LinkedIn Headline Prompt

What it does

Writes the line under your name on LinkedIn — the 220 characters that follow you into every search result, comment, and connection request. Most people waste it on their job title, which says what they are but nothing about who they help or why anyone should care. This prompt turns that space into a tiny pitch: who you help, what you do for them, and what makes you worth a click. It also weaves in the keywords recruiters and clients actually search, since the headline is heavily weighted in LinkedIn's search.

Write 6 LinkedIn headline options for me, each 220 characters or fewer.

Vary the approach:
- A couple that lead with who I help + the outcome I create.
- One that pairs my role with a clear specialty or niche.
- One keyword-forward version (for search) that still reads naturally.
- One with a bit of personality, if it fits me.

Rules:
- Stay under 220 characters (LinkedIn's limit). Note the count for each.
- Front-load the most important words — the start shows even when truncated.
- Include the terms a recruiter or client would search for my kind of work.
- Specific over generic. No "results-driven professional" or "passionate about."
- Use the | separator to stack ideas where it reads cleanly.

About me:
- Current role + company: [title @ company]
- Who I help / who I want to reach: [audience]
- What I actually do for them (the outcome): [value]
- My specialty or niche: [what I'm known for]
- Keywords I want to be found for: [terms]
- Tone: [professional / approachable / bold]

How to use it

The "what I actually do for them" field is what lifts the headline above a title. Push past "I do marketing" to the outcome — "I help SaaS startups turn blog traffic into demos." Pick the version that's true and that you'd be comfortable having appear next to your name everywhere, then check it isn't truncated awkwardly: LinkedIn cuts the headline short in some views, so the first ~40 characters need to carry weight on their own.

Include real search terms. If you want to be found for "fractional CFO" or "UX research," those words need to be in the headline, because that's a field LinkedIn search leans on hard.

Example output

Outcome-led: "I help early-stage SaaS founders turn content into qualified pipeline | Content Marketing @ Brightleaf" (101 chars)

Keyword-forward: "B2B Content Marketing | SEO, Demand Gen & Newsletter Strategy | Helping startups grow without ads" (96 chars)

Personality: "Allergic to fluffy marketing. I build content that actually books demos. | Marketing @ Brightleaf" (98 chars)

Variations

Job seeking: Add "I'm currently looking for [role]. Signal openness and target the roles I want, while still leading with value."

Career changer: Add "I'm moving from [old field] to [new field]. Frame my transferable value toward the new field."

Founder/business owner: Add "I run my own [business]. Make the headline about who we help, doubling as a soft pitch for the company."

Student/early career: Add "I'm early in my career / a student in [field]. Emphasize direction, skills, and what I'm building toward."

Common pitfalls

Just the job title. The default ("Title at Company") wastes prime, searchable space. Add who you help and the outcome.

Buzzword soup. "Results-driven, passionate, dynamic professional" says nothing and everyone's said it. Specifics about your work stand out by contrast.

Ignoring search. No relevant keywords means you don't surface when recruiters or clients search your field. Get the real terms in there.

Who uses this prompt

Job seekers who want recruiters to find and click them, freelancers and consultants turning their headline into a pitch, professionals building a personal brand, and anyone whose headline still just says their title. It makes the most-seen line on your profile actually work for you.