I’ve seen my fair share of resumes in my career, and there’s one thing that still baffles me. An alarming number of job candidates don’t have a headline on their resume, let alone a good one. It’s like they’re missing out on a crucial opportunity to grab the attention of hiring managers.
So, what makes the best headline for a resume? Is it just a bunch of buzzwords strung together, or is there more to it? Dive into the world of resume headlines with me and explore what makes them tick.
In this article:
What Is a Headline on a Resume?
A resume headline is a short, snappy statement at the very top of your resume that sums up who you are as a professional.
Think of it like the title of a news article. It needs to grab the reader’s attention and entice them to read the full story. A headline also gives them a high-level overview of what’s to come.
Those headlines are typically succinct one-liners or short phrases, never full sentences. The content depends on what strengths you want to showcase.
Maybe you want to flaunt your decade of management experience. Or perhaps you need to spotlight your leadership capabilities and other soft skills for a program manager role. The headline for the resume lets you put your biggest selling points on display up front.
Benefits of Using a Resume Headline on Your Resume
Recruiters always have a pile of resumes to process. We spend just a few seconds on each before deciding whether to toss it or keep reading. A killer headline can make all the difference in leaving a great first impression.
- A headline makes an application pop with what makes the candidate unique right off the bat. There are so many similar-looking resumes flooding in all the time. Sometimes, a creative headline is all it needs to help one stand out from the crowd. Like a personal slogan or tagline, it sums up their professional brand in a punchy, memorable way.
- The best resume headlines lay out the candidate’s biggest strengths front and center. Recruiters can know their career highlights and the potential value they’d bring right away.
- An effective resume headline entices hiring managers to dig deeper into the application. Every word of that resume will likely be read with keen interest.
- A compelling resume headline can help frame and contextualize the rest of the resume. It sends signals on how the relevant experience should be interpreted and where key strengths lie. That setup gives recruiters a lens to better understand and appreciate the details further down.
How to Write Good Resume Headlines
An impactful resume title can make or break getting your application noticed. Here are some key tips for nailing this critical branding statement.
Know the Job Description
Before putting pen to paper, invest time really understanding the role you’re pursuing. Study the job description and qualifications. This allows you to directly address the employer’s specific needs and wants. An aligned headline shows you’re a targeted fit who has spent time researching the job.
Use Unique Selling Points
Your headline is prime real estate to put your unique qualifications on full display. So don’t hold back. Identify the key relevant skills and impressive achievements that set you apart from the pack. Make sure they can show why you’re not just another cookie-cutter candidate.
Be Crisp and Specific
Nobody’s getting hooked by a bunch of vague platitudes or meaningless corporate jargon. Your headline isn’t the place to phone it in with those filler words that every other candidate is using. Like an elevator pitch, you have to cut straight to the chase and make every single word count.
If you can quantify your background with hard numbers or stats, that would be even better. “Results-driven Sales Manager with 15+ years growing revenue” is much better than “Experienced Sales Professional.”
Be Impactful
Don’t get bogged down with bland descriptions. Use powerful verbs that can pack a punch in a catchy headline. Action words like “spearheaded,” “orchestrated,” or “drove” demonstrate your technical expertise and accomplishments better. They convey the impacts you’ve made in a vivid manner.
Use Keywords
Identify phrases and terminology frequently used for your target roles and industries. Pepper these relevant keywords throughout your headline to instantly show the potential employer you’re fluent in that world. It signals a semantic match between a strong candidate and what the employer is seeking.
Tailor for Each Role
A one-size-fits-all headline hardly ever works. Revisit and revamp your statement for every single job application. Avoid shoehorning irrelevant details. Retune the wording to address the requirements of this specific job position squarely.
Refine and Polish
Don’t just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Brainstorm several options before selecting the best headline for your resume. Step back and evaluate which version most crisply encapsulates your professional brand. Ensure there are no typos or grammatical errors.
Examples of Good Resume Headlines for Various Positions
Here are some resume headline ideas across different fields to give you a better sense of what impactful ones can look like.
