titles) searchers are using to find you. 

First, go to the jobs section of LinkedIn, and search for jobs you’re interested in. Pay attention to the job titles and skills they’re listing in the job description. Then search for them in the main LinkedIn search box. 

Pay attention to the profiles that come up on the first few pages. What are their headlines? What keywords are they using? 

Next, you can search for in-demand skill reports, which are published yearly by places like, LinkedIn, Upwork and World Economic Forum (WEF).

Use AI to help you brainstorm your LinkedIn headline

LinkedIn headline generators

There are a ton of LinkedIn headline generators out there! Fortunately, Aware provides one for free. (If you're not already our customer, you can find it on our public website b!)

Try the LinkedIn Headline Generator

ChatGPT prompts to brainstorm your LinkedIn headline

Prompt 1

“Can you help me craft a catchy headline for my LinkedIn profile that would help me get noticed by recruiters looking to fill a [job title] in [industry/field]? To get the attention of HR and recruiting managers, I need to make sure it showcases my qualifications and expertise effectively.” (source)

Prompt 2

"Please help me create a LinkedIn headline that effectively communicates my experience, qualifications, and unique value. Consider incorporating keywords relevant to my industry as mentioned in the resume below and showcasing my passion or mission. My headline should be a snapshot that captures attention and encourages visitors to explore my profile further."

My Resume: [Paste Your Resume] (source)

Prompt 3

Act as an experienced LinkedIn copywriter. Craft a headline for my LinkedIn profile that effectively showcases my [expertise], grabs attention, and communicates my unique value proposition. The headline should be professional, concise, and tailored to my target audience or industry. It needs to set me apart from others in the field while encapsulating the essence of my professional journey and aspirations. Consider SEO optimization to ensure it reaches the right audience on LinkedIn searches. (source)

Prompt 4

You are a LinkedIn personal branding expert with 5 years of experience. I want you to give me a LinkedIn headline that can help me attract my clients. The headline should be short, simple, no fluff. 

Here are a few things you need to know about me <Answer the above question and paste them here.> 

Give me 10 different headlines. (source)

Prompt 5

Assume the role of a social media strategist tasked with creating a compelling LinkedIn post headline for [COMPANY/INDUSTRY EVENT]. The headline should be engaging, succinct, and convey the unique value or insight the event offers. Use powerful adjectives and action verbs to grab attention and encourage LinkedIn users to click through. Ensure the headline resonates with the professional audience on LinkedIn, reflecting the tone and standards expected on the platform. Include a call-to-action or a thought-provoking question to increase engagement and comments. (source)

Look For Inspiration

Finally, scour LinkedIn for headline inspiration. It doesn’t even have to be for people in your field… You could just use their template and fill in your keywords, industry, title, etc. Scrolling through your feed is a great way to see which headlines make you stop. 

Of course, we already did this for you, curating the absolute best LinkedIn headline examples we found doing just that. Keep scrolling to get inspired.

Headline mistakes to avoid

“Calling yourself a thought leader on LinkedIn is like calling yourself an artist on OkCupid. There’s a 99% chance that you’re lying to yourself and a 1% chance you’re Kanye.” 

• Adding too many emojis in the headline. Limit it to one or two emojis (or none).
• Using too many buzzwords and stuffing your headline with multiple keywords. Keep it to two to three max.
• Don't use abbreviations that are not commonly used in your industry.
• Make sure to add sentence breaks such as “|”, “,” and “-” in the headline so it’s easy to read. 
• Do not say “Looking for work.”

7 LinkedIn headline examples (+templates)

LinkedIn headline examples for entrepreneurs and influencers

‍The template 

I [What you do] Without [Traditional way to do it] // Ready to [What your audience wants to do (with a hard number)]? Head to 👉 [Website link]

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• It starts with the most important information, getting people, who are quickly scrolling, to stop and click through to his profile. 
• It uses specific numbers that his target audience will salivate over.
• It includes a clear CTA with an easy-to-follow link for more information.

The template 

[Who you are professionally]. [What you share on LinkedIn]. 

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• It’s short and sweet. 
• It gives people a reason to follow her on LinkedIn. 
• It utilizes keywords, and people know what to reach out to her for help with.

