The first thing people will see
Your LinkedIn headline or tagline is the line that appears immediately below your name at the top of your profile. It is the first thing anyone sees when looking at your profile. Ideally they see your photo and your tagline
LinkedIn automatically populates this tagline field with your current job, but you can change this. And you should. Your current role or last role is already outlined below in your work experience, so use the tagline to emphasise what you offer or who you are professionally.
Be as specific as possible. Identify your point of difference. Contracts Engineer / Quantity Surveyor / Oil and Gas / Major Project Experience pinpoints what you offer. HSE Manager | 8+ Years of Mining and FIFO Experience | Mental Health Advocate | Experienced Mentor and Coach tells us who you are.
You have 220 characters to sell yourself.
“Seeking Opportunities,” or “Looking for New Opportunities,” is not effective use of this space. No company or recruiter is searching for or inspired by people who are “seeking opportunities.” Instead tell us who you are.
“Project Manager” or “Senior Administrator” gives the reader limited information regarding who you are professionally and they are less likely to engage with you for further detail. Senior Project Manager: High level project management rigour, major oil and gas projects, onshore and offshore is a stronger tagline that identifies your experience. By customising your tagline, you stand out from others who have the same job title as you.
When your profile comes up in a recruiter’s search your picture and your tagline is what they see first – have a picture which is professional and ensure your tagline is convincing. If your focus is gaining employment, use keywords. Keywords are words that would likely be in a job description. Senior Civil Designer with 12D, AutoCAD and expertise in roads and highways.
If you are not looking for work but are keen to develop connections within your areas of interest, have a tagline that conveys your passion. Helping business get more from their marketing budget and online strategy or Aspiring Marketer with an interest in online strategies.
Your 220 characters are valuable if used correctly.