Accountants
- CPA with 8+ Years’ Experience in Financial Reporting and Auditing
- Seasoned CPA with a Decade of Experience in Mid-Sized Firms
- Forensic Accountant Skilled at Detecting & Preventing Fraud
- Finance Guru Adept at Forecasting, Budgeting & Strategic Planning
- Tax Specialist Focused on Strategic Savings for Multinational Corporations
IT
- Cybersecurity Expert with 15+ Years in Defense and Risk Mitigation
- Blockchain Specialist Focused on Revolutionary Payment Solutions for Global Banking
- Cybersecurity Professional Safeguarding Systems for Fortune 500 Companies
- Cloud Architect Migrating & Optimizing Complex Infrastructure
- IT Project Leader Delivering Critical Machine Learning Solutions
Customer Service Representatives
- Empathetic Customer Champion with 99% Satisfaction Ratings
- Multilingual Service Pro Resolving 60+ Queries Daily
- Patient Problem-Solver Defusing Escalations Expertly
- Top-Rated CSR Reducing Call Times by 25%
- Dedicated Customer Advocate with 5 Years Experience
HR
- Talent Acquisition Specialist Hiring Top 10% Candidates Consistently
- Employee Relations Specialist Known for Excelling in High-Turnover Environments
- Diversity and Inclusion Officer Who Has Elevated Workplace Equality in Tech Industries
- HR Analyst Using People Analytics to Reduce Turnover by 35%
- Change Management Expert Steering Complex M&A Integrations
Sales
- Top-Performing Sales Closer with $2M+ Annual Revenue
- Strategic B2B Hunter Expanding Markets 30% Year-over-Year
- Consultative Seller Building Long-Term Client Relationships
- Award-Winning Sales Leader Mentoring Winning Teams
- Tenacious Prospector Opening 25+ New Accounts Annually
Marketing Professionals
- Digital Marketing Executive with 20+ Years of Driving Brand Growth Online
- Innovative CMO with a Flair for Transforming Startups into Recognizable Brands
- Content Marketer Creating Viral Campaigns with 500K+ Engagements
- Growth Hacker Leveraging Analytics to Gain Competitive Edge
- Brand Strategist with a Portfolio of Increasing Market Share by 30%+
Project Managers
- PMP-Certified Project Manager Delivering $10M+ IT Implementations
- Agile PM Accelerating Product Delivery & Time-to-Market
- Global Project Director with 15+ Years in Managing Multicultural Teams
- Risk Strategist Who Mitigates Issues Before They Derail Progress
- Construction Project Lead Completing High-Rise Projects Under Budget
Graphics Designer
- Creative Graphic Designer With a Flair for Storytelling Through Visuals
- Innovative Visual Artist Transforming Concepts Into Captivating Designs
- Adobe Certified Graphic Design Specialist With a Passion for Branding
- Experienced Multimedia Designer With Expertise in Web and Print Design
- Visionary Graphic Illustrator With a Unique Eye for Modern Aesthetics
Engineers
- Analytical Mechanical Engineer With a History of Successful Product Launches
- Project Engineer Skilled in Managing Multimillion-Dollar Construction Projects
- Solutions-Focused Electrical Engineer Optimizing Energy Efficiency by 30%
- Experienced Civil Engineer With Expertise in Infrastructure Development
- Innovative Software Engineer Driving Cutting-Edge Technological Advancements
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Good Headline for Fresh Graduates?
If you attended a prestigious university, name-drop that brand recognition. Highlight major accomplishments like being class valedictorian or winning academic awards/competitions to build a strong resume headline.
What Are The Differences Between Resume Headlines and Resume Profiles?
A headline is a snappy one-liner advertising your talents. Meanwhile, a resume profile expands into a short paragraph. It fleshes out your background and goals in 3 to 5 sentences to reinforce that first hook from your headline.
What If I Have Multiple Job Titles To Include?
If you’ve worn different hats, don’t try to cram every single title into your headline. Instead, pick the most impressive and relevant one based on the type of role you’re pursuing. You can always elaborate on the rest within your professional experience section.
Is It Okay To Use Career Objectives In Headlines?
While popular in the past, those statements feel a bit outdated these days. Let your key skills and achievements sell your fit for the role in a memorable resume headline. Focus on your qualifications rather than what you’re seeking.
How Can I Make My Headline More Creative?
Have some fun with word positioning, cadence, or numbers to quantify your experience. You could also incorporate hard-hitting adjectives or action verbs like the resume headline examples above.
Make sure you’re still being clear and accurately representing yourself. Don’t get too clever at the expense of substance.
Conclusion
I hope this guide has given you a solid understanding of what goes into crafting a resume headline. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or just starting in a competitive job market, a good headline can be a game-changer for your job search. Go ahead and give it a try – and don’t be afraid to experiment until you get it just right.
