LinkedIn Headline Mistakes Job Seekers Make

I’ve been recruiting for nearly a decade and one of the most common LinkedIn mistakes I still see? A vague headline. So many people write things like: “Open to work” “Marketing professional” “Job seeker” Recruiters search for specific keywords that show your skills and what you want next, not general statements. If your headline doesn’t include your target role, skills, or industry, you might not show up. For example, when I searched for a UX Researcher with experience in mobile B2B products, I found many profiles with “Open to work” but no mention of important terms like: Usability Testing, User Interviews, Mobile UX, B2B SaaS, Qualitative Research. Here’s a quick fix: Use this format → [Target role] | [Top skills/tools] | [Industry or niche] Examples: UX Researcher | Usability Testing, User Interviews | Mobile B2B SaaS UX Researcher | Remote Research, Qualitative Analysis | Fintech & Healthcare Brand Strategist | DTC, GTM | Beauty & Wellness Content Strategist | SEO, UX Writing | Fintech & SaaS Make sure your About section backs up your headline with your story and accomplishments. The headline is one of the first thing recruiters see and what helps them find you. Make it clear of who you are, what you do and the value you bring.

If your LinkedIn headline just says “Seeking opportunities”, you’re missing a HUGE opportunity. Your headline is the first thing recruiters and potential connections see alongside your name and photo. It’s not just a label, it’s your 220-character elevator pitch. Here’s why it matters: - It’s searchable. Recruiters search by keywords. If your headline doesn’t have the right terms, you won’t show up. - It’s clickable. A clear, value-driven headline makes people curious enough to click your profile. - It tells your story. Not your entire story, but enough to spark interest. So how do you write a great headline? Here’s a simple formula: [Role/Field] + [Specialization/Value] + [Impact or USP] Examples: - Digital Marketer | SEO & Paid Ads Specialist | Driving 3x ROI for eCommerce Brands - Project Manager | Agile & Scrum Expert | Delivering Complex Projects On Time & Under Budget Remember to- - Use keywords that are relevant to your industry. - Avoid buzzwords like “ninja” or “rockstar.” Be clear, not clever. - If you’re job searching, don’t lead with “open to work”, add it after your value statement or use the green banner instead. Your headline is prime real estate. Use it wisely. Want a headline that actually gets you noticed? Drop yours in the comments and I’ll send you steps to rewrite it. Let’s make sure your first impression opens doors, not closes them. #LinkedInTips #PersonalBranding #JobSearchTips #CareerAdvice #Classof2025 LinkedIn Guide to Networking

7 LinkedIn Headline Mistakes That Cost You Job Interviews: 1. Just Using Your Job Title "Senior Marketing Manager" tells an employer nothing unique about you. Every other marketing manager has the same headline. Instead, add your specialty: "Senior Marketing Manager | B2B SaaS Growth | $2M Pipeline Generated" That's a headline that gets clicks from recruiters and employers. 2. Writing "Seeking New Opportunities" This wastes valuable headline space. If you feel you need to add this, use the Open To Work banner. But in your headline? Replace it with your actual value: "Data Analyst | Python & SQL Expert | Using Data To Help eCommerce Shops Drive 27% More Revenue" Show what you bring to the table, not what you need. 3. Stuffing Keywords Without Any Context "Leader | Innovator | Strategic Thinker | Team Player" all mean nothing on their own. Anyone can add those things to a profile. Use keywords sparingly and tie them to specific achievements to differentiate yourself. Concrete results beat empty adjectives every time. 4. Forgetting Your Target Audience Your headline should speak to the people who can hire you. If you want a product management role, don't highlight your coding skills. Focus on what matters to hiring managers: "Product Manager | Launched 5 Products Driving $10M In Net New Revenue Over 5 Years" Make it crystal clear why they should message you. 5. Getting Cute With The Language "Salesforce Ninjas" and "Growth Hackers" don't convey any real value. If anything, they make it harder for your value to be seen. Recruiters spend 6 seconds scanning profiles. They need clarity first. Save the personality for your summary section. 6. Ignoring The Character Limit LinkedIn cuts off headlines at 120 characters on mobile. Put your most important information first. Bad: "Experienced Professional with 15 Years in Financial Services Industry Seeking..." Good: "VP, Private Equity | $500M Transactions | Ex-Goldman Sachs" 7. Not Including Measurable Impact "Experienced Sales Professional" could describe anyone. Numbers make you memorable and credible. Transform it to: "Enterprise Sales Director | I Help Enterprise SaaS Generate $15M In New Business" Noticing some themes in these examples? 😉 —— ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~3.5 months with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

