Your LinkedIn headline and summary: how to write them so people stop and read
A simple formula for a headline that says what you do and why it matters, a way to write the About section so the first lines earn the click, and a short checklist for the rest of your profile.
By Avowly · Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 7 min read · How we write these
In short
- Write a headline with a role, a speciality and a piece of proof.
- Make the first lines of your summary count, because that is all most readers see.
- Keep your profile and resume telling the same story.
- Check it every few months and after any change at work.
When a recruiter finds your name in a search, they see very little at first: your photo, your name and a single line of text under it. That line is your headline. Whether they click, and what they expect when they do, depends on those few words and on the opening lines of your summary. Both take less than an hour to improve, and they work for you every day without any effort.
Why they matter
Recruiters search by skill and job title, and the headline is one of the places that search looks. People also check your profile before and after an interview. If your resume says one thing and your profile says another, or says nothing at all, it raises small doubts that are easy to avoid. Recruiters often reach out first, and replying to a recruiter covers what to do next.
The headline
By default the headline repeats your current job title. That is a waste of the space. A stronger headline answers three questions in one line: what do you do, who or what do you do it for, and what is the proof?
Try this pattern:
- Role. The title people would search for.
- Speciality. Two or three things you are known for.
- Proof. One result, tool or number.
Job title only
Says very littleMarketing Executive at Fernvale Foods
Role, speciality, proof
Worth a clickMarketing executive for consumer brands | Email and paid social | Grew a newsletter list threefold in a year
The example is made up. Use the words people would search for.
Here are a few before and after examples, from very different kinds of work.
Before
Marketing Executive at a frozen food brand
After
Marketing executive for consumer brands | Email and paid social | Grew a newsletter list threefold in a year
Why it works: The growth came from her own campaign reports. The new line adds the words a recruiter would search for, and a result they can ask about.
Before
Seeking new opportunities
After
Licensed electrician | Fault finding, rewires, inspection and testing | 8 years in homes, shops and offices
Why it works: The 8 years came from counting back to his first job as an improver, and the kinds of work from a month of his own job sheets. A search for "electrician" now finds him, and the line shows his range at a glance.
Before
Student
After
Final year computer science student | Web apps and databases | Built a booking tool used by a local gym
Why it works: The booking tool was his final-year project. Naming it gives a recruiter something real to open, which "Student" never could.
Before
Care Assistant
After
Care assistant in dementia and end-of-life care | Medication trained | Mentors new starters in a 40-bed home
Why it works: The 40 beds is the size of her home, and the medication training is on her certificates. Mentoring came from asking what her manager now relies on her for.
Before
Looking for my next role
After
Stock analyst in retail operations | Forecasting and ordering | Cut missed deliveries by a third
Why it works: The result is the one already on her resume, so the profile and the resume tell the same story.
Notice there are no big adjectives anywhere. Each line simply says what the person does.
What to avoid in a headline
- Vague labels such as "ninja", "guru" or "rock star".
- A line that only says you are looking for work, since it says nothing about what you can do.
- Long lists of every tool you have touched.
- Symbols or capital letters used for emphasis.
The summary, or About section
Only the first few lines show before the reader has to choose to read more, so those lines do most of the work. Start with something about the work, not about your feelings.
A simple shape that works for most people:
- Who you are and what you do, in one or two sentences.
- What you have achieved, with one or two results.
- What you are looking for, or what you enjoy working on.
- How to reach you, if you are comfortable sharing.
I am a stock analyst who helps retail teams keep shelves full without over ordering. At a regional chain of hardware stores I rebuilt our weekly stock report so branch managers could see shortages three days earlier, and missed deliveries fell by a third. I enjoy turning messy data into a plan people can act on, and I am looking for a supply planning role where I can do that for a whole region. You can write to me through this profile.
Write in the first person, in the same plain voice you would use speaking to a colleague. Short paragraphs are easier to read on a phone.
The first line matters most, because it is often the only one shown. Compare these two openings for the same person.
Before
Hardworking chef with a real love of food, always looking for my next challenge.
After
Running the fish section of a 90-cover restaurant as chef de partie. The menu changes every week, and I write the prep lists for my section.
Why it works: The covers, the weekly menu and the prep lists came from asking him to describe a normal Friday. A reader learns his level, his kitchen and his responsibility before they would have to click.
Keep it consistent with your resume
The details should match: job titles, dates and the main results. You do not need to copy your resume, but a recruiter who opens both should see the same person. The profile can include a little more personality and a few extra projects, but not a different story. Start from your resume summary and adjust the tone to suit a profile.
The rest of the profile
- Photo. A clear, friendly, recent picture of your face, with plain lighting. It does not need to be formal.
- Custom link. Shorten your profile address to your name, so it is neat on a resume.
- Experience. Use the same results you chose for your resume, in short lines.
- Skills. Add the ones that matter for the roles you want, and ask colleagues to confirm a few.
- Recommendations. One or two thoughtful ones are better than many generic ones.
- Privacy. Check what is visible to people who are not in your network, and decide what you are happy to share.
The links you put on your resume are covered in links, LinkedIn and portfolio.
Keep it up to date
Look at your profile every few months, and again after any change in your role. A strong result added the week you achieve it is easier to write than one you try to remember a year later.
A short checklist
- Is your headline more than your job title?
- Do the first lines of your summary say what you do and one result?
- Do dates and titles match your resume?
- Is your photo clear and recent?
- Could a stranger tell, in ten seconds, what you want to do next?
Common questions
- Should I put "open to work" in my headline?
- You can use the profile setting meant for that, which recruiters can see. In the headline itself, say what you do. That serves you better than a request.
- Do I need a summary if I have little experience?
- Yes. A short summary about your studies, projects and the kind of work you want is a good way to stand out.
- Will my employer see that I am looking?
- Your current boss can see your headline and summary like anyone else, so keep them about the work you do, not about leaving. A profile that says what you do well reads the same whether you are looking or not. If you turn on the job-seeking setting, pick the option that shows it to recruiters only, and assume a colleague could still find out.
- How personal should my summary be?
- Lightly. One sentence about what you enjoy is fine. Keep the focus on your work and what you can offer.