When you put together a LinkedIn profile, you obviously want people to read it. But if you want to attract eyeballs, you need to write something that will spark some interest, something that people – especially recruiters – will find compelling.

You need to basically think like a newspaper copy editor. These are the people who write the headlines for news articles. Headlines need to be brief, they need to encapsulate the main point of the story, and they need to attract attention. These should be the same goals for the headline of your LinkedIn profile.

The headline is arguably the most important thing you will write for your profile because it is the first thing people will see. If it is something dull and drab and generic, the reader is unlikely to go any further. It needs to grab the reader’s attention, pique his interest, make him or her want to read more. So, it requires some thought.

You want to have content that is compelling, for example, some major achievement or other selling point, and you want to describe it in an interesting way.

Here are three headlines people have actually used that should be avoided.

1. Seeking Employment
You may be looking for a job, but it is not the first thing your readers should see. It smacks of desperation, making it sound like you really need a job. This is not a good first impression to make, especially to a recruiter. Again, the headline should be used to sell yourself, to brag about your career or accomplishments, to impress the reader.

2. A Generic Job Title
Something like sales rep. This again is squandering valuable space. It tells the reader practically nothing. It is not something that is going to want them to read further. It is not something that will help you to stand out from all of the other sales reps.

3. Currently Employed
People have actually used this for a headline. It shows that they have put little thought or effort into their profile, which really gives a person no reason to even read it. If the writer doesn’t care what he or she enters into the profile, why should the reader?

Winston Resources is one of the premier staffing agencies in New York City area. If you are looking for work, start with us. We know how to place people in jobs that fit their knowledge and skills. Give us a call today.