LinkedIn headline examples for founders 

The template 

[Title @ Company] | [What you’re doing] 

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• The text of the product's URL itself is in the early part of the headline, allowing the website to get tons of airtime
• Credibility-boosting area of interest shows, "I'm not just here to sell licenses - I'm contributing to the ecosystem overall"
• By not including additional "I help X with Y" text, Alex is showing less eagerness on purpose: a considered decision to reduce the chance that people will feel 'sold to'

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The template 

[Impressive industry accomplishment] | [Title] | [Board Position]

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• This headline is all about his company's customers: nonprofits that want to both grow and do good in the world
• Including "undeniably impressive" numbers, tied to exactly what his customers want to do
• The board position piles onto this, showing his customer-focus

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The template 

[Title], [Company] | [Impressive past alumni or employee] | [Impressive achievement], [Impressive achievement] | [What you’re doing] 

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• While his startup may not be a brand name, he proves he’s someone to take seriously, because he’s been backed by YC, not once, but twice!
• He says he’s building in public, which is a reason to follow him on LinkedIn. 
• He also includes notable achievements from entities people respect and recognize, adding to his social proof. 

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The template 

[Position] of [Company] + [Company] + [Company] | Obsessed with [Industry], [personal thing] and [personal thing] 

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• It shows her focus is clearly on dogs. 
• She doesn’t forget to include what she loves doing workwise (UGC marketing trends). 
• She also makes sure to include some personal things she loves, adding to her personality. 

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LinkedIn headline examples for students  

Source: https://cultivatedculture.com/linkedin-headline/ 

The template 

[Position], [Company] | [Impressive title] | [Title], [Student-run entity] | [Title], [Student club or entity]

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• It says nothing about looking for work. He seems busy already. 
• It doesn’t include the word “intern,” even if he was one at the time. 
• It shows he can juggle a lot of projects simultaneously. 
• It boasts impressive titles even if it’s just for school clubs, projects and activities. 

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LinkedIn headline examples for sales professionals

The template 

[Interest], [Title] | [Motto] | [Company Stat], [What You Do] | [Fun Fact]

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• Since he's selling to sales teams, he's including sales-related prowess
• Goes well with his banner! Andrew seems like someone to connect with
• His prospects usually like sports, too
• States what he helps you with, but not first - seems well-rounded

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The template 

[Short Title @ Company] | [Reputation Signal] | [Wow Factor Stat]

Why it’s a good LinkedIn headline 

• Again since Brian is selling to sales teams, he's including sales-related prowess
• Since he has a ton of followers, he can include less in the headline itself and keep it shorter
• Draws attention down to the rest of his profile
• Great example of knowing what reputation you do or don't have that goes before you

5 Great LinkedIn Headline Examples For Sales People

Sales Headline Example #1:

Why is it good?

I think this first example is great because it simple. People want to know who they are dealing with. The message is on point and Michael makes it clear where he works, which is a great move. People will reconcile you with the name of your brand. This is what you want, especially when doing cold outreach on LinkedIn.

Takeaways:

• Include the name of your brand.
• Use visible separators like "|" "•".
• Keep your LinkedIn headline short and simple.

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Sales Headline Example #2:

Why is it good?

Very short and concise. The whole idea here is to make the domain name, aka. the brand, stand out. And it does. Do this if you want to raise the awareness of your company while being fully responsive, even on mobile.

Takeaways:

• Include your domain name.
• Keep it short and precise.
• Don't use fancy job titles & buzz words.

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Sales Headline Example #3:

Why is it good?

I like this headline example because it builds trust while focusing on important keyword opportunities. Again, it's all nice and neat. Ryan used different words to describe his skills, all of which might be used by his target audience(s). Learn from him and apply it to your LinkedIn profile.

Takeaways:

• Use keywords to be found by people searching for you (LinkedIn SEO).
• Build trust by showing your skills.

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Sales Headline Example #4:

Why is it good?

Linsey has a good use of emojis in this example. The headline is perky, but not too much. The point is: you can get away with anything - just don't overdo it.

I also like the implementation of the hashtag right there. Still, I have to criticize her for not including a more compelling CTA in the headline. Something like: "get in contact 👇" would do the trick.

