Expert LinkedIn Headline Tips That Drive Profile Visibility

When someone comes across your LinkedIn profile, you only have 220 characters (including spaces) to make an instant impression and persuade them to click through.

An effective headline is essential for:

• Increasing your profile views

• Gaining the attention of recruiters

• Attracting the right opportunities

• Growing your professional network

LinkedIn recently expanded the headline character limit from 120 to 220. This gives you more space to add keywords that boost your visibility in searches — but with limited real estate, every word must count.

There’s often debate around what makes the “perfect” headline. Based on our experience at CV Pilots, here’s what works best.

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Should you mention that you’re “open to opportunities”?

No. We don’t recommend using your headline to say you’re “open to new opportunities.”

Your headline is prime real estate — it’s what people see in searches alongside your photo. If you use it for “open to work,” you miss the chance to highlight your expertise and value.

Instead, use LinkedIn’s built-in #OpenToWork feature. It already signals your availability to recruiters and can add a banner to your profile photo. That way, you free up your headline to position yourself strategically.

Should you include your job title and company name?

Yes, absolutely.

Recruiters expect to see your current (or most recent) job title and company. It instantly conveys your expertise, seniority, and credibility.

From a networking perspective, it also helps:

• Industry colleagues quickly see if your role is relevant to them

• Clients and potential partners understand your position and organisation

• Recruiters can match you to the right opportunities

How do you incorporate keywords?

By listing your job title and company, you automatically include highly relevant keywords. To maximise visibility, you can also add industry-specific keywords after a vertical bar (“|”).

For example:

• Investment Analyst at Hilton | Hotel Development | Feasibility Analysis | Underwriting

• Sales Executive at Pfizer | Pharmaceutical Sales | Client Relationship Management

• Partner at Latham & Watkins | Real Estate Law | Financing | Joint Ventures

This combination of role, employer, and targeted keywords helps you appear in more recruiter searches.

Should you get creative with your headline?

Generally, no.

While some advocate for catchy or highly creative headlines, our advice is to keep it clean, professional, and keyword-rich. If you want to highlight your value proposition, do so in a way that balances professionalism with clarity.

For example:

• Recruiter at Spencer Stuart | Helping Executives Secure Roles in Finance & Private Equity

This format works because it blends a clear role title with a concise statement of value.

A Simple LinkedIn Headline Formula

You can’t go wrong with this straightforward structure:

[Job Title] at [Company Name] | [Area of Expertise #1] | [Area of Expertise #2] | [Area of Expertise #3]

This formula keeps your headline professional, easy to read, and optimised for LinkedIn search visibility.

✅ By applying these tips from Zoe Price, CEO of CV Pilots, you’ll position your headline to drive more clicks, attract relevant opportunities, and make a stronger first impression on recruiters and potential connections.

To find out more, visit our website www.cvpilots.co.uk If you have any further questions, you can either book a consultation call with one of our team, or get in touch via email on team@cvpilots.co.uk