linkedin headline tips: how to stand out in 120 characters

your linkedin headline is prime real estate. it appears in search results, connection requests, comments, and messages. yet most people waste it on just their job title.

"Marketing Manager at XYZ Company"

that tells me nothing about what makes you valuable. let's fix that.

why your headline matters

your headline shows up everywhere: - linkedin search results - "people you may know" suggestions - when you comment on posts - in connection requests - inmails and messages

it's often the only thing people see before deciding to click or scroll past.

the 120-character limit

linkedin gives you 220 characters, but only ~120 show on mobile and in search results. the rest gets cut off.

write for 120 characters. every character counts.

headlines that don't work

### just your job title

"Software Engineer at Google"

so are 10,000 other people. what makes you different?

### buzzword soup

"Passionate | Innovative | Results-Driven Professional"

these words mean nothing. everyone claims them.

### the desperate job seeker

"Actively Seeking New Opportunities | Open to Work"

leads with neediness instead of value.

### the vague expert

"Helping Businesses Grow"

how? what businesses? grow how?

headlines that work

### the specialist formula

[Role] specializing in [specific area] | [key result or skill]

"Frontend Engineer | React & TypeScript | Building accessible web apps"

clear, searchable, specific.

### the value proposition

I help [audience] [achieve result]

"I help SaaS startups turn trials into paying customers"

client-focused. speaks to a specific pain.

### the proof formula

[Role] | [Achievement or credential]

"Sales Director | $4M+ revenue generated | B2B SaaS"

numbers create instant credibility.

### the keyword stack

[Skill] • [Skill] • [Skill] | [Industry/Context]

"SEO • Content Strategy • Analytics | Helping e-commerce brands rank"

great for searchability. recruiters find you.

### the mission statement

[What you do] for [who you do it for]

"Building design systems that scale | Product Design at Figma"

shows purpose, not just position.

goal-based headline strategies

### if you want to get hired

lead with the role you want, not just the role you have.

wrong: "Junior Developer looking for opportunities" right: "Full-Stack Developer | Node.js & React | Open to remote roles"

include keywords recruiters search for. "full-stack developer node.js" gets searched. "junior developer looking" doesn't.

### if you want clients

speak to their problem, not your credentials.

wrong: "Certified Life Coach with 10 years experience" right: "Helping overwhelmed founders find clarity and focus"

the first is about you. the second is about them.

### if you want authority

position yourself as a thought leader.

wrong: "Marketing Professional" right: "Writing about B2B content strategy | 50K+ newsletter subscribers"

show reach, expertise, or unique perspective.

### if you want to network

be clear and approachable.

wrong: "Entrepreneur | Investor | Advisor | Speaker" right: "Building in public at [startup] | Love talking product & growth"

the second invites conversation.

formatting tricks

### separators

use these to create visual breaks: - | (pipe) - • (bullet) - · (middle dot) - — (em dash) - → (arrow)

"Product Manager | B2B SaaS | Ex-Stripe"

cleaner than:

"Product Manager, B2B SaaS, Ex-Stripe"

### emojis: use sparingly

one emoji can add personality. five emojis look unprofessional.

okay: "🚀 Helping startups launch faster | Product Marketing" too much: "🚀💡✨ Marketing Guru 🎯📈💪"

### capitalization

title case looks more polished than all lowercase. but don't go ALL CAPS.

good: "Senior Engineer | Building Developer Tools" bad: "SENIOR ENGINEER | BUILDING DEVELOPER TOOLS"

testing your headline

change your headline and track: - profile views (linkedin shows you this) - connection request rate - inmail/message volume - search appearances

give each headline 2-4 weeks before judging.

common mistakes

### being too clever

"Professional Overthinker | Amateur Coffee Drinker"

cute, but tells me nothing useful. save personality for your summary.

### listing every skill

"Python | Java | SQL | AWS | Docker | K8s | React | Node | ML | AI"

pick 3-4 most relevant. this isn't a resume dump.

### forgetting the audience

who's reading this headline? what do they care about? write for them, not for yourself.

the headline formula cheat sheet

| goal | formula | |------|---------| | get hired | [Target Role] | [Top Skills] | [Industry] | | attract clients | I help [audience] [achieve result] | | build authority | [Topic] expert | [Proof point] | | grow network | [What you do] | [What you care about] |

pick one. write it under 120 characters. test it.

your headline is the first impression. make it count.