“I’ve applied to 40 jobs... but barely heard back.” That’s what one of my clients said during our first call. And when I reviewed their LinkedIn profile, I saw exactly why. Their experience? Impressive. Their skills? A great fit. But their profile? Barely discoverable. Here are 5 LinkedIn mistakes that silently sabotage job seekers, and how to fix them: 1️⃣ HEADLINE IS TOO VAGUE Your headline shows up everywhere. Use it to clearly communicate who you are and what you do. Try this format: Target Role | Core Skill #1 | Core Skill #2 | Core Skill #3 | Impact Statement ✅ Example: Project Manager | Cross-Functional Leadership | Agile | L&D | Led 6-figure rollout across 5 departments 2️⃣ ABOUT SECTION TELLS NO STORY Too many people just copy/paste their resume. Your “About” should connect the dots between where you've been and where you’re headed. Use this framework: I’m a {title} who specializes in… I started my career as… Then I transitioned into… Today I help companies by… 3️⃣ ZERO ENGAGEMENT You don’t have to post daily, but you do need to show activity. LinkedIn rewards engagement. So do recruiters. Start here: Comment on 3–5 posts per week (Think of it like professional visibility, not self-promotion.) 4️⃣ KEYWORDS DON’T MATCH YOUR GOALS Recruiters search by keywords. If your profile doesn’t match the language in job descriptions, you’ll get overlooked. Tip: Update job titles to reflect what you actually did Example: “Instructional Coach” becomes “Learning & Development Specialist” 5️⃣ NO PHOTO OR PRIVATE SETTINGS No photo = no trust. Make sure your headshot is visible to everyone, not just connections. Before you send another application, make sure your LinkedIn profile isn’t quietly working against you. Your next opportunity might already be looking for someone like you. Make it easy for them to say yes. ♻️ Repost to share with others. 👋🏼 Follow Giselle Moratin, MBA for more practical job search strategy #LinkedInTips

Recruiters don’t scroll on LinkedIn, they search it (using Linkedin Recruiter) Your headline decides if you show up on page one or on page three. Heres the test that exposed it: Earlier this year I bought LinkedIn Recruiter, which is the same dashboard recruiters use to search candidates and send those InMail messages you get. I simulated two real-world job searches: Search 1  |  “Web Platform Engineer” + TypeScript, React, Next.js Search 2  |  “Backend SWE” + Go, Kubernetes, Postgres What popped to the top? Profiles with those exact keywords sitting right in the headline ...not buried in “Skills” or even worse, not displayed at all. What never showed (until page 5+)? Headlines like “Aspiring Software Engineer” or the painfully vague “Software Engineer” even if the skills were tucked away down in Experience. Why LinkedIn hides you LinkedIn Recruiter ranks results by field matches (headline carries heavy weight), mutual connections, activity, etc. When a recruiter types “Web Platform Engineer,” LinkedIn literally filters candidates who say that phrase first. Generic headlines miss the filter match and show up less frequently. If your headline doesn’t mention the role + core tech, you’re less visible unless they specifically type “Aspiring Software Engineer”… and nobody does. How you can fix your headline in 30 seconds: Role lane | 2–3 must-have skills | micro hook Frontend Engineer | TypeScript • React • Next.js Backend SWE | Go • Kubernetes | Scaled 200M req/day APIs Swap it tonight, let it sit a week, and watch the quality of your inbound messages change. Drop your new headline below and i'll give feedback! #linkedin #recruiting #softwareengineer #jobsearch #careeradvice

Your LinkedIn profile is quietly hurting your job search. And no it's not because you're not good enough. It's because your profile isn't telling your story. When a recruiter lands on your page and sees a vague headline, a copy-paste summary or bullet points that read like a job description. They don't see your potential. They see someone who's unsure of their value. Your LinkedIn profile is not just a digital bio. It's your first interview. Here's how to fix 80% of that in under 30 minutes: 1/ Headline: This is prime real estate. Don't waste it on your current job title. Show who you are + what you bring. Example: Project Manager | $1.2M project delivered in 12 months | Agile | SaaS 2/ Summary/About: Think of this as your elevator pitch. Talk like a real person. Example: Who are you? What value you offer? What are you looking for next? 3/ Experience: This is where you prove your impact. Use bullets with clear metrics that show your real results. Example: Reduced onboarding time by 40% by redesigning training workflows. 4/ Skills: These work as your keyword magnets. You can add up to 50 skills. Example: Add relevant skills that you used in that particular job. 5/ Featured section: This is your visual proof. Don't leave it empty. Upload your resume or portfolio to show your skills. Example: A case study, a presentation deck or even a LinkedIn article you wrote that got traction. If your profile isn't getting attention, it's not your fault. You just haven't been taught how to position yourself for the jobs you want. DM me "PROFILE" I'll send over the checklist to optimize your LinkedIn profile.