40 LinkedIn Headline Examples That Get Clicks (With Templates)

Your LinkedIn headline is the most visible part of your profile after your name. It appears in search results, connection requests, comments, and anywhere your profile shows up. Those 220 characters work harder than anything else on LinkedIn.

Most people waste them on job titles. Here's how to make them work.

Why Your LinkedIn Headline Matters

The data is clear:

• Headlines appear everywhere — In search results, as previews on your comments, in "People Also Viewed," and connection requests
• Recruiters scan headlines first — Before clicking on a profile, the headline determines interest
• LinkedIn's algorithm uses it — Keywords in your headline affect which searches surface your profile
• A strong headline increases profile views by 40%+ according to LinkedIn's internal data

Your headline is your 220-character pitch. Make it count.

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The LinkedIn Headline Formula

The most effective headlines follow one of these structures:

Formula 1: What + Who + Result

[What you do] | [Who you help] | [Key result or differentiator]

Examples:

• "Growth Marketing | Helping B2B SaaS Scale from $1M to $10M ARR | Ex-HubSpot"
• "Product Designer | Making Enterprise Software Actually Usable | Design Systems Expert"
• "Engineering Leader | Building High-Performance Teams | Ex-Google, Ex-Stripe"

Formula 2: Problem + Solution

I help [audience] [achieve outcome] | [Credibility marker]

Examples:

• "I help founders hire their first 10 engineers | 500+ placements at startups"
• "I turn complex data into clear decisions | Analytics Leader at TechCorp"
• "I help executives become compelling speakers | TEDx Coach"

Formula 3: Title + Specialty + Differentiator

[Title] at [Company] | [Specialty] | [What makes you different]

Examples:

• "VP of Sales at TechCorp | Enterprise SaaS | Grew revenue 3x in 18 months"
• "Senior Product Manager at FinanceApp | Payments & Compliance | Building for 50M+ users"
• "Principal Engineer at CloudCo | Distributed Systems | Making scale boring"

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40 LinkedIn Headline Examples by Category

For Job Seekers (8 examples)

1. "Senior Software Engineer | Open to Opportunities | React, TypeScript, Node.js | Built systems serving 10M+ users" Why it works: Clear on role, openness, skills, and scale of experience.

2. "Product Manager Seeking Next Challenge | 5 Products Launched | $10M+ Revenue Generated | B2B SaaS Specialist" Why it works: States intent, proves track record, specifies focus area.

3. "Marketing Leader | Building Growth Engines for Startups | Series A to IPO Experience | Open to VP/CMO Roles" Why it works: Shows progression, specifies what type of opportunities.

4. "Data Scientist | Machine Learning & Analytics | Ex-Google | Exploring Senior/Staff Opportunities" Why it works: Clear expertise, strong credibility, specific level.

5. "UX Designer | Enterprise B2B | Accessibility Advocate | Seeking Design Lead Roles" Why it works: Clear niche, value signal, specific target role.

6. "Sales Development Rep → Account Executive | Ready for Closing Roles | SaaS | 250% Quota Attainment" Why it works: Shows progression path, backed by results.

7. "Customer Success Leader | Scaled CS Teams 5→50 | Net Revenue Retention 125%+ | Open to Director+ Roles" Why it works: Specific metrics that matter in CS.

8. "Engineering Manager | Built Teams from 0→20 | Infra & Platform | Seeking Leadership at Mission-Driven Companies" Why it works: Scale + specialty + values alignment.

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For Entrepreneurs & Founders (8 examples)

9. "Founder & CEO at @ProductName | Helping SMBs Automate Operations | Ex-Google" Why it works: Role, company, value prop, credibility.

10. "Building the Future of [Industry] | Founder @StartupName | Forbes 30 Under 30" Why it works: Vision + specific company + social proof.

11. "Serial Entrepreneur | 2 Exits | Now Building @NewCompany | Advisor to 15+ Startups" Why it works: Track record + current focus + additional value.

12. "Co-Founder @FinTech | Previously VP Eng at BigCo | Hiring Engineers" Why it works: Role + credibility + current priority (hiring).

13. "Bootstrapping @SaaSTool to $1M ARR | Building in Public | Previously @Amazon" Why it works: Transparency about stage + audience signal + credibility.

14. "Founder | Turning Enterprise Data Chaos into Clarity | $15M Raised | Hiring" Why it works: Problem framed well + traction + signal for candidates.

15. "Building @ProductName | 10K+ Users | Prev. Product at Stripe | Open to Investor Intros" Why it works: Traction + credibility + clear ask.

16. "Founder @ClimateTech | Ex-McKinsey | Making Sustainability Scalable" Why it works: Category + credibility + mission.

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For Consultants & Freelancers (8 examples)

17. "Fractional CMO | I Help Startups Build Growth Engines | 15+ Years in B2B Marketing" Why it works: Clear service + target + experience.

18. "UX Consultant | Turning Complex Products into Intuitive Experiences | 50+ Products Shipped" Why it works: Value prop + proof.

19. "Leadership Coach | Helping Executives Navigate Their First 90 Days | Ex-Fortune 100 COO" Why it works: Specific niche + credibility from experience.

20. "Freelance Content Strategist | B2B SaaS | From 0 to 500K Monthly Visitors" Why it works: Service + specialty + impressive result.

