How to Write a Resume Headline

A resume headline or resume title is used to highlight your qualities as a candidate.

A headline includes your skills and work experience in short.

An impactful resume headline can help you subtly showcase your skills in just a few words. A resume headline is a must. It can urge the employer to quickly pick you for further selection rounds if you match their requirements.

A resume headline stays at the top of your resume; like a King's Crown. A crown shines bright with studded diamonds and stones on it. Just as, your resume headline shines with the skills and experience belonging to your expertise.

It is located below your name and contact information. In such a way that, when the employer decides to go through your resume, he or she sees your name, contact details, and skills, and experience right away.

And so, an impressive headline allows the recruiter to see what makes you the right fit for the job.

We can look at the resume headline as a summary of your resume. Short, simple, to the point. With an impressive headline, you can pull in the recruiter and make him/her go through your resume.

Since the interviewer only spends a few minutes reviewing your resume, it's important to grab their attention in the first few seconds. And an effective headline is the answer to your "how?".

Anyone can write a resume title but is mostly used by experienced candidates. If you are a fresher and looking for the right opportunity, you mention your qualities, internship, or project experiences.

For an experienced candidate the headline should include a few of your recent achievements. A well-written headline makes it easy for the recruiter to understand the candidate's qualities.

It is always better to show the interviewer, why do you deserve the job, right at the beginning.

Now that we know the importance of a good headline, let us see how to make one.

1. Keep It Concise: 

A long and complex sentence can be difficult to read and maybe get ignored.

A resume headline should be as short and simple as you can keep it. A headline shows your value as a candidate.

The way a news headline catches our attention, your resume headline catches the recruiter's attention.

And there are increases chances that he or she will go through your entire resume and might even shortlist you.

Remember, the shorter the headline, the more the curiosity. The longer your headline goes, the farther you take the recruiter from your resume.

2. Use Keywords: 

Keywords are your 'keys' that can unlock the ATS gateway. ATS is an applicant tracking system used by a lot of companies.

These systems scan your resume based on the keywords relevant to the skills required for the job position.

Making use of such keywords in your headline can help the ATS to detect it within a few seconds. This results in an increased chance of your resume getting shortlisted for the further process.

Go through the job description thoroughly. Study the skills required for the concerned job position. Add keywords accordingly.

3. Capitalize Your Headline: 

An eye-catching headline will help your resume to stand out from heaps of resumes.

To highlight your resume you should capitalize it. Capitalize the headline in such a way that looks like the title of your resume.

4. Place it at the top:

When the interviewer picks your resume, the first thing they must notice is your headline.

Remember the crown? The only place your headline deserves to be at is the top!

So, place it at the top. You can write it under your name and contact information.

5. Be specific:

Don't put up vague things in your headline. Be specific. Think of something unique. Phrases like "hard worker", "successful", "Active person" are very very common and the recruiter does not get affected by these.

Make sure you add something unique. Because that's what makes you shine.

Keep it as specific as you can. Eliminate vague words and focus more on the keywords.

Following the above-mentioned tips, you can write an impressive, eye-catching headline.

Here are a few examples of headlines to give you a clearer idea.

Here are a few sample headlines that can add value to your resume.

Now that you have got a clear idea of what a resume headline is and how to write it, you can think of what things to include in your resume headline.

A simple and effective headline puts weight on your resume. Your resume gets shortlisted quickly if you summarize your skills and experience and put them right at the top. It is a one-line phrase, short, and easy to read.

A resume headline can help you to showcase your skills credibility. It's a simple but very powerful tool that can help you to grab the attention of the interviewer at the very first instance.

So, what will your resume headline look like? Let us know in the comments.

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