Having a strong LinkedIn profile summary is crucial for making a great first impression and standing out from the crowd. Your summary should serve as an “elevator pitch” that highlights your biggest accomplishments, skills, and goals. It should be concise yet compelling. Let’s explore what makes a good LinkedIn summary with some examples.
Why Your LinkedIn Summary Matters
Your LinkedIn summary is one of the first things hiring managers and recruiters will look at when viewing your profile. It appears right under your name and photo and offers a snapshot of who you are and what you have to offer. A weak summary can cause viewers to move on, while a strong one prompts them to dig deeper into your profile.
An impactful summary doesn’t just recap your work history. It markets your personal brand, showcases your top strengths, and explains how you can add value to an employer or connection. It speaks directly to your target audience and motivates them to connect with you.
Key Elements of a Strong LinkedIn Summary
The best LinkedIn summaries include the following elements:
- Tailored messaging – Adapt your summary to speak directly to your desired career path and target companies.
- Quantifiable achievements – Include measurable wins that demonstrate your value, like “Increased sales by 30%”.
- Industry keywords – Incorporate keywords recruiters search for.
- Personality – Let your summary reflect your personal brand.
- Brevity – Keep it concise at 2-3 paragraphs and avoid cliches.
- A call to action – End with an invitation to connect.
LinkedIn Summary Template and Examples
One approach is to structure your summary using this simple template:
- Introductory sentence summarizing your top strengths and goals.
- Bullet points of 3-5 key skills and achievements.
- One sentence on your career goals and potential value you offer.
- Call to action inviting viewers to connect.
Let’s look at some good LinkedIn summary examples that follow this template:
Marketing Professional
Results-driven marketing manager with 5+ years experience driving growth through integrated digital marketing strategies. Skills include:
- Grew Instagram following from 1K to 10K in 1 year through viral content strategy.
- Improved website traffic by 45% and conversions by 30% via SEO optimizations.
- Managed 3 successful product launches that exceeded revenue goals by 20%.
Passionate about leveraging data and design thinking to create intuitive, wow-worthy experiences. Interested in leading marketing for mission-driven brands. Let’s connect!
Software Engineer
Software engineer with 3+ years experience developing scalable web applications. Skills include:
- Led refactor of client dashboard reducing load time from 6 sec to under 1 sec.
- Implemented CI/CD pipeline cutting release cycles by 50%.
- Architected backend for food delivery app handling 500K+ requests per day.
Excited to join a fast-paced team where I can use my skills in Python and React to build performant and intuitive products that delight users. Open to new opportunities – let’s chat!
Data Analyst
Data analyst passionate about translating numbers into actionable business insights. Skills include:
- Built Tableau sales dashboard leveraged by 100+ business managers to track KPIs.
- Created A/B testing framework leading to $100K in additional revenue.
- Identified supply chain inefficiencies with SQL analysis cutting costs by 15%.
Seeking to leverage analytical and problem-solving skills to drive data-based decision making. If you have a complex data challenge, I’m excited to collaborate!
Tips for Writing a LinkedIn Summary
Follow these tips when crafting your own high-impact LinkedIn summary:
| Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Focus on achievements, not responsibilities | Don’t just describe your work duties. Emphasize big wins that demonstrate value. |
| Quantify accomplishments | Use numbers and metrics to showcase your impact. |
| Use industry keywords | Research terms recruiters search for in your field and work them in naturally. |
| Show, don’t tell | Give specific examples of skills and achievements, don’t just claim them. |
| Be concise | Summarize your top highlights in 2-3 tight paragraphs for skimmability. |
| Add personality | Let your voice, passion, and goals shine through. |
| Make a clear ask | Close with a call to action, like to connect or chat. |
Mistakes to Avoid
When writing your LinkedIn summary, be sure to steer clear of these common pitfalls:
- Typos or grammatical errors
- Boring, generic language
- Overly formal tone
- Relying too much on cliches or jargon
- Listing soft skills without evidence
- Stating obvious facts like “passionate” or “hard worker”
- Overuse of “I” statements
- Forgetting a clear call to action
Proofread carefully to avoid mistakes and solicit feedback from others before finalizing your summary.
Keywords to Include
Certain keywords can help your LinkedIn summary get found in recruiter searches. Consider working in some of these top terms:
For all profiles:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Strategic thinking
- Problem-solving
- Team player
- Motivated
- Creative
- Adaptable
- Analytical
- Detail-oriented
Additional keywords by industry:
| Industry | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Technology | JavaScript, Python, Agile, Java, Linux, Ruby on Rails |
| Marketing | SEO, Google Analytics, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing |
| Finance | Financial Modeling, Budgeting, Forecasting, Risk Management, Financial Reporting |
| Healthcare | Patient Care, Clinical Research, Population Health, Health IT, EMR |
| Engineering | AutoCAD, Solidworks, Project Management, Manufacturing, Quality Control |
Edit and Refine
Treat your LinkedIn summary as a living document. Set a reminder to revisit it quarterly and make edits to reflect new accomplishments. Swap out generic terms for more powerful action verbs over time. As you grow in your career, keep your summary fresh and aligned with where you want to go next.
Refine your summary by asking yourself:
- Does this reflect my current goals and skills?
- Is the language compelling yet professional?
- Does it speak directly to my target audience?
- Are my key achievements quantified?
- Is it concise and skimmable?
Remember, your summary is prime real estate on LinkedIn. Take the time to craft an eye-catching overview that makes you stand out while communicating your personal brand and value. With a strong summary conveying your top highlights, you’ll be sure to make a great first impression.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn summary is one of the most important sections of your profile. It offers a snapshot of who you are and motivates viewers to engage further. The best summaries incorporate tailored messaging, quantifiable achievements, industry keywords, personality, brevity, and a call to action.
When writing yours, focus on measurable accomplishments vs responsibilities, quantify stats, and use words that your target audience searches for. Proofread carefully, refresh it quarterly, and always keep your goals and ideal next steps in mind. With a compelling, value-focused summary conveying your skills and passion, you’ll maximize your impact on LinkedIn.
