Writing a headline around the work a person actually does

Write a professional headline that names your current work in terms a relevant reader would recognise. Begin with the task or specialism, add the setting when it changes the meaning, and leave out promises your experience cannot support.

Your formal job title may be enough. If it is broad or unclear, explain the work behind it.

Start with a plain working sentence

Complete: “I [do this work] for [these people or organisations] in [this setting].” You may not need every part in the final headline; the sentence helps you find useful nouns and verbs before shortening.

For example, “Procurement analyst | Supplier onboarding and contract records” shows a different focus from “Procurement analyst | Category planning”. The point is to show which work the person performs, not to pack every skill into one line.

If your role has several parts, choose the part most relevant to the people who should understand your profile. The About and Experience sections can carry the rest; a headline listing every past role can leave readers unsure what you do now.

Choose detail that changes the reader’s understanding

Useful detail may be an industry, a method, a project type or the people served. Add it when it distinguishes your work. “Learning designer for technical onboarding” is clearer than “learning designer” if technical onboarding is genuinely your focus. A location belongs in the headline only when it matters to the work or the reader.

Avoid a string of broad labels such as “strategist | innovator | thought leader”; they do not tell a visitor what you handle. Avoid an outcome promise such as “I double every client’s revenue” unless you could substantiate that exact claim across the stated scope. Before using a result claim, check that its wording matches the evidence and scope you can support.

Keep the headline and role accurate

Treat the headline as a concise description of your current work, not a substitute for your formal title. Clearer wording is fine, provided it does not imply responsibilities or seniority you do not hold.

After a role change, review the headline against your current work and remove wording that applies only to a previous role. Check that each term still describes what you do now.

For a career change, distinguish present work from intended direction. “Project coordinator developing data analysis skills” makes a different claim from “Data analyst” if the person has not yet held that role. A freelancer can describe services they actually provide without implying every past project is a current client engagement.

Test the line in context

Read the headline alone, then beside your current position and About section. Could someone unfamiliar with your employer say what you do? Does each term match what your Experience section can support? Would a colleague recognise the description as fair?

Remove a vague phrase if a concrete part of the work would make the line clearer. Keep it readable rather than squeezing in more terms.