Headlines help the reader decide whether to read or move on. You have a headline all your own if you are on LinkedIn. It’s just below your name, and may appear to be your current or former job title. That’s because the site populates your headline from your job experience section. You can make the most of this prime space and here’s how.

Didn’t know your headline could be edited? On your home page, choose “profile” and “edit profile.” Put the cursor on the words just below your name and single-click. The space turning blue is your cue to type your very own advertisement in the text box that appears to the right. If you edit your headline, the job title that was formerly your headline will appear in smaller letters below it.

Some headlines give a one-word profession: architect, attorney, Batman (just checking!). Assuming you aren’t the only one (like Batman is), try stating what you do and what’s unique about how you work: “Lamp repair and you pay nothing until it shines!”

Other headlines have it all: “applications programmer/senior analyst, radiology department, University of …” Stopped reading yet? I did.

My headline comes in at just under LinkedIn’s limit of 120 characters — check it out and browse your connections to find headlines that you like. LinkedIn will show you some as well if you click on “Show examples” below the text box where you edit your headline.

So how about taking two minutes to do this for yourself, not just the two seconds you usually allot to you and — supposedly — to every stop sign you meet!

If you’d like some free and confidential feedback on your new or prospective headline, send it to me in the comment section below or via LinkedIn’s inmail and I’ll respond. Consider it my Valentine’s Day gift to you.

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