How To Write a Resume Headline

Business man reviewing his resume
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What's a resume headline, and how can it help you showcase your credentials? A resume headline (also known as a resume title) is a brief phrase that highlights your value as a candidate.

Located at the top of your resume under your name and contact information, a headline allows a recruiter to see, quickly and concisely, what makes you the right person for the job.

Resume headlines are ideal for candidates with a lot of experience. A headline allows you to condense your skills and work experience into a brief phrase that will quickly impress the hiring manager. However, less experienced applicants can also use headlines to highlight personal attributes and skills.

Read below for tips on writing a resume headline, as well as resume headline examples.

Key Takeaways

  • A resume headline is a way to show an employer why you're an excellent match for the job.
  • Your resume headline should be a brief phrase that highlights your key skills, qualification, and attributes.
  • It’s important to customize your headline for each job you apply for.
  • You can also add a profile that includes a short paragraph or a series of bulleted points that summarizes your value as a candidate to your resume.

Tips for Writing a Resume Headline

How to write a resume headline

Katie Kerpel / The Balance

  • Keep It Concise: A resume headline should be one brief phrase; it should not even be a complete sentence. The goal is to concisely state your value as a candidate. Anything longer than a phrase defeats the purpose of a headline.
  • Capitalize Your Headline: Capitalize the words in your headline so that it looks like a title to your resume. This is a helpful way to make your headline stand out.
  • Make a Match: After reading the job listing, make a list of the skills, experience, and attributes that make you a strong candidate. Then incorporate these into your headline. This will get the hiring manager's attention and show that you're a match for the job.
  • Write a New Headline for Each Job: While it will be a little extra work, be sure to create a new headline for each job application. Again, this alerts hiring managers that you’ve taken the time and care to tailor your resume specifically to their job opening (as opposed to sending them a generic resume).
  • Use Keywords: Use keywords that demonstrate your skills and/or experiences as related to the job listing. Using words directly from the job listing for which you are applying will demonstrate that you are a good fit for the job. If possible, use the job title in your headline.
  • Avoid Clichés: Because you want your headline to make you stand out as a strong candidate, avoid clichés that employers probably see on every resume. Phrases like “hard worker” and “good communication skills” are common on resumes, and do not provide much information on what makes you unique.

Note

By highlighting your experience and skills and using keywords, you will individualize your headline and impress the hiring manager.

Resume Headline Examples

Reviewing a few examples of good resume headlines will help you when coming up with your own. Notice how these are brief and attention-grabbing, much like a catchy title to an article that makes you want to read on.

  • Goal-Oriented Senior Accountant with Five Years of Accounting Experience
  • Successful Manager of Dozens of Online Marketing Campaigns
  • Cook with Extensive Fine Dining Experience
  • Award-Winning Editor Skilled in Web Design
  • Detail-Oriented History Student with Curatorial Experience
  • Army Veteran Awarded for Determination and Strong Work Ethic
  • Bilingual Nursing Graduate with Experience in Rural Health Care
  • Honor-Roll Student with Tutoring Experience in Numerous Subjects

Resume Headlines vs. Resume Profiles

Resume headlines are similar to resume profiles in that both provide a brief summary of an applicant’s qualifications. However, a resume headline is one brief phrase, whereas a resume profile is a small paragraph or series of bulleted points.

Note

Remember that resume profiles are different from resume objectives. In an objective, you write about the position you are seeking, not your skills.

A profile is typically not capitalized like a headline is. For these reasons, headlines are even more eye-catching than profiles. Some applicants may include both a headline and a resume profile, using the headline to attract the reader, and then a profile to provide further information.

Examples of Resume Profiles with Headlines

Resume Headline Sample #1

Detail-Oriented Worker with Years of Administrative Experience

  • Successfully implemented an innovative scheduling system to efficiently organize meetings and travel schedules.
  • Award-winning customer service skills.
  • Fluent in Spanish.

Resume Headline Sample #2

IT Professional with 10 Years of Experience in Software Support

  • Skilled at operating on a wide range of platforms.
  • Experience training interns and new hires in various software.
  • Capable of explaining complex software issues in easy-to-understand terms.

Resume Headline Sample #3

Sales Executive with Experience in Insurance and Healthcare Management

Created and implemented sales strategies to achieve 35% revenue growth per year. Highly effective management skills; able to motivate sales force and design incentive programs to achieve short- and long-term sales goals.

Resume Headline Example #4

Dedicated Special Education Teacher with 8 Years’ Success Supporting Students K-12

  • Well-versed in tailoring IEPs to enhance students’ skill attainment and emotional development.
  • Easily build collaborative rapport with students, parents, teachers, and other staff.
  • Trained and certified in Crisis Prevention Institute protocols, first aid, and CPR.

Resume Headline Example #5

Detail-oriented Controller Providing Flawless Financial Reporting in Manufacturing Sector

Skillfully led accounting teams in uncompromised month-end close processes for corporate AP/AR, payroll, bank reconciliations, and journal adjustments in accordance with U.S. GAAP standards. Diligent in maintaining financial controls and performing internal audits. 

Resume Example with a Headline

Here's an example of a resume with a headline and a template to download (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online).

Resume Example With a Headline

The Balance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does a resume need an objective?

Resume objectives are considered to be outdated and don’t need to be included on a resume. Instead, you can include a profile or summary that showcases your most relevant qualifications for a job.

How many years of experience should you list on a resume?

Ten to fifteen years is the standard amount of work experience to include on a resume, but you may want to include more, depending on the employer's job requirements and how your experience fits those requirements. For example, if jobs you held earlier in your career are a match for the position for which you're applying, you may want to list them.

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Sources
The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. CareerOneStop. "Headline and Summary."

  2. CareerOneStop. "Why You Need a Great Resume."

  3. CareerOneStop. "Applicant Tracking Systems."

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