- Recruiters search by job title and skills, so put both in your headline.
- Add your target location or relocation status.
- Avoid vague words like enthusiast, aspiring or seeking opportunities.
- Update the headline when your target changes.
Your headline is the line recruiters see in search results. If it says "Looking for opportunities", it says nothing they can search for.
Three formulas
- Title, skills, location. Senior Data Engineer | Spark, Airflow, AWS | Open to relocate to Germany
- Title, specialism, proof. SAP FICO Consultant | S/4HANA migrations | 8 years in automotive
- Title, target market. Mechanical Design Engineer | CATIA, GD&T | Moving to Munich, EU Blue Card eligible
Examples by role
- Full Stack Developer | React, Node.js, TypeScript | Relocating to the Netherlands
- Registered Nurse | ICU | German B2 | Recognition in progress
- Product Manager | Fintech payments | Berlin based
- Electrical Engineer | Power systems, EPLAN | Open to roles in Germany
Words to avoid
Aspiring, enthusiast, passionate, seeking, open to all roles, and long lists of every skill. They waste the space that search uses.
Common questions
Should I write my headline in German?
Only if you target German speaking roles and speak German well. English works for most international roles.
Is 'Open to work' in the headline a good idea?
Better to use the recruiter only setting. See my guide on Open to Work.
How long can a headline be?
LinkedIn allows a long headline, but the first 60 to 70 characters matter most in search results.
Sources
I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.