77 LinkedIn Headline Examples That Will (actually) Get You Noticed

According to a recent JobVite study, 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates. And, what’s their first impression? Your LinkedIn headline and profile photo.

The reality is that most people don’t give much thought to their LinkedIn headline, I know I sure didn’t. 

But the truth is that your LinkedIn headline is incredibly important. In many ways your LinkedIn headline functions like your storefront.

When you’re walking down the street, which shop are you more likely to walk into?

Shop A has a sign that says:

“Hot Coffee Served Here”

Shop B has a sign that says:

“Jason’s Artistinal Coffees | Lattes | Mochas | Iced & Hot | Fresh pastries made daily”

Chances are Shop B will be more attractive to more people.

The same goes with your headline.

So, in this post I’m going to share:

1. What is a good LinkedIn headline
2. Some LinkedIn headline ideas
3. And specific LinkedIn headline examples for students, sales, marketing, engineering, finance, HR product management, and more.

Feel free to use the jump links here to skip to each section:

What is a good LinkedIn headline?

Unless you’re a naturally talented writer, chances are you've asked yourself, “what should my LinkedIn headline be?”

It’s totally understandable to be confused about writing a headline. After all, this isn’t the sort of writing they teach you in school.

But fear not, there IS a formula you can use to make a great LinkedIn headline regardless of your role or industry.

Here’s the LinkedIn headline formula that I’ve successfully used myself and that hundreds of job seekers have as well:

What to put in a headline for LinkedIn

Like in our storefront example above, your headline needs to serve several purposes. Your headline needs to clearly explain what you do, how you do it, and what results you can accomplish.

The key to writing a good LinkedIn headline is making it do 3 things for you:

1. It should convey your role
   (so recruiters immediately know what you do)
2. It should have keywords
   (this helps you show up in recruiter’s searches)
3. It should showcase an accomplishment
   (this helps impress both recruiters and the hiring team)

The best headlines for LinkedIn will always accomplish these three things. 

Now, a word of warning…

When you’re trying to figure out how to write your LinkedIn headline, it can be tempting to be “creative” in order to “stand out.” But, in my experience working with hundreds of job seekers, this often leads to headlines that can be confusing or (worse yet) off-putting. 

Remember that your LinkedIn headline is your first impression.

It’s a place to introduce yourself, not a place to be quirky, strange or creative.

Don’t get me wrong, all those things are perfectly okay to showcase, but you should save them for later in the interview process, not for your headline.

P.S. If you're struggling to think of numbers for your achievements, here's a great video by Career Coach, Gillian Kelly, that can give you some ideas:

LinkedIn headlines for job seekers

Alright, so now that we’ve gone over what to put in your headline for LinkedIn, let’s look at some examples.

As you go through these examples, feel free to modify them as you like and make them your own. Here is the formula one more time for reference:

LinkedIn headline examples for students

1. Finance Major | Dean's List | Treasurer of Student Investment Club | Interned at XYZ Financial Services

2. Computer Science Undergraduate | Proficient in Python & Java | Completed Capstone Project in Machine Learning | Software Intern at TechStartUp Co.

3. Marketing Student | Social Media Management | Vice President of Campus Marketing Association | Completed Internship at Leading Ad Agency

4. Engineering Student | Robotics Club Member | Proficient in CAD Software | Interned with ABC Engineering Firm

5. Biology Major | Research Assistant in Genetics Lab | President of Environmental Club | Summer Intern at City Hospital

6. Business Administration Undergraduate | Leader in Student Government | Excel and Data Analysis | Business Development Intern at Local Startup

7. Psychology Student | Volunteer Peer Counselor | Research Assistant in Cognitive Science Lab | Internship at Mental Health Clinic

LinkedIn headline examples for recent graduates

1. Digital Marketer | Digital Marketing Certified | Social Media Management | Completed Internship at Dynamic Ad Agency

2. Front-end Developer | Proficient in Python, Java | Developed a Mobile App for Campus Events

3. Engineer | CAD Expert | Team Lead in Senior Design Project | Engineering Intern at Innovative Solutions Inc.

4. Junior Financial Analyst | Excel Wizard | Data Analysis | Finance Intern at Top-Tier Investment Bank

5. Graphic Designer | Adobe Creative Suite Expert | Freelance Designer for Local Businesses | Portfolio Showcased in University Exhibit

