If you are casually using LinkedIn as part of your job search strategy in 2021, you might not realize your LinkedIn headline shows up along with your name when someone performs an active search – that means the wrong headline will bury you deep in search results and the right one will boost your findability.
Why does your LinkedIn headline matter? Well, there are more than 20 million companies listed on LinkedIn and approximately 14 million open jobs. and with LinkedIn’s advanced search capabilities, it’s really no surprise to learn that 90% of recruiters, Fortune 500 companies, and even smaller companies are turning to LinkedIn to source qualified candidates.
Keywords + Value + Impact = Memorable Headline
You have 120-characters to create a headline that will hook your reader and entice them to want to learn more about you. As you are deciding what you should feature in your headline, remember this: the best headlines always 
include keywords and convey the value and area of expertise of the candidate.
A poorly written headline asks the reader to figure out ‘if you are the candidate’ they are searching for and what skills, qualifications, and value you bring to the role. According to Kinsta.com, there are more than 575 million users on LinkedIn. Should you be found, recruiters and hiring authorities are not going to take the time to read through your entire profile to determine if you would be a great fit. None of the recruiters or hiring managers that I know type into the search bar “seeking new opportunities” when trying to source the best candidate for a role they are trying to fill and, if they did, I doubt they would sift through the 588,463 results that show up.
It is up to you to NOT waste this opportunity to communicate your value and differentiate yourself from other similarly qualified candidates.
So, how do you create a headline that has the correct search terms and will increase your positioning in the search results?
Headline Formula
First, identify the role you are targeting. Next, determine your value proposition – what value you promise to deliver – and assess what you do better than others in your role. Finally, pinpoint how you’ve made a difference and what employers are looking for in their next employee.
Your headline needs to provide the reader with: What You Do + How It Benefits an Employer
Headlines are searchable by keywords, so you need to use terms that your target audience will be searching for. That said, although keywords ARE a critical component to be found, don’t fill your headline with keywords. An example of this would be individuals in technical or scientific fields filling their headline with stand-alone acronyms – JAVA, LAN/WAN, GEPOF, ICaaS. Keep your headline reader friendly by providing more meat.
Here is an example (bolded words) you can use to model your headline after: Role Targeting Healthcare IT Consultant ? Multi-Entity Hospital Systems ? Unique Value / Impact Known for Improving Provider Satisfaction + Patient Outcomes
A headline that contains the right keywords is an effective positioning tool and one of the most important elements of your LinkedIn profile. By optimizing yours with your value, you will create a stronger online presence, become more memorable, and ignite more interest.
Now that you know how to optimize your headline, show me yours!
Need advice on how to strengthen your LinkedIn profile for a modern job search? As a Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert, I craft branded, engaging, conversational, value-based LinkedIn profiles.
I’d love to chat with you and discuss how I can be of assistance. Simply follow the link and schedule a strategy call.
https://breakthroughresumes.com/contact/
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