Quick Tip – Optimize Your LinkedIn Headline

Don’t just put your job title – Issue #55

Your professional headline on LinkedIn is the text that shows up below your name in the introduction card on your profile. It’s displayed in search results and can be completely different from the title of your current position.

Most people make the mistake of only having their job title as their headline. It’s hard to get noticed when someone searches for a product manager, for example, and receives an endless list of results with:

• Product Manager at ABC

• Product Manager at DEF

• Product Manager at XYZ

Yawn. Borrrrrrrring!

Did you know that you can enter up to 120 characters for your headline instead? Be creative! This is your chance to describe who you are, what you do, and your expertise in a way that stands out.

For example, my LinkedIn Headline shows what I do, where I live and work, and some personal info about me to be a little more interesting:

• Larry Cornett
  Leadership Coach & Career Advisor in NorCal | Invincible Career® | Tech geek | Nature lover | Powerlifter | Trail runner

Linkedin’s search algorithm uses the text from your headline, and it shows up next to your name in other critical places like search results. Think about the words, skills, and credentials you want to emphasize to attract attention when people see your name in a list of potential competitors. Make it personal, and have some fun with it!

Also, consider what your goal is with Linkedin and target your headline accordingly:

• Do you want someone to hire you as an employee?

• Are you happily employed, but you’d like to do more public speaking?

• Are you a hiring manager and trying to attract talent?

• Do you want to showcase your consulting expertise?

• Are you trying to promote the services of your company?

• Are you proud of being a Board member?

• Are you an author and want to promote your latest book?

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Some more examples of intriguing headlines:

• Susan Cain
  Bestselling author, award-winning speaker, and chief revolutionary at quietrev.com

• Candy Bernhardt
  I’m hiring! Designers come reimagine “Fashion Discovery” at one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World.

• Robert (RP) Patrick
  Who do you call when IoT has to work? IoT StormChaser at Samsung, Director of Product & Devices Zigbee, Z-Wave & LAN

• Luke Williams
  International Keynote Speaker | Bestselling Author | Prof. NYU Stern School of Business

• Irene Au
  Design Partner at Khosla Ventures; Yoga teacher; built and ran Design for Google and Yahoo

Take a pass at updating your headline on LinkedIn and share the link to your profile in the comments. I would love to see what you come up with!