6. Communications Specialist | Public Speaking | Content Creation | Interned in Corporate Communications at Global Tech Firm

7. Environmental Science Specialist | GIS Proficiency | Research Assistant on Climate Change Project | Internship at Green Earth Initiative

LinkedIn headline examples for sales professionals

1. Senior Sales Manager | Client Relationship Building | Strategic Planning | Market Analysis | Exceeded Annual Sales Target by 25%

2. Business Development Executive | Lead Generation | Negotiation Expert | CRM Management | Grew Client Base by 40% in One Year

3. Area Sales Representative | B2B Sales | Cross-selling | Product Demos | Consistently Surpassed Quarterly Goals

4. Key Account Manager | Client Retention | Upselling | Cross-Selling Strategies | Achieved 95% Customer Satisfaction Rate

5. Sales Consultant | Consultative Selling | Market Research | Competitive Analysis | Increased Market Share by 15% in Key Sectors

6. Territory Sales Officer | Cold Calling Mastery | Relationship Management | Sales Forecasting | Doubled Sales in Underperforming Regions

7. Channel Sales Coordinator | Partner Network Development | Sales Enablement | Revenue Growth | Boosted Channel Sales by 30% Year-Over-Year

LinkedIn headline examples for marketing

1. Digital Marketing Manager | SEO Optimization | Social Media Strategy | Content Creation | Increased Web Traffic by 50%

2. Brand Strategist | Market Research | Brand Development | Cross-Channel Marketing | Successfully Launched 3 Major Campaigns

3. Marketing Coordinator | Event Planning | Lead Generation | Data Analysis | Organized 20+ Successful Industry Events Annually

4. Product Marketing Specialist | Competitive Analysis | Product Positioning | Go-to-Market Strategies | Achieved 120% of Yearly Sales Target

5. Content Marketing Expert | Blogging | Video Production | Email Campaigns | Grew Online Audience by 200,000 in 1 Year

6. Social Media Manager | Community Engagement | Influencer Partnerships | Analytics Tracking | Boosted Social Media Engagement by 40%

7. Market Research Analyst | Consumer Behavior Analysis | Survey Design | Reporting | Provided Insights Leading to a 30% Reduction in Marketing Costs

LinkedIn headline examples for software engineers

1. Senior Software Engineer | Full-Stack Development | Agile Methodologies | Cloud Integration | Led a Team to Develop an Award-Winning App

2. Software Developer | Java Expertise | API Design | Database Management | Streamlined Backend Processes by 30%

3. Front-End Developer | HTML/CSS | JavaScript | Responsive Design | Revamped User Interface, Increasing User Engagement by 50%

4. Backend Engineer | Python | SQL | Microservices Architecture | Developed Scalable Solutions Reducing Server Load by 40%

5. Machine Learning Engineer | Data Science | Python | Neural Networks | Innovated an AI Model Improving Prediction Accuracy by 25%

6. Mobile App Developer | iOS/Android Platforms | Cross-Platform Development | UI/UX Design | Successfully Launched 5+ Highly Rated Apps

7. Systems Engineer | C++ Proficiency | Embedded Systems | Performance Optimization | Enhanced System Efficiency by 35%

Product Manager LinkedIn headline examples

1. Senior Product Manager | Roadmap Development | Agile & Scrum Methodologies | Cross-Functional Leadership | Launched 3 Top-Selling Products

2. Product Manager | Market Analysis | User Experience Design | Product Lifecycle Management | Increased Product Revenue by 20% in One Year

3. Associate Product Manager | Data-Driven Decision Making | Stakeholder Communication | Strategic Planning | Successfully Pivoted Product Strategy in Competitive Market

4. Technical Product Manager | Software Development Lifecycle | Requirement Analysis | Team Collaboration | Delivered a Major Software Update Ahead of Schedule