Takeaways:

• Use the LinkedIn hashtags that you want to brand.
• Use emojis to perk up your headline.

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Sales Headline Example #5

Why is it good?

I love this example because Thorsten did on thing perfectly: he communicated the benefit in under 50 symbols. Awesome! Also, he is very precise about what he does, especially with his LinkedIn content strategy.

He included a clear CTA in the headline as well as his domain name. Great job!

Takeaways:

• Use a strong Call-to-Action in your headline.
• Include the benefit of what you are doing.

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LinkedIn Headline Examples for IT Professionals

IT Professionals Headline Example #1:

Why is this LinkedIn headline example great for IT professionals?

The best thing about this profile is that it showcases only the things relevant to the target audience. First, it has the keyword “full stack software engineer" that will help this IT professional get discovered on LinkedIn, followed by the skills he mastered.

Takeaways

• It’s not too wordy - just the perfect amount for an IT professional
• It has all the relevant keywords

IT Professionals Headline Example #2:

Why is this headline example good?

I personally liked the “AWS certified” section highlighting Harikrishna's credibility as a software developer. Also, mentioning that he’s looking for new opportunities helps a recruiter know he’s available to hire.

Takeaways

• It’s always a good idea to mention your achievements or certifications in your headline if they're something a potential employer values highly.

LinkedIn Headline Examples For Other Professionals

Entrepreneurs

Example of LinkedIn headlines for entrepreneurs #1:

‍Why is this LinkedIn headline good for entrepreneurs?

Credibility in any form speaks for a person. In this case, Pallav is showing it off boldly in his headline. The headline is simple and eye-catching to stop the scroll.

Takeaways

• Highlight your biggest wins in your headline to make it impressive.

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Example #2:

Why is it good?

The headline is neatly structured and organized, showcasing all important info about Slavko, including his company, role, value prop, and CTA. His ‘Talks about’ section also say a lot about the kind of content you can expect from him. (It's visible because he uses LinkedIn Creator Mode).

Slavko follows through, making it clear he's an expert at LinkedIn storytelling!

Takeaways

• If you want to include multiple elements in your headline, separate them with a “|” sign.
• Help your visitors with a CTA in your headline to cut their efforts short.
• Mention the publications that featured you.
• Promoting a special offer? Mention it in your LinkedIn banner or headline!

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LinkedIn Headline Example for Accountants

Why is this a great LinkedIn headline example for accountants?

Jerin's profile instantly impresses with the on-point cover photo and the massive list of services. The headline tells you exactly who Jerin caters to ("startup consulting") and which primary services you should contact him for.

Takeaways

• If you’re crystal clear about your target audience and niche, it’s always a good idea to mention that in your headline.
• Always include hashtags to be more specific about your service offerings.
• When in a highly-regulated industry such as accounting, list your credentials.

LinkedIn Headline Example for Customer Success and Support

Why is this a good headline for customer support?

The headline shows a glimpse of who Kelsey isand what she does - including her job title, her value proposition, and her being a military spouse (adds a personal touch to it). What’s more impressive is her cover photo which showcases her company logo and their USP to the visitors.

Even if you're looking for a new position, it'll be nice for new employers to see how much you champion the companies you work for and that they can count on you to be an employee advocate.

Takeaways:

• Add your personality to the headline showing who you are as a person.
• Champion your company.
• If you specialize in certain parts of your job (Kelsey mentions CS success, growth and automation), mention it in your headline as a differentiator.

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LinkedIn Headline Example for Project Managers

Why is this a great LinkedIn headline for project managers?

The profile shows Sameer’s expertise in a specific area as a project manager and mentions the division for which he works, i.e., engineering. This helps him stand out among other project managers on LinkedIn and get noticed right away when someone searches for “engineering project manager."

Takeaways

• It’s always better to mention a specific field you work in instead of putting up a generic headline.

LinkedIn Headline Example for Freelancers

Why should freelancers learn from this LinkedIn headline?

This profile clearly shows what Andrew does and who he works with. When someone searches for a fintech, financial, crypto or Web3 content writer, they'll easily find him.