21. "Product Strategy Consultant | Helping PMs Make Better Roadmap Decisions | Ex-Airbnb, Ex-Uber" Why it works: Specific problem + credibility.

22. "Executive Recruiter | Placing CTOs & VPEs at Startups | 200+ Hires" Why it works: Clear service + specialty + proof.

23. "Fractional CFO for Startups | Seed to Series B | Stop Guessing, Start Knowing Your Numbers" Why it works: Service + stage focus + memorable tagline.

24. "Brand Strategist | Helping Startups Look Like They Know What They're Doing" Why it works: Humor that speaks to real client pain.

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For Tech Professionals (8 examples)

25. "Staff Engineer at BigTech | Distributed Systems | Making Millions of Requests Per Second Boring" Why it works: Senior title + specialty + personality.

26. "Data Scientist | Making Sense of Messy Data | Python, SQL, Machine Learning | Ex-Meta" Why it works: Role + value + skills + credibility.

27. "DevOps Engineer | Infrastructure as Code Enthusiast | AWS Certified | Building Reliable Systems" Why it works: Role + philosophy + certification + outcome.

28. "Product Manager | B2B Payments | Shipped Products to 10M+ Users | Stripe, Square Alum" Why it works: Role + specialty + scale + companies.

29. "Engineering Manager | Building Teams That Ship | 0→50 Engineers | Platform & Infra" Why it works: Role + philosophy + scale + focus.

30. "Security Engineer | Helping Companies Not Get Hacked | Prev. Red Team at Google" Why it works: Role + value prop + impressive credibility.

31. "Mobile Engineer | iOS & Android | Fintech Focus | Apps with 50M+ Downloads" Why it works: Role + platforms + specialty + scale.

32. "Solutions Architect | AWS | Helping Enterprises Migrate to Cloud | 100+ Migrations" Why it works: Role + platform + value + proof.

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For Creative Professionals (8 examples)

33. "Brand Designer | Creating Visual Identities That Tell Stories | Clients: Nike, Spotify, Airbnb" Why it works: Role + value + impressive client list.

34. "Content Strategist | Turning Ideas into Traffic | 50M+ Views | B2B SaaS Focus" Why it works: Role + outcome + proof + specialty.

35. "Video Producer | Helping Brands Connect Through Compelling Stories | 1B+ Views" Why it works: Role + value + massive social proof.

36. "Copywriter | Words That Make People Click | DTC & B2B | $100M+ in Attributed Revenue" Why it works: Role + value + versatility + proof.

37. "UX Writer | Making Products Speak Human | Fintech & Healthcare" Why it works: Role + memorable tagline + specialties.

38. "Creative Director | From 'Make the Logo Bigger' to Award-Winning Campaigns | Ex-Wieden+Kennedy" Why it works: Humor + outcome + impressive agency.

39. "Motion Designer | Bringing Brands to Life | Apple, Google, Meta | 50+ Brand Videos" Why it works: Role + value + clients + volume.

40. "Photographer | Helping Executives Look Like Leaders (Not Robots) | Corporate Headshots" Why it works: Role + specific value + clear specialty.

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Headlines to Avoid

Too Vague

• "Marketing Professional"
• "Experienced Manager"
• "Looking for Opportunities"

These could describe a million people. They're invisible in search.

Too Long

Don't try to cram everything. Focus on your primary value proposition.

Too Clever

If a pun obscures what you actually do, cut it. Clarity beats cleverness.

Overused Phrases

• "Results-driven professional"
• "Passionate about [anything]"
• "Thought leader"
• "Guru" or "Ninja"

These are cringe. Avoid them.

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Optimizing Your Headline for LinkedIn Search

Your headline is indexed by LinkedIn's search algorithm. To appear in recruiter searches:

Include Keywords Recruiters Search For

• Job titles: "Product Manager," "Software Engineer," "Marketing Director"
• Skills: "Python," "Growth Marketing," "UX Design," "Sales"
• Industries: "FinTech," "Healthcare," "E-commerce," "SaaS"
• Seniority: "Senior," "Director," "VP," "Executive"

Match Job Descriptions

Look at job postings you're interested in. What words do they use? Include those in your headline.

Use the Right Format

LinkedIn indexes words, not pipe characters. "Product Manager | B2B SaaS" and "Product Manager, B2B SaaS" are equivalent for search.

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When to Update Your Headline

Update whenever:

• You get a new job or promotion
• You're actively job searching (add "Open to Opportunities")
• You launch something new
• Your focus changes
• You achieve something impressive

Your headline should reflect your current situation and goals.

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The Headline Audit Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

• [ ] Could a stranger understand what you do in 5 seconds?
• [ ] Does it include keywords recruiters/clients might search?
• [ ] Does it differentiate you from others with similar roles?
• [ ] Is it under 220 characters?
• [ ] Does it reflect your current goals (job seeking, client acquisition, thought leadership)?

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Your Headline Is Just the Start

A great headline gets clicks. A great bio closes the deal.

Generate your complete LinkedIn bio with SwiftBio—get 3 professional variations in seconds that work together with your headline to tell your complete story.

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Related: LinkedIn Bio Guide | Professional Bio Tips | Personal Branding Guide