Resume headline: what it is, how to write one, and 40 examples

When a hiring manager sees your resume, they want to know quickly whether you’re right for the job. A resume headline can instantly connect your skills and experience to the role, creating a light-bulb moment for the employer. While it’s one of the shortest parts of your resume, a good headline can be tricky to write since it needs to say a lot in just a few words.

What is a headline on a resume?

A resume headline is a short statement that showcases your skills and experiences. A well-written headline can summarize your career in a single sentence.

Many recruiters spend mere seconds skimming through resumes. To capture their interest, you can include a catchy one-line title to highlight your professional strengths. A headline can also help your resume pass an applicant tracking system (ATS) by incorporating job-specific keywords.

A good headline for a resume should be:

• Short. A resume headline doesn’t even need to be a full sentence. The goal of the headline is to state your value quickly using a few words or phrases.

• Keyword-rich. When writing a resume headline, focus on specific keywords mentioned in the job description. Keywords help you pass the ATS and demonstrate why you’re a good fit for the role.

• Cliche-free. A resume headline should help you stand out, so avoid cliches or generic phrases, such as “hard-working” and “quick learner.”

How to write a good resume headline

A headline for a resume should have a spark that entices the reader and gets them hooked. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you write a resume headline:

Get to the point

Ideally, a resume headline should have fewer than 15 words. Anything longer can make it difficult for the recruiter to understand. Make every word count and think about ways you can get the reader’s attention in just a few seconds.

Be specific

Your headline should emphasize the specific skills and experience you have that will benefit the organization. Provide quantifiable results or data if you can, such as your years of experience or the number of projects you’ve managed.

Here’s an example of a resume headline using specific data:

• Marketing manager capable of driving $1M in revenue growth 

Mention your unique skills

Hiring managers often review many resumes for a single job, so set yourself apart by mentioning your unique skills. For example, can you build complex spreadsheets? Conduct in-depth market research? Speak another language? Include one or two of your best skills that are relevant to the job or company.

Use keywords

Job descriptions usually contain keywords, often related to skills or attributes an employer is seeking in candidates. Review the job description closely to find keywords or phrases that relate to your strengths. Aim to incorporate a few keywords in your resume headline.

For example, consider a job description that contains these keywords:

• Project management

• Agile methodology

• Budget optimization

• Risk mitigation

Here’s a resume headline that includes several of those keywords:

• Agile project manager skilled in budget optimization and risk mitigation for large-scale projects

Add professional credentials

If you have professional credentials, such as a license or certification, mention them in your headline. Many employers specifically look for candidates with these credentials. Including them in your resume headline immediately tells them you’re a qualified candidate.

Discuss a key achievement

Do you have a career achievement that you can highlight? A resume headline is a great place to draw attention to your professional accomplishments. Just remember to keep it short and relevant to the position.

Here’s an example of a headline that mentions an achievement:

• Sales representative who exceeded goals by 24% through tactful negotiation

Place it at the top

Logistically, your headline should go at the top of your resume. Add it after your name and contact information, so it’s one of the first things a recruiter sees on your resume.

40 Resume headline examples

Once you’ve identified your skills, job-specific keywords, and noteworthy accomplishments, the next step is to condense this information into a short, powerful statement that will serve as your resume title.

For some inspiration, here are 40 examples of resume headlines:

1. Account manager and B2B sales expert with 14 years of experience in identifying business opportunities

2. Supply chain manager with 6+ years of experience in supervising large-scale activities within the manufacturing sector

3. Sales director with a proven track record of negotiating partner engagements and business expansion plans worth $50M

4. Finance graduate from the University of California with internship experience at Amazon

5. Efficient office manager with expertise in inventory management and corporate event planning

6. Detail-oriented content creator with in-depth knowledge of pay-per-click marketing and content strategy design

7. Bilingual marketing executive with 5+ years of experience in lead generation and channel partnership agreements

8. Honors graduate with experience in web design and content writing

9. Physics teacher with 10+ years of teaching experience across multiple high schools in Lackawanna County, PA

10. Senior accountant with subject-matter expertise in financial planning, tax preparation and filing, and payroll management

