Job Corner: Don’t Write a Crappy LinkedIn Headline

Monday, February 23, 2015

Lea McLeod, GoLocalPDX Careers Expert

Have you ever come across someone’s LinkedIn headline and thought, “Now that is just plain ridiculous!”

You know what I mean. The ones that say things like Ninja Social Media Sorcerer, or Digital Overlord or even Senior Cat Herder. Say what now?

I laud the creativity it takes to make up such a title. And then I cringe because your LinkedIn headline is a relatively important part of your overall profile.

Why? Because your LinkedIn headline is heavily weighted for how you appear in LinkedIn searches.

And who looks for you in LinkedIn searches (other than friends and family of course)? Why, recruiters and hiring managers who might want to lure you away with an awesome job offer!

But if your headline is weighted with ridiculous keywords, you may not easily be found. This applies whether you’re employed, or looking for something new.

I frequently see jobseeker headlines like “seeking new opportunities,” or “looking for employment and new adventure” or the dreaded, “Unemployed.” Cringe.

When you think about your LinkedIn headline – or any part of your LinkedIn profile for that matter – look at it through the lens of the people you want to find you.

LinkedIn derives significant income by selling organizations an online tool for recruiting talent.

In that system recruiters and hiring managers look for people who are potentially great candidates. When they do search for talent, they are using keywords essential to the job they are trying to fill.

It is highly unlikely that any recruiter has typed “seeking new opportunities” into LinkedIn as a keyword.

Or “unemployed,” or “looking for new adventure.”

Or god forbid, “Cat Herder.”

Instead, whether you’re employed or not, you have 120 characters (not words, but characters) to enrich your LinkedIn headline with messages that will attract your desired employers.

If you’re employed, it’s appropriate to use your actual title. But if your title is something that wouldn’t be clearly understood by people outside of your organization (Chief Idea Officer, anyone?) translate it into something that is.

There’s no law that says you have to include your company name in your headline, but if you think it’s a competitive advantage to do so, then include it.

Use keywords that are specific to your area of expertise or that speak to results you achieved or credentials you have – even if you aren’t currently employed.

Here are some examples well under the 120-character limit:

Project Coordinator at ACME | Marketing, Communications, Research + Award Winning Brand Strategy (97 characters)

Technology + Startups | Marketing | Design Ethnographer | Harvard MBA (70)

Associate Studio Director at XYZ Advertising | Design Manager | Designer | Integrated Producer (95)

When you’re writing your LinkedIn profile, think about whom you want to find you. Then use the words, descriptors, and attributes they’ll be looking for. In the end, you’ll have much more useful, and productive, profile.

Lea McLeod helps people meet challenges in the job search – and in the job - head on. Formerly a Director Level manager at Hewlett-Packard, she hired, fired and managed people around the world. Now, she helps people find great jobs, do great work, and leave the office on time.