5. Product Owner | Agile Frameworks | Backlog Management | Customer Journey Mapping | Improved User Retention by 30%

6. Product Development Manager | Conceptualization to Launch | Cost Reduction | Quality Assurance | Achieved 15% Reduction in Production Costs Without Compromising Quality

7. Digital Product Manager | E-commerce Strategies | SEO Optimization | Online Marketing | Grew Online Sales by 40% Through Product Optimization

Project Manager LinkedIn headline examples

1. Senior Project Manager | PMP Certified | Risk Management | Team Leadership | Delivered Multi-Million Dollar Projects On Time and Under Budget

2. Project Coordinator | Agile Methodologies | Stakeholder Communication | Budgeting | Successfully Managed 20+ Cross-Functional Teams

3. IT Project Manager | Software Development Lifecycle | Vendor Management | Process Improvement | Streamlined IT Operations, Increasing Efficiency by 25%

4. Construction Project Manager | Site Management | Contract Negotiation | Safety Compliance | Completed Major Infrastructure Project 3 Months Ahead of Schedule

5. Marketing Project Manager | Campaign Management | Cross-Channel Coordination | Analytics | Oversaw Successful Launch of National Marketing Campaigns

6. Junior Project Manager | Project Scheduling | Resource Allocation | Quality Control | Coordinated Projects Resulting in 15% Increased Productivity

7. Operations Project Manager | Process Optimization | Team Building | Change Management | Enhanced Operational Processes Leading to 20% Cost Savings

Business Analyst LinkedIn headline examples

1. Senior Business Analyst | Data Analysis | Process Improvement | Project Management | Optimized Operations Resulting in 30% Cost Reduction

2. Business Intelligence Analyst | Big Data | SQL | Reporting | Provided Insights That Increased Revenue by 20%

3. Junior Business Analyst | Market Research | Financial Modeling | Trend Analysis | Supported Strategy Leading to 15% Market Share Growth

4. Business Systems Analyst | Requirements Gathering | ERP Solutions | User Training | Successfully Integrated a Company-Wide ERP System

5. IT Business Analyst | Agile Methodology | Software Development Lifecycle | Testing | Played Key Role in Successful Launch of New Software Platform

6. Data Business Analyst | Advanced Excel | Data Visualization | KPI Tracking | Developed Dashboards Leading to Improved Decision-Making Processes

7. Healthcare Business Analyst | Regulatory Compliance | Healthcare Systems | Risk Management | Contributed to Project Reducing Patient Wait Times by 25%

Finance LinkedIn headline examples

1. Finance Manager | Budget Management | Strategic Planning | Risk Assessment | Led Financial Strategy Resulting in 25% Profit Growth

2. Investment Analyst | Portfolio Management | Market Research | Financial Modeling | Outperformed Market Benchmarks by 15% Consistently

3. Financial Planner | Wealth Management | Retirement Planning | Client Relations | Increased Client Portfolio Value by 30% Over 5 Years

4. Risk Analyst | Financial Analysis | Compliance | Data Interpretation | Developed Risk Mitigation Strategies Reducing Losses by 20%

5. Corporate Finance Analyst | Mergers & Acquisitions | Capital Budgeting | Forecasting | Played a Key Role in a Successful $50M Acquisition

6. Financial Consultant | Cost Reduction | Financial Advising | Problem Solving | Assisted in Streamlining Operations to Save $10M Annually

7. Credit Analyst | Risk Assessment | Financial Reporting | Credit Policies | Improved Credit Scoring System, Reducing Defaults by 25%

Accounting LinkedIn headline examples

1. Senior Accountant | Financial Reporting | Tax Compliance | Budget Management | Reduced Operating Costs by 20% Through Strategic Financial Planning

2. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | Auditing | GAAP Expertise | Financial Analysis | Led Audit Teams for Fortune 500 Companies

3. Financial Analyst | Advanced Excel Skills | Forecasting | Data Analysis | Contributed to a 15% Increase in Annual Revenue

4. Accounts Payable/Receivable Manager | Cash Flow Management | Invoicing | Reconciliation | Improved Payment Cycle, Enhancing Cash Flow by 30%

