How to Write an Eye-Catching LinkedIn Headline (With Examples)
Why Your LinkedIn Headline Matters
Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things recruiters and hiring managers see in search results, connection requests, and even LinkedIn messages. And yet, so many professionals settle for the default headline, missing an opportunity to make a lasting impression. Writing an eye-catching LinkedIn headline can boost your visibility, clarify your personal brand, and increase profile views from the right people.
Stop Using the Default Headline
Let’s be honest. The default headline for LinkedIn tells people almost nothing. It’s just your current job title followed by the company name.
Example: “Sales Manager at XYZ Company”
Your headline should do more than repeat your job title. It should showcase your value, highlight key skills or specializations, and give recruiters a reason to click your profile.
3 LinkedIn Headline Styles That Work (With Examples)
Let’s look at better headline formats and real examples you can adapt.
1. Skills-Based Headline
This style highlights hard skills, keywords, and areas of expertise. It highlights some of your top skills, which is perfect for showing up in recruiter searches.
Example: Director of Sales || Revenue Growth || Strategic Planning || Contract Negotiation || Business Development
2. Statement-Style Headline
This style uses a more conversational tone that includes a value prop or personality.
Example: Customer-obsessed Sales Director with a track record of driving 7-figure growth in Fortune 500 teams.
3. Combination Headline (Best of Both)
This style blends hard skills and personality for a headline that is both searchable and engaging. If written correctly, you can really pack a punch.
Example: Director of Sales || Driving 7-Figure Revenue Growth in New Markets | Expertise in Strategic Planning, Contract Negotiation, and Business Development
What to Avoid in a LinkedIn Headline
With your LinkedIn headline, you want to keep it professional, use consistent formatting, use title case or sentence case (not all CAPS), and stick to 1–2 emojis max (if any).
Avoid generic titles with no value, slang or jargon not widely understood, grammatical errors or incomplete phrases, and overuse of symbols or emojis.
Final Thoughts for Writing an Eye-Catching LinkedIn Headline
Whether you’re job searching, networking, or building your brand, your LinkedIn headline should work for you, not against you. By creating a headline that communicates your expertise and value, you’ll stand out in search results and attract more of the right opportunities.
eye-catching LinkedIn headlineNeed help writing an eye-catching LinkedIn headline and crafting a profile that gets noticed? Learn more about our LinkedIn services.