Likewise, clients coming from other sources will immediately recognize that he specializes in their niche, as opposed to having to waste time browsing his profile.

(Spoiler alert: very few do that.)

Takeaways

• Clarity about your niche will help you land better clients, and it's a best practice for marketing your business on LinkedIn.
• Include high-ranking keywords such as “SEO copywriter” and “content writer” in your headline to get found.

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Professional LinkedIn Headline Examples For HR People

HR Headline Example #1:

Why is it good?

The woman in the example above does one thing extremely well: she states very clearly what she and her company are looking for - an HR Manager.

Many headline CTAs are all the same: "Hiring!" or "We're looking for good people." That's like naming the CTA on your website "Searching for Customers." Not very special, is it?

It's better to describe what specifically you're searching for and sprinkle in your employer branding.

(At this point, I want to thank Jan-Lütje Thoden for giving me a heads up about this topic.)

Takeaways:

• Include a descriptive CTA in your LinkedIn headline.

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HR Headline Example #2:

Why is it good?

I very much like how Michael captures the value of his work in short statements like these: "Talent Spotter" and "Team Builder," both characteristics of an excellent HR professional.

Takeaways:

• Capture the value of your work in short and punchy statements.

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HR Headline Examples for Recruiters on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Headline Example for Recruiters #1:

Why is it good?

Shaziya includes top-ranking keywords in her profile, such as "talent acquisition" and "IT recruiter," and shows her personal side, too!

Takeaways:

• Try to define your job and a little about yourself in fewer words, which makes for a perfect headline.
• Test different ways of presenting yourself to potential candidates, and measure your LinkedIn performance.

LinkedIn Headline Example for Recruiters #2:

Why is this a great LinkedIn headline for recruiters?

The profile helps job seekers immediately understand what roles the recruiter is hiring for and the locations they’re offering jobs for. This helps job seekers narrow down their job hunt and make sure they're talking to the right person.

Takeaways:

• Mention the location or the skillset you’re hiring for in your headline to make it more specific.
• Follow the best practices for LinkedIn recruitment.

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3 Outstanding LinkedIn Headline Examples For Job Seekers

Before we go deeper, I want to show you 1 specific example that I want you to avoid.

I see a lot of people adding terms like "Looking for a job," "unemployed," or "seeking a job" to their headline. That's terrible!

Why?

It's inexpressive and doesn't indicate what your skills are or what you are looking for. Instead, I have put together examples of good and meaningful LinkedIn headlines that will make your LinkedIn profile interesting to recruiters.

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Job Seeker Headline Example #1:

Why is it good?

This example convinces by a good use of active voice: "Actively searching..". Also, he points out the industry he wants to work in, which is great for recruiters. They can help you more because they know what you're searching for.

Takeaways:

• Use active voice instead of passive voice (the difference between active and passive voice).
• Mention the industry you want to work in.

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Job Seeker Headline Example #2:

Why is it good?

Magalie uses a precise description to let people know what she is searching for. She avoids buzz words. Also, she includes the location she is aiming to work in. Bravo!

Takeaways:

• Include your location or the location you want to work in.
• Again, avoid buzz words.

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Job Seeker Headline Example #3:

Why is this a good LinkedIn headline for job-seekers?

Fantastic! This is a great headline. Here is why:

She used her graduation as a trust element ("see, I learned this at a well-known university!"). At the same time, she made sure to connect her profile experiences (rightside) to match her LinkedIn headline. Furthermore, she included her preferred location.

Takeaways:

• Add trust elements (like certifications, degrees or your experiences).
• Match your experiences with your headline.

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Want to improve your profile and grow your brand?

When you look at your profile today, I'm sure you'll find room for improvement after some digging. The old way is to guess what you should change, research different topics and try to spruce it up.

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Aware is a comprehensive LinkedIn analytics dashboard to save hours researching how your profile and your content should improve to get more attention.

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• Save time analyzing
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Note: You can start building your LinkedIn Analytics Dashboard today, by signing up for a free trial account right here. Give it a test drive!

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Conclusion

Finding the right wording for your LinkedIn headline can be challenging, especially if you have multiple things to reference. My best advice is to focus on what you want people to notice. Put that first and you'll keep your profile crisp. Cheers!