11. Dynamic and people-centric barista with 4+ years of experience in customer service in the hospitality industry

12. Dedicated cashier with a specialty in managing point-of-sale systems, petty cash, and bank reconciliations 

13. CEO and co-founder of TaskSphere, a SaaS platform streamlining communication for remote teams

14. Business development executive with experience generating leads and managing accounts worth $2M

15. Empathetic registered nurse with 10+ years of experience in providing emergency care to patients at the Mayo Clinic

16. Experienced attorney specializing in employment law, including workers’ compensation and wrongful termination

17. HR manager, SHRM-CP, with 8+ years of experience driving employee engagement and talent retention

18. Driven sales manager with a record of increasing revenue by 75% through strategic sales plans

19. Results-oriented project manager leading cross-functional teams and delivering projects 15% under budget

20. Digital marketing specialist with 5+ years of experience boosting organic traffic by 36% through optimized SEO

21. Licensed practical nurse with over 10 years of experience delivering patient-focused care, certified in ACLS

22. Data analyst skilled in predictive modeling, leading to 20% in cost reductions over four years

23. Certified Public Accountant with 6+ years of experience in auditing, forecasting, and financial reporting

24. Full-stack developer proficient in JavaScript and Python, using skills to create web apps for over 100,000 users

25. Product manager with a demonstrated record of leading product launches that generate over $500K in revenue

26. Friendly customer service representative with a 98% satisfaction rating over 5+ years of call center experience

27. Graphic designer with 7+ years of experience, specializing in brand development and UX design

28. IT manager with extensive experience in network security with the ability to reduce system downtime by 24%

29. Proficient business analyst with 8+ years of experience in process improvements and workflow optimizations

30. Licensed real estate agent with a record of 25 high-value property deals closed in one year

31. Operations manager with 12 years of experience in supply chain management and lean manufacturing

32. Senior B2B copywriter skilled in increasing engagement by 60%, resulting in over $150,000 in revenue

33. Certified ScrumMaster with 10+ years of experience in Agile development and team leadership

34. Event planner with a 5-year record of successfully managing corporate events with over 1,500 attendees

35. Savvy financial analyst capable of delivering 25% ROI for clients through strategic portfolio management

36. Bilingual customer support specialist fluent in Spanish with a 95% score in customer satisfaction

37. Collaborative executive assistant with 10+ years of experience providing indispensable support to C-suite executives

38. UX designer skilled in mobile app design with a record of increasing user retention by 45%

39. Chief financial officer with the ability to lead $100M+ budget planning for Fortune 500 companies

40. Compassionate speech therapist with 8+ years of helping children and teens improve communication skills

Mistakes to avoid on a headline for a resume

While every resume headline is unique, there are some common mistakes job applicants make when writing one. Here are a few things to avoid when writing your headline:

• Using personal pronouns. A resume, in general, should never include first-person pronouns. Avoid using these words, which include “I,” “me,” and “my.”

• Writing vague statements. Avoid making generalized statements about your skills, achievements, and experiences. Customize your resume headline for each job, even if you only change a couple of keywords.

• Omitting valuable data. Provide key details that an employer expects to see. These include your years of industry experience and your job-related skills.

• Adding too many adjectives. Your resume should describe your professional attributes, but don’t go overboard with adjectives. Choose one or two adjectives that are unique to you, such as “strategic,” “resourceful,” or “collaborative.”

• Including words that don’t add value. Every word counts in your resume headline, so avoid ones that don’t provide concrete proof of your strengths. For example, instead of saying you “achieved success,” you can write, “generated $3M in revenue within three years.”

Need some more help with your resume headline? Use our powerful Resume Builder to write your headline—and the rest of your resume—in just a few minutes!

Key takeaways

1. A resume headline concisely describes your skills and experience, introducing you to the recruiter or hiring manager.

2. A headline for a resume should include a few keywords from the target job description. It should also include your top skills or an impressive achievement to catch an employer’s attention.

3. You can review examples of resume headlines to get ideas and inspiration for your own.

4. When writing a headline, avoid some common mistakes, such as being vague, using too many adjectives, and including words that don’t add value.