How long can a LinkedIn headline be?

Up to 220 characters. It is worth using a good portion of that space to include your role plus the keywords and skills recruiters search by, rather than leaving it as just a job title.

What should I write in my LinkedIn About section?

Write in the first person, in three or four short paragraphs: who you are and what you do, your main strengths and one concrete achievement, and what you are looking for with an invitation to connect. Include your key skills as keywords. LinkedIn allows up to 2,600 characters.

How do I make my LinkedIn profile show up in searches?

Recruiters search LinkedIn by keywords, so include the exact terms for your role and skills in your headline, About section and experience. Use the standard job-title wording for your field rather than a creative or internal title.

Should my LinkedIn headline just be my job title?

No. Your job title alone wastes most of the 220 characters and misses searchable keywords. Add your specialisation and top skills so you appear in more recruiter searches and stand out in results.

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LinkedIn Headline Generator & About Examples

Q: What is a good LinkedIn headline?

A good LinkedIn headline states your role and adds keywords recruiters search for, and where possible the value you bring. A common, effective formula is: Role | Specialisation | Key skills. LinkedIn allows up to 220 characters, so use the space to include searchable terms.

By the TheGreatCV editorial team · Last updated 27 July 2026 · 7 min read

Short answer: your LinkedIn headline shouldn't just be your job title. Use the 220 characters to add keywords recruiters search for. The reliable formula is Role | Specialisation | Key skills. Your About section should be first-person, three short paragraphs, and end with an invitation to connect.

LinkedIn is a search engine. Recruiters type keywords — "React developer Bangalore," "digital marketing SaaS" — and LinkedIn returns matching profiles. If your headline is just "Software Engineer" and your About is empty, you're invisible for most of those searches. Here's how to fix both, with formulas and examples.

The headline: 5 proven formulas

You have 220 characters. Use them. Each formula below is a fill-in-the-blank pattern:

Role | Specialisation | Key skillsSoftware Developer | Frontend & React | JavaScript, Node.js, SQL

Role helping [who] [do what]Digital Marketer helping SaaS startups grow with SEO & paid ads

Role | Headline achievementSales Manager | Grew regional revenue from ₹4 Cr to ₹11 Cr

[Specialisation] Role | Open to workFrontend-focused Software Developer | React & TypeScript | Open to work

Aspiring Role | Student | Skills (for freshers)Aspiring Data Analyst | Final-year CSE | Python, SQL, Power BI

Use standard job titles. If your company calls you a "Growth Ninja," recruiters searching "Marketing Manager" won't find you. Put the searchable title first; keep the fun one for your bio if you like.

Generate your headline & About free

Enter your role, skills and focus — get several ready-to-use headlines (each within LinkedIn's 220-character limit) and a complete About section. Tap any headline to copy it. Nothing is uploaded.

Open the LinkedIn Optimizer →

The About section: structure that works

LinkedIn gives you 2,600 characters. You don't need all of them — three or four short paragraphs is ideal. Write in the first person (it reads as warmer and more human than third person):

Paragraph	What it does
Opening	Who you are and what you do, with your specialisation
Middle	Your strengths and one concrete achievement, with a number
Closing	What you're looking for + an invitation to connect
Keywords line	A short "Skills:" list of searchable terms

Example About section

I am a Software Developer specialising in frontend and React, currently open to new opportunities where I can add value and grow.

A highlight I'm proud of: I built a platform serving 1M+ users and reduced its load time by 45%. My core strengths include JavaScript, React and Node.js, and I care about writing clean, fast, user-focused code.

I'm currently looking for new opportunities. If you think I could be a fit for your team, I'd love to connect — feel free to reach out.

Skills: JavaScript, React, Node.js, TypeScript, SQL, Git

Headline examples by role

Role	Example headline
Software Developer	Software Developer \| React & Node.js \| Building fast, scalable web apps
Data Analyst	Data Analyst \| SQL, Python & Power BI \| Turning data into decisions
Digital Marketer	Digital Marketer \| SEO & Paid Ads \| Helping brands grow online
Sales Executive	Sales Executive \| B2B & Key Accounts \| Consistently exceeding targets
HR Professional	HR Professional \| Talent Acquisition & Employee Engagement
Fresher / Student	Aspiring Software Engineer \| Final-year CSE \| Java, Python, DSA \| Open to opportunities

Quick wins beyond the headline

Custom URL: set a clean profile URL (linkedin.com/in/yourname) — looks better on your resume.
Photo: a clear, friendly, professional headshot. Profiles with photos get far more engagement.
Match your resume: your headline, current role and dates should match your resume exactly — mismatches raise doubts.
Skills section: add the skills recruiters search for; they power a lot of LinkedIn's matching.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good LinkedIn headline?

One that states your role and adds searchable keywords and value — commonly Role | Specialisation | Key skills. Use the 220 characters rather than just a job title.

How long can a headline be?

Up to 220 characters. Use a good portion to include role plus keywords recruiters search by.

What goes in the About section?

First-person, three or four short paragraphs: who you are, your strengths and one achievement, and what you're looking for with an invitation to connect. Include a skills keyword line. Up to 2,600 characters.

How do I show up in recruiter searches?

Include the exact keywords for your role and skills in your headline, About and experience, and use standard job-title wording.

Should my headline just be my job title?

No — that wastes most of the space and misses keywords. Add specialisation and top skills.

Your next step

Open the free tool, enter your role and top skills, and pick a headline you like. Then paste the About draft into LinkedIn and adjust it in your own voice.

Open the LinkedIn Optimizer →

About this guide: written by the TheGreatCV team, who build free resume and career tools used by job seekers in India and worldwide. Character limits reflect LinkedIn's current fields and may change; check LinkedIn for the latest.