The “About” section on your LinkedIn profile is one of the most important parts of your profile. It’s often the first thing people will look at when viewing your profile, and it’s your chance to make a great first impression and showcase your skills, experience, and personality. A well-written “About” section will help you stand out from other candidates and connect with potential employers and business contacts. But coming up with the perfect description of yourself can be challenging. Here are some tips and examples to help you write an engaging “About” section for your LinkedIn profile.
Keep it Brief but Impactful
You want your “About” section to be concise but compelling. Aim for 2-3 short paragraphs or 3-5 bullet points that highlight your professional background. You don’t need to cover your entire career history here – just focus on your most relevant experience and qualifications. Resist the urge to make it too lengthy. Recruiters and contacts are more likely to read a succinct summary that grabs their attention.
Tailor it to Your Goals
The content of your “About” section should align with your purpose for having a LinkedIn profile. Are you using it primarily for job searching? Then focus on your skills, achievements, and qualifications that would appeal to potential employers. Are you looking to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry? Emphasize your expertise, media appearances, speaking engagements, and published works. Determine what you want to get out of LinkedIn and let that guide what you include in your summary.
Structure with Key Sections
Organize your “About” section into sections that highlight the most important things you want readers to know. For example:
- Professional Summary – A short overview of your background, skills, and current role.
- Core Expertise – Key skills, competencies, and areas of specialization.
- Career Highlights – Standout roles, projects, media mentions, awards.
- Academic Background – Credentials, certifications, education.
Breaking it into sections makes it easy to scan and digest. Use concise paragraphs or bullet points in each section.
Incorporate Keywords
Incorporate relevant keywords that align with your industry, job titles, skills, and expertise. This helps increase your search visibility and ensures you show up for opportunities that match your background and interests. Just be sure the keywords flow naturally within the text.
Show Personality and Uniqueness
While most of your “About” section should focus on professional details, injecting some personality can help you create a memorable profile. For example, you could briefly mention hobbies and interests that relate to your work, highlight causes you support, or describe an aspect of your background that makes you stand out. Just keep it professional and choose details that present you in a positive light.
Examples
Here are a few examples of different styles of effective “About” sections:
Marketing Professional
Results-driven marketing manager with 5+ years experience leading high-performing teams. Skilled in developing fully integrated marketing campaigns, building brand awareness, and leveraging customer insights to increase sales. Seeking to apply my expertise to drive growth and exceed revenue goals for a consumer goods or technology company. Key Skills:
– Campaign Strategy
– Social Media Marketing
– Email Marketing
– SEO/SEM
– Content Marketing
– Team Leadership & Development
Software Engineer
Experienced software engineer with a proven track record of developing high-quality web and mobile applications. Passionate about technology and solving problems through well-designed code and collaboration. Well-versed in a variety of programming languages and frameworks. Continuously learning and keeping up with the latest technology trends and best practices. Leader of engineering team that won 2019 “App of the Year.” Outside of work, I enjoy contributing to open source projects, rock climbing, and playing drums in a local band.
Recent College Graduate
Recent graduate from UC Berkeley majoring in Business Administration. Completed 3 finance internships at leading companies including Google and Airbnb. Excelled in competitive campus leadership roles – President of the Consulting Club and Co-Captain of the Debate Team. Recognized on the Dean’s List each semester. Passionate about leveraging analytical and problem-solving skills in a rotational product management program. Looking to join a mission-driven technology company and contribute fresh perspectives.
Tips
Here are some additional tips for writing a compelling LinkedIn “About” section:
Don’t Just Repeat Your Resume
The “About” section is not just a summary of your resume. It requires a different format and approach that is optimized for the LinkedIn ecosystem. Focus on presenting the most relevant highlights and telling your story in a compelling way.
Show, Don’t Tell
Anyone can say they have great leadership or communication skills. Use examples to demonstrate these capabilities – e.g. “Led rebranding initiative resulting in 20% increase in customer awareness.” This helps prove you truly possess the qualities you list.
Quantify Achievements
Use numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements. This could include things like budgets managed, sales totals attained, web traffic driven, etc. Statistics like these help concretely convey your capabilities.
Explain Career Gaps
If you have significant gaps between roles, briefly explain them in a positive way – e.g. “Took 2 years off to travel and pursue freelance projects.” This proactively addresses anything that may raise questions.
Customize for Different Versions
You can have multiple versions of your LinkedIn profile customized for different audiences – e.g. one for recruiting and one for sales prospects. Tailor your “About” section accordingly.
Proofread Thoroughly
Your LinkedIn profile is often the first impression you’ll make on new connections. Be sure to carefully proofread your “About” section to eliminate any typos or grammatical errors. Consider having a friend review it as a second set of eyes.
Update it Regularly
As you gain more experience and achievements, remember to update your LinkedIn profile, including your “About” section. Keep it current by adding new roles, projects, skills, media mentions, and other highlights. This demonstrates an active, engaged profile.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn “About” section is hugely important for making connections and advancing your career. A well-crafted summary can help you stand out from the crowd and make the difference in winning your next role or opportunity. Focus on highlighting your skills, experience, and personality in a succinct, engaging way. Structure it effectively and incorporate keywords. Show rather than tell. Quantify achievements. Explain gaps. Customize it based on your goals. And proofread meticulously. Update it regularly as your career progresses. With these tips and examples to guide you, you can craft an “About” section that positions you for your professional goals.
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FAQ
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about writing a compelling LinkedIn “About” section:
Should I include my entire work history?
No, there is no need to list your complete work history in the “About” section. Focus only on the most relevant and impressive roles that support your personal branding and career goals.
Is it okay to use first person?
Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to write your LinkedIn profile in the first person, using “I” statements. This creates a more approachable and conversational tone. Just maintain a professional style.
How much detail should I provide about each role?
Aim for 1-3 concise bullet points summarizing each position. Include company name, job title, timeframe, and your biggest accomplishments and contributions. Avoid overly detailed job descriptions.
Should I include interests/hobbies?
You can briefly mention interests or hobbies that relate to your professional skills and personal brand – for example, a software engineer who enjoys contributing to open source projects in her free time. But keep it minimal.
Is there an ideal word count?
Experts recommend keeping your LinkedIn “About” section between 700-1000 words. This keeps it substantial while still scannable. Breaking it up with bullet points and sections also improves readability.
Should I customize it for specific job applications?
If you are actively job searching, it can be effective to customize your LinkedIn profile and “About” section for each application by highlighting the most relevant skills and experience. Just don’t overdo it.
How often should I update my “About” section?
Plan to revisit your LinkedIn “About” section every 6 months to a year. Add any new roles, skills, projects, and achievements. This demonstrates an active, up-to-date presence.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile’s “About” section offers a valuable opportunity to tell your professional story and make the all-important first impression. Invest time into crafting a compelling yet concise summary that spotlights your background, skills, accomplishments, and personality. Follow the tips and best practice examples provided here to develop an “About” section that helps you achieve your career aspirations on LinkedIn. Update it regularly as you reach new milestones for an active, accurate representation of the value you can bring to any organization. With a little time and strategic effort, you can differentiate yourself from the crowd.