Boat with woman and child sinking in the waves

Inappropriate and hasty phrases in your LinkedIn headlines won’t impress anybody. Here are the statements to avoid at all costs.

Can’t understand why a LinkedIn profile builder is making such an awful mistake?

For one reason or another, you are out of the workforce and looking for a new one. You have the necessary qualifications, but you have given your first impression with negative statement that corrodes your image badly. But seriously, you do not need that.

These headers rarely help and do not explain who you are, what are your areas of strengths or how much you can contribute to an organization? Instead, they harm your credibility, and thus damage the chances of getting a job and grabbing the attention of recruiters, headhunters or hiring managers.

I have seen many talented professionals who fill up the headline of LinkedIn Profile with fatuous words without knowing that they are quietly damaging their credibility.

World knows that time with no job is hard enough, but that doesn’t mean you alleviate the chances of getting a nice job through LinkedIn – an undisputed leader in online job searching and professional networking. That’s why I have compiled a list of thoughtless headers you should almost never use, derived after a careful search on LinkedIn.

Before I begin, a special thanks to the team of WarriorCV – Resume & LinkedIn Profile Specialist for their contributions to this list.

Here are toxic headlines you should avoid on LinkedIn:

  1. Unemployed
  2. Job seeker
  3. Unemployed Engineer
  4. Unemployed at None
  5. Unemployed at Home
  6. Currently seeking an ideal job
  7. Looking for a Career Opportunity
  8. Unemployed, Looking for work
  9. Currently Self Employed seeking any opening
  10. Unemployed at Currently Seeking New Opportunity
  11. Unemployed at Independent Financial Adviser for 22 years

Unemployed is the word that has been painfully overused in unwise headers.

You give a weak image to the world and you may not aware of it.

Use a descriptive title on LinkedIn that clearly shows who are you and what can you do more. It should be around 120 characters and must be eye-catching, impressive and communicate your strengths and your field.

If you don’t change your headline, LinkedIn makes it by default with the names of your current job title and company e.g. “Accountant at XYZ”. That I won’t recommend!

Here are a few examples of LinkedIn headlines that introduce you purposefully:

  • Technology Freelance Writer
  • Project Manager with 5 Years of Success
  • Marketing Professional and UX Enthusiast
  • Internal Audit and Risk Management Professional with Experience in Oil & Gas
  • Growth Oriented Sales, Marketing, and New Business Development Executive

If you choose an impressive, meaningful and outstanding LinkedIn headline, you would be shocked to learn how you outperform more experienced professional. It will boost your confidence and show up higher in LinkedIn search results.

You can discuss engaging and impressive headline of your LinkedIn profile with me in below comment section.