Writing about yourself can feel a little embarrassing or uncomfortable at times, particularly if you’ve been brought up to avoid boasting. This is, perhaps, part of the reason why LinkedIn’s bio section is one of the most under-used on the site.
What many users of the platform fail to realize, however, is that a well-written bio can be hugely advantageous when it comes to building your brand, marketing a small business, or finding employment. A profile summary can strengthen your profile by adding a touch of personality and demonstrating your credentials as a strong communicator.
There are, of course, a few rules you should stick to when crafting a bio. We’ve listed some here to boost your chances of career success:
1. Start With A Catchy Hook
The LinkedIn interface only displays the first three lines of a profile summary, encouraging users to click if they want to see more. In this way, the first 300 characters of your bio should be enticing and perfectly worded. Try to think of an interesting or unusual fact about yourself and use only short, sharp sentences that are easy to read.
2. Focus On Using Keywords
When looking for potential employees, recruiters search for a combination of keywords relevant to a particular role or industry. The more of these keywords you include in your profile, the likelier you are to be found by important industry figures. This means you should think long and hard about the kinds of words that may optimize your profile for search purposes. Review job descriptions that appeal to you and look for keyword patterns and common skills required by employers.
3. Be Open About Your Career
Don’t be shy about your accomplishments or ambitions. If you have an interesting origin story or your career pathway has been a little unorthodox, feel free to show it off in your bio. Recruiters and prospective employers love knowing a little about the history of potential employees as it helps them to ascertain whether certain people will fit into their company culture.
4. Include Your Proudest Accomplishments
Although most of your career accomplishments should be detailed in the work experience sections of your LinkedIn profile, the bio is a great place to highlight your favorites. This is especially important if you have a well-established career and a long list of qualifications, as these can be easy to brush over. By adding it to the bio, you can rest assured that your proudest achievements will not go unnoticed.
5. Let People Know About Your Principles
Businesses value principled people who care for others and are motivated by things other than money. If you have followed your career path due to a particular passion or moral principle, make sure to include this in the bio and explain how it has informed certain decisions or achievements.
