LinkedIn Headline Examples and How to Write Yours
What a LinkedIn headline is, how to edit it, its 220-character limit, and headline examples by role you can adapt. Plus LinkedIn's own AI option.
Your LinkedIn headline is "the text below your name in the introduction section on your profile," LinkedIn says, and it shows up in search results. You get about 220 characters. A strong headline names your role, says who you help or what you do, and adds one proof point. You'll find examples by role below.
We read LinkedIn's help pages on October 24, 2026.
About 8,100 people search "linkedin headline" each month, and 6,600 search for examples.
What is a LinkedIn headline?
It's the line under your name. LinkedIn says it "can be separate from the title of your current position" and "can be used to promote an area of expertise." It usually fills itself in when you add a current job, so many people never change it.
You can also use it to explain a gap. LinkedIn says you can "call out other professional statuses, for example if you're unemployed or retired."
How do you change your LinkedIn headline?
On a computer:
- Click the Me icon at the top of LinkedIn, then View Profile.
- Click the Edit icon in your introduction section.
- Change the Headline field in the Edit intro window.
- Click Save.
In the app, tap your profile picture, then View Profile. Tap the Edit icon in your introduction section, change the Headline field and tap Save.
Three things LinkedIn notes:
- If your headline and current position match, your current position won't show in the top section.
- Editing the headline "doesn't change what's listed in the Current, Previous, and Education lines."
- If the change doesn't show, check you're editing the right language profile.
How long can a LinkedIn headline be?
220 characters. LinkedIn's help page doesn't list a number. In August 2020 a LinkedIn member tested it and reported that LinkedIn "has increased the character limit for your Headline from 120 to 220." Guides still use 220 today.
How do you write a good LinkedIn headline?
Use a simple pattern: role, then who you help or what you do, then one proof point. Separate the parts with a dot or a bar.
- Lead with the job title people search for. Your headline shows in search results, so the words recruiters type should come first.
- Say what you do for whom. "Helping SaaS teams cut churn" tells a reader more than "Results-driven professional."
- Add one proof point. A certification, a number or a well-known employer.
- Say it plainly if you're between jobs. LinkedIn's own help suggests it.
LinkedIn headline examples
Swap the brackets for your own facts.
| Role | Example headline |
|---|---|
| Software engineer | Backend Engineer at [Company] · Python, Go, AWS · Payments at scale |
| Marketing | B2B Marketing Manager · Demand gen and SEO · Grew pipeline [X]% at [Company] |
| Sales | Account Executive, SaaS · Helping mid-market teams cut churn |
| Recruiter | Technical Recruiter at [Company] · Hiring engineers in [City] |
| Student | Computer Science Student at [University] · Seeking [year] internships · Python, SQL |
| Recent graduate | Finance Graduate · CFA Level I candidate · Open to analyst roles |
| Career changer | Teacher turning UX Designer · Google UX Design Certificate |
| Freelancer | Freelance Copywriter for SaaS · Landing pages and email |
| Founder | Founder, [Company] · We help [audience] [result] · Hiring |
| Job seeker | Operations Manager · Open to new roles · 10 years in logistics |
| Nurse | Registered Nurse, ICU · BSN · Critical care and patient safety |
| Data analyst | Data Analyst · SQL, Python, Tableau · Turning sales data into decisions |
| Retired | Retired CFO · Board advisor · Finance and governance |
Our examples, written for this guide.
Can AI write your LinkedIn headline?
LinkedIn has its own option, for some members. Its Profile Writing Assistance "is available only to a select group of LinkedIn Premium subscribers." If you have it, click Show me options below your headline. You can edit the suggestion, save it, skip it, see another option or go back to your original.
Other "LinkedIn headline generator" sites exist, and about 2,900 people search for one each month. Whatever writes it, check the facts in it are yours.
Frequently asked questions
What should my LinkedIn headline say?
Your role, who you help or what you do, and one proof point.
How many characters can a LinkedIn headline have?
220, by a LinkedIn member's test in 2020. LinkedIn's help page doesn't state a number.
Does changing your headline change your job title?
No. LinkedIn says it "doesn't change what's listed in the Current, Previous, and Education lines."
What should a student put in a LinkedIn headline?
Your field and school, the kind of role you're after, and two or three skills.
Is there a LinkedIn headline generator?
LinkedIn's own AI suggestions go to a select group of Premium subscribers. Other sites offer generators too.
Can you say you're unemployed in your headline?
Yes. LinkedIn says you can call out statuses like unemployed or retired. Our Open to Work guide covers the job-seeking frame too.
Next, see how to post on LinkedIn and the LinkedIn banner size. Hclout sells LinkedIn followers. Our guide on buying LinkedIn followers covers prices and LinkedIn's rules.
Sources
- LinkedIn Help, "Edit Your Headline," "Edit the Introduction section on your profile" and "Enhance your profile with LinkedIn's AI-powered writing assistant," read October 24, 2026
- "Character Limit for LinkedIn Headlines is now 220 Characters!," a LinkedIn article of August 19, 2020, read October 24, 2026
- LinkedIn articles and LinkedIn Learning on headlines, found in a web search on October 24, 2026
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 24, 2026
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