What word are you scared to add to your LinkedIn headline?
Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things people and recruiters see, so it’s understandable to be nervous about how you represent yourself. This may be the only thing people read about you before they scroll past. So it’s super important!
If there’s a word and/or title that you’d like to add to your headline but you keep having doubts about whether you have enough experience to claim it, read on.
What is a LinkedIn headline?
Your LinkedIn headline appears right below your name. It is meant to quickly describe what you currently have to offer.
If you don’t edit it, LinkedIn will automatically assign your latest position as your headline. Unless you’re happily employed and your company has brand equity (it’s well known and has a positive reputation), then you’ll want to update your headline.
Notice in the example above I have keywords of: “Certified Coach | Speaker | Resume & LinkedIn Writer | #IamRemarkable Facilitator | Coach at TheCru | @coach_lins” instead of “Certified Coach at Lindsey Lathrop Coaching.” By using relevant keywords, I am being obvious about the services I offer. I don’t leave it up for interpretation. I want my first impression to be clear and concise so people want to read the rest of my LinkedIn profile.
Your LinkedIn headline is not something you “set and forget.” You will need to update it as you evolve your skills and background.
What makes a good LinkedIn headline?
As we’ve already established above, a good LinkedIn headline is one that is direct about your unique selling points and value add, which is exactly why it can be tricky to write! (More on that below.)
Your headline shows your personality (look at the emojis I used in mine) and makes it easy for recruiters to find you.
To craft your headline, you’ll want to think about:
what you want more of in your career. For example - want more opportunities to facilitate groups? You’ll want to add something like “Engaging Facilitator” to your headline. Have a specific topic you facilitate? Include it!
what you want to be known for. It’s 100% okay to be aspirational in your headline. How will you get opportunities if you’re not upfront about what experiences you’re looking for? Be clear. People are not mind readers.
the words people would you use to find someone with your background and expertise.
notable accomplishments you’ve had (e.g. awards, publications, books, podcasts, sales/revenue/sustainability results).
Real examples of good LinkedIn headlines
To show you what I mean when it comes to writing a good LinkedIn headline, I’m sharing a bunch of real examples from my own network. You’ll notice each of the headlines include a series of keywords and phrases that are unique to the person and that paint a picture of who they are and the skills they have.
What if you don’t feel like you have enough experience to add a keyword to your LinkedIn headline?
So what qualifies as “enough experience” so you’re confident in adding a title/word to your LinkedIn headline?
Let’s start with a pep talk.
Remember when I prompted you to think about what you want more of in your career? The only way you get more of [skill, opportunity, connection], is to make it OBVIOUS to people. How do you make it obvious? You use the word or phrase in your LinkedIn headline.
I’m giving you permission to be aspirational in your LinkedIn headline.
Being aspirational means having a vision for yourself and sharing that vision with others so they can help open doors. That’s what LinkedIn is all about!
Your LinkedIn headline will help recruiters and your network see what you already see in yourself.
So don’t be scared to include it, even if you don’t yet have “official” and/or “paid” experience doing it.
My personal example of this is the word “Speaker.” It took me years before I added this keyword to my LinkedIn headline, even though I had been running workshops for several years. When I finally added it, guess what happened. I started getting speaking requests through LinkedIn!
People are busy and they are not mind readers. You will only have their attention for a few moments and you’ll want to be clear about who you are and how they can help.
Another example: if you have a service-based business and you want more people to hire you, add “-for hire” in your LinkedIn headline. Or - if you are unemployed, make it obvious to recruiters by including “Seeking opportunities in [keyword(s)].
To sum it up, your LinkedIn headline doesn’t have to be intimidating. You can always change it. Nothing is permanent! And no one is keeping tabs on you that closely, anyway. Have fun with the process. Don’t take yourself so seriously. It’s good to experiment to see who is attracted to certain words in your headline. You’ll be doing your market research!
If you’d like more help with your LinkedIn profile, join me for an upcoming workshop on How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile.