5. Management Accountant | Cost Accounting | Budget Forecasting | Strategic Planning | Played a Key Role in a 10% Year-Over-Year Profit Growth

6. Tax Accountant | Tax Planning | IRS Regulations | Financial Consulting | Assisted Clients in Reducing Tax Liabilities by 25%

7. Bookkeeper | QuickBooks Expert | Payroll Processing | Financial Record-Keeping | Maintained Flawless Audit Records Over 5 Years

LinkedIn headline examples for HR professionals

1. HR Manager | Talent Acquisition | Employee Relations | Performance Management | Improved Employee Retention Rate by 20%

2. Recruitment Specialist | Talent Sourcing | Interviewing | Onboarding | Filled 100+ Positions Annually with 95% New Hire Retention

3. HR Business Partner | Strategic Planning | Workforce Development | Policy Design | Led HR Transformation Initiatives Increasing Operational Efficiency

4. Training and Development Coordinator | Learning Programs | Employee Engagement | Succession Planning | Enhanced Employee Productivity by 30%

5. Compensation and Benefits Analyst | Payroll Management | Budgeting | Regulatory Compliance | Streamlined Benefits Plan, Saving 10% in Costs

6. Diversity and Inclusion Officer | Culture Initiatives | Employee Advocacy | Program Development | Increased Diversity Hiring by 40%

7. Employee Relations Manager | Conflict Resolution | Legal Compliance | Counseling | Successfully Mediated 100+ Employee Disputes

LinkedIn headline examples for Customer Service professionals

1. Customer Service Specialist | ZenDesk | Problem Resolution | Consistently Achieved 95% Customer Satisfaction Rating

2. Client Relations Manager | Relationship Building | Feedback Management | Increased Customer Retention by 20%

3. Customer Support Representative | HubSpot Certified | Multi-Channel Support | Awarded Employee of the Month for Outstanding Service

4. Call Center Agent | High-Volume Call Handling | Empathetic & Patient | Reduced Call Resolution Time by 30%

5. Customer Experience Coordinator | Data-Driven | Quality Assurance | Improved Overall Customer Feedback Scores by 25%

6. Bilingual Customer Service Professional | Fluent in Spanish and English | Cultural Sensitivity | Enhanced Communication with Diverse Clientele

7. Customer Success Advocate | Product Knowledge Expert | Client Onboarding | Successfully Managed Accounts for Top-Tier Clients

Linkedin headline for unemployed job seekers

A common question I get asked is, “What should my LinkedIn headline be if I’m unemployed?” Most of the time, it’s best to keep your LinkedIn headline the same even if you’re unemployed. 

That means it should still follow the format: Target role, skill #1, skill #2, skill #3, achievement.

Adding that you’re unemployed to your headline, such as, “open to opportunities,” doesn’t improve your chances of getting a job. And, even worse, sometimes it will actually make you less desirable because of how recruiters rank you in their applicant pool.

So, if you’re unemployed, your best bet is to use one of the LinkedIn headline examples above and modify it for your particular target role.

Career change LinkedIn headline examples

Another common question I get is, “what should my LinkedIn headline be if I’m making a career change?” The best way to handle a career change is by showcasing your transferable skills.

For example, let’s say that you were working as a sales representative and now you want to switch into marketing.

You would use the same LinkedIn headline format above, but add some of your transferable skills. It’s still recommended to make your target role the new role you’re trying to change into. And, for your accomplishment, you can choose an accomplishment that’s related to your new role.

For example:

Digital Marketing Manager | Lead Generation | Email Outreach | Copy Writing | Increased sales leads by 67% year over year

As you can see, skills like lead generation and email outreach are all things that sales people do, but they’re also very relevant in a marketing role. Also, the achievement of increasing sales leads is incredibly important in marketing, and just so happens to be what sales reps do as well.

Depending on your career pivot, you may have more or less transferable skills. If you’re missing some skills, you should definitely go out and learn those new skills. 

You can read my guide on how to get a job with little or no experience here, which I highly recommend for anyone making a career change.

This video by Career Coach, Angie Callen, is also super helpful in thinking about your career pivot: