What to change your LinkedIn headline to when looking for a job?

Your LinkedIn headline, also known as your tagline, is one of the most important parts of your LinkedIn profile. It’s the first thing people see right under your name and photo. A good headline gives people a quick understanding of who you are professionally and what you’re looking for in your next role. When you’re actively searching for a new job, it’s important to optimize your LinkedIn headline to help you stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Here are some tips for what to change your LinkedIn headline to when you’re looking for a job.

Highlight Your Industry or Area of Expertise

When recruiters search LinkedIn for candidates, they often search by industry or job title keywords. To get your profile found, include your industry or area of expertise in your headline. For example:

• Software Engineer specializing in React and Node.js
• Product Marketing Manager | B2B SaaS
• Civil Engineer | Construction Project Management

This helps people immediately understand your professional background and skills at a glance.

Emphasize Your Current Job Title or Desired Role

Highlighting your current job title or the type of role you’re seeking is another effective way to get your profile noticed by recruiters. For example:

• Senior Accountant seeking Controller role
• Marketing Director | Available for new opportunities
• RN, BSN | Seeking Nurse Manager position

Putting your target job title prominently in your headline makes it easy for hiring managers to see you’re looking for a similar role.

Focus on Transferable Skills

Rather than just stating your job title, you can call out transferable skills that could apply to a variety of roles. For example:

• Leadership | Team Building | Strategic Planning
• Data Analytics | SQL | Tableau
• Proposal Writing | Business Development | Client Relations

This shows off versatile skills that would be valuable across many different companies and industries.

Add Personality and Stand Out

While keywords are important, you also want to inject some personality to make your headline unique. For example:

• “Passionate educator cultivating future generations”
• “Storyteller translating vision into code as a frontend developer”
• “Skilled negotiator bringing wins for sales team and clients”

This helps your profile stand out from the sea of generic headlines.

Keywords to Include

Here are some additional keywords and phrases to consider working into your LinkedIn headline when job searching:

Incorporating relevant skills like these can help you stand out and appeal to recruiters.

Examples of Effective LinkedIn Headlines

Here are some examples of compelling LinkedIn headlines when actively job searching:

These headlines highlight important keywords, skills, and personality traits to capture attention.

Tips for Headline Length

When crafting your LinkedIn headline, keep these length guidelines in mind:

• Aim for 2-5 lines of text
• Try to keep it under 120 characters
• Only include your most relevant skills and titles
• Prioritize the order – lead with your best assets

Being concise will increase the likelihood that people read your entire headline. Avoid letting it become too wordy.

How Often to Change Your Headline

When actively applying and interviewing, change your LinkedIn headline frequently to test different options. Here are some recommendations on cadence:

• Change your headline every 2-4 weeks
• Update it after finishing a big project or completing a certification
• Tailor it when applying to specific roles
• Refine it based on which version yields the most profile views

Regularly experimenting with your headline will help you pinpoint what works best.

Tools to Help Craft Your Headline

Take advantage of online tools to create keyword-optimized LinkedIn headlines. Here are a few options:

• Upwork Headline Generator: suggests headlines based on your desired job title and skills
• Snov.io: analyzes headlines to grade their effectiveness
• LinkedInHeadlineGenerator.com: generates headline ideas optimized for your industry
• Portfolium Headline Analyzer: grades your current headline and suggests improvements

These tools provide ideas and evaluate the strength of your headlines.

Headlines to Avoid

When updating your LinkedIn headline for your job search, there are some formats you’ll want to steer clear of, such as:

• Obvious or overused cliches (“Passionate people person”)
• Strict job titles without context (“Marketing Manager”)
• Headlines directed toward a specific company
• References to your job search or availability
• Listing too many skills – stick to 3-5 max

These types of headlines can come across as too vague, informal, or desperate.

Customize for Each Application

Take your LinkedIn headline optimizations one step further by customizing it for each application you submit. Simply tweak it to include:

• The company name
• Requirements listed in the job description
• Skills and qualifications they desire
• Terminology and jargon they use

Doing this personalization shows extra effort on your part as an applicant.

Refresh Periodically

Don’t just set your LinkedIn headline when job searching and forget it. Come back to it regularly to refresh and update. You’ll want to revise it when:

• You take on new responsibilities or projects
• You complete certifications or training
• You acquire new skills
• You change roles or companies

Consistency is important, but periodically reworking your headline keeps it current.

Conclusion

Your LinkedIn headline is key real estate for getting your profile noticed when actively looking for a new job opportunity. Use relevant keywords, highlight your best attributes, and customize it for each application. Experiment regularly with different headlines and refresh it as your experience grows. With a compelling, keyword-rich headline, you’ll attract more recruiter attention and stand out from fellow job seekers.