Your LinkedIn about page is one of the most important parts of your profile. It’s often the first thing people will look at to learn more about you and what you have to offer professionally. A well-written about section allows you to make a great first impression and highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments.
What to Include in Your LinkedIn About Section
Your about page should provide an overview of who you are professionally. Here are some key things to include:
- A headline: This is a short, snappy phrase at the top of your profile that describes who you are or what you do. Examples: “Digital Marketing Specialist” or “Accountant and Financial Analyst”
- A professional summary: This 2-3 sentence paragraph should give a quick overview of your current role, industry experience, and skills. Focus on your value proposition for employers or connections.
- Your experience: List your current and past work experiences, along with a brief description of your responsibilities and achievements for each role.
- Your skills: Include a list of your technical expertise, soft skills, languages, certifications, etc. Tailor this to the industry you work in.
- Your education: List any degrees, certifications or relevant coursework you’ve completed. Only include as far back as high school if it’s pertinent.
- Volunteer work or causes: Highlight any volunteer experiences, organizations you support or have led, conferences/events you’ve spoken at, or courses you’ve instructed.
- Honors and awards: Mention any work-related accolades you’ve received.
- Interests: Share 2-3 personal hobbies or interests outside of work to show your personality.
How to Optimize Your About Section for Keywords
In addition to providing an overview of your background, your LinkedIn about section offers an opportunity to optimize your profile for keywords. Here’s how:
- Research target keywords: Identify keywords related to your industry, job titles, skills, certifications, etc. These should be terms hiring managers may search to find candidates like you.
- Use keywords naturally: Work your target keywords into your about section as seamlessly as possible. Don’t overstuff – LinkedIn will flag overly promotional profiles.
- Include keywords in your headline and professional summary: These top sections offer prime real estate for getting your most important keywords on your profile.
- Leverage your experience and skills sections: The long-form descriptions here allow you to incorporate keywords while expanding on your expertise.
Optimizing for relevant keywords can help increase your discoverability on LinkedIn search, especially if you have a common name.
Tips for Writing an Engaging LinkedIn About Section
While keywords are important, you also want to make your about page interesting and approachable. Here are some tips:
- Use an approachable, conversational tone: Avoid formal or overly stiff language. You want to sound like a real person.
- Tell a story: Share how your experiences have built your skills over time. Paint a picture of your professional journey.
- Showcase what motivates you: What do you care about professionally? What gets you excited about your work?
- Add visual interest: Use lists, numbered steps, and bold font for key words to make it skimmable.
- Link to external sites: Links to your portfolio, blog, company website, etc. can enhance your about section.
Mistakes to Avoid in Your LinkedIn About Section
Steer clear of these common pitfalls:
- Typos and grammatical errors: Your about page needs to be polished. Ask someone to proofread it before adding it to your profile.
- Using industry jargon: Explain acronyms and technical terms so anyone can understand your about section.
- Stating you have skills without demonstrating them: Anyone can say they have leadership skills. Provide examples that exhibit your capabilities.
- Getting too personal: Unless they’re directly relevant, leave out details about your personal life. Keep the focus on your professional self.
- Dishonesty: Don’t exaggerate or misrepresent yourself. Assume your connections will fact check.
- Making it all about you: Focus on how you can add value to employers/connections, not just what you want to get out of LinkedIn.
LinkedIn About Section Examples and Templates
The best way to master writing your own LinkedIn about page is to look at examples from other professionals:
| About Section Example | What Makes It Effective? |
|---|---|
| Data-driven marketer with 10+ years experience leading high-performing digital marketing teams. Specialize in leveraging customer data and insights to develop targeted marketing campaigns across paid, organic and social channels. Passionate about translating numbers into actionable strategies that drive business results and acquire new customers. Companies I’ve worked with have achieved up to 2x increase in conversion rates from my data-optimized campaigns. Always seeking to collaborate with mission-driven brands and solve today’s challenges with innovative marketing solutions. |
|
Finance professional motivated by using financial data to drive business strategy. Over 8 years experience in financial planning and analysis with Fortune 500 companies. Core competencies:
Looking to take on new challenges as a finance manager, controller or VP of finance, and make high-impact business contributions through data-based decision making. |
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Accomplished product marketing leader with 15 years of experience launching and marketing SaaS, mobile and hardware products. Companies where I’ve led product teams:
Acme Technologies (2019 – Present) 123 Systems (2015 – 2018) Experienced in leading full lifecycle product marketing – from strategic planning and market research to positioning, go-to-market strategy, sales enablement and product launches. Excited by the opportunity to make strategies actionable with effective marketing execution. Passionate about understanding customers, gaining market insights, and growing product adoption. Thrive on leading high-energy marketing teams to beat revenue goals and drive growth. |
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These are just a few examples of effective LinkedIn about sections tailored to different industries and professional focuses.
When writing your own about page, you can also reference these LinkedIn about section templates to get started:
| About Section Template |
|---|
|
[Job Title] with [Number] years of experience in [Your Field]. Skilled in [Key Skill 1], [Key Skill 2], [Key Skill 3]. Highlights: – [Achievement 1] – [Achievement 2] – [Achievement 3] Seeking to leverage my skills as a [Your Profession] to [Your Goals]. Key areas I can contribute: [Value Prop 1], [Value Prop 2], [Value Prop 3]. |
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Passionate [Your Profession] with [Number] years enhancing [Company/Industry Type] through [Your Top Skill/Expertise]. Key strengths: – [Skill/Expertise 1] – [Example] – [Skill/Expertise 2] – [Example] – [Skill/Expertise 3] – [Example] Excited by opportunities to [Your Goals] and [Your Value Proposition]. Let’s connect if you’re seeking an innovative [Your Profession] to [The Value You Provide]. |
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[Job Title] driven by [Your Motivator] and [Your Motivator]. Over [Number] years experience: – [Responsibility 1] – [Responsibility 2] – [Responsibility 3] Successes include: – [Achievement 1] ([Company], increased/saved [$$$]) – [Achievement 2] ([Company], increased/saved [$$$]) Seeking roles as a [Your Next Move] leveraging expertise in [Your Expertise] and passion for [Your Passion]. |
Tips for Updating Your LinkedIn About Section
Your LinkedIn about page is never completely done. As you gain new skills and experiences, regularly update it to reflect your growth. Here are some best practices:
- Reread it with fresh eyes at least once a year: Look for ways to tighten it up and improve the messaging.
- Update it when you switch jobs: Add your new company and role. Remove outdated info.
- Add new achievements: Learning a skill or earning an award? Add it in.
- Trim unnecessary details: Cut anything outdated or wordy to keep your about section focused.
- Change keywords: Update keywords and skills to reflect your current expertise and industry trends.
Keeping your LinkedIn about page updated ensures your profile always puts your best foot forward with employers.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn about page offers a prime opportunity to make an impactful first impression with connections and hiring managers. An effective about section clearly summarizes your career story, highlights your achievements and capabilities, and conveys your personality and passions. Optimize your page with targeted keywords. Keep it conversational and engaging. Avoid common mistakes like spelling errors or exaggerations. Regularly update your about section to reflect the latest skills and experiences you bring to the table. With these tips, you can craft a compelling LinkedIn about page that helps you put your best professional foot forward online.
