So you’re ready to write your first (or update your current) LinkedIn About section. I know. It can be hard to even get started. You’ve likely found this blog post after at least ten minutes of staring at that big, blank box on your screen. It’s just sitting there… begging you to start writing about yourself.
But, writing about ourselves can be so difficult for so many of us. How do I explain who I am, what I do, and what I’m looking for in a career? How do I sum up 20, 30, or 40+ years of work experience in this little box? Where do I even begin?
I get it. And typically, getting the first few words typed up is the hardest part. Read on for some inspiration to help you get started with your LinkedIn About section!
The Top 7 Steps to Make Your LinkedIn About Section Stand Out:
Step #1: Know Your Target Audience
The key to writing a good About section or summary section in your LinkedIn profile is knowing exactly who your target audience is. For example, if you are writing something in support of your current business, saying how profitable you are and how much money you made off of your clients, is not going to be well received by your current or potential clients. The next time you say, “That’s the lowest price I can possibly give you,” they will point to your summary section and say, “You have the highest margin in the company!” or “You have the highest sales in the company, how can you not take good care of me?”
On the other hand, if you were in search of a sales job, talking about your attainment relative to quota or how profitable your deals were for your previous company would be the exact right thing to highlight.
Step #2: Make Sure It’s Not Too Short
You want to include enough information that the reader gets a sense of who you are, that you are good at what you do, what you are capable of doing, and what types of opportunities or clients you are looking for. Your LinkedIn About section is too short if it doesn’t provide that crucial information.
To keep your LinkedIn About section easy to read, include bullet points for responsibilities and accomplishments you want to emphasize.
Step #3: But Also, Be Sure It’s Not Too Long
LinkedIn limits your About section to 2,600 characters. That doesn’t mean you have to use them all! Make sure that what you write is complete, but also engaging and informative.
Just like in an in-person introduction, you don’t want to ramble and risk losing your readers’ attention.
Step #4: Use the 3rd Person
The default approach for writing a LinkedIn About section is to use the 3rd person. Think about it, saying, “Top 5% in the United States” sounds slightly less boastful than saying, “I was in the Top 5% of the United States.”
With that being said, 1st person can work well, especially for people who are purpose-driven or mission-driven. “I am passionate about creating the best possible healthcare outcomes for all.” sounds pretty nice, too!
Step #5: Include Quantifiable Measures of Success
Including quantifiable measures of success or scope of responsibility gives the reader an understanding of what you’re capable of doing. Not just what you did, but also that you’re good at it. If you’ve doubled revenue, include that and be specific.
If you think that there are no quantifiable measures of success for your role or in your industry, think outside the box and look at what accomplishments could be turned into a quantifiable metric.
Other ways of measuring success are perhaps, the size of your budget, the number of people you oversee, the number of clients or accounts you manage, or the names of some of your biggest and best clients. Saying that you’re a highly successful salesperson and that your clients are Apple, Tesla, and IBM – that’s impressive!
These quantifiable measures of success would be best shared as short bullet points.
Step #6: Avoid Internal Jargon
Many About sections that I see look more like a job description. They list things like specific jobs or projects they’ve worked on and use extremely specific industry jargon. That might be impressive and accurate information, but no one outside of your current organization is going to have any idea what it all means. Try to avoid using internal jargon and instead use words and phraseology that will be easy to understand for people on the outside.
If your current company uses some non-standard jargon to describe standard industry operations, it’s better to translate it into the industry-standard description because your readers won’t just be from within your current company.
Step #7: Engage Your Audience
Add a CTA (industry speak for call to action) at the end of your LinkedIn About section. This lets your reader know exactly what next action you want them to take.
Think, something along the lines of, “I’m passionate about helping my clients find the home of their dreams. Please get in touch if I can be of service: [email protected]”