Woof, that was dull. Are you still with me? I swear, not even adding a tidbit about his cats would liven that bio up. To be fair, in certain contexts, your professional bio does need to be more formal, like Mr. Erickson's up there. But in many cases, writing a readable bio — even conversational — is a really good thing. That means dropping that traditional format of listing your accomplishments like a robot and cramming as much professional-sounding jargon in there as you can.
Here, let's dive into how you can create your own professional bio with templates for both long and short bios. Then we'll dive into the best professional bio examples we've ever seen. Download a free, editable long professional bio template. Writing a professional bio that captures your brand and what you offer to your audience can help you grow better. But doing it right is just as important. Before you can publish your professional bio, you need a living space for it.
Here are a few to consider some of these you might already have in place :. As you'll see in the professional bio examples below, the length and tone of your bio will differ depending on which of the above platforms you choose to be on. Instagram, for example, allows only characters of bio space, whereas you can write virtually as much as you want on your personal website — or even your Facebook Business page.
But once created, this bio should represent who you are in the eyes of your audience. If your readers don't remember anything else about your bio, make sure they remember your name. For that reason, it's a good idea for your first and last name to be the first two words of your professional bio. Even if your name is printed above this bio hint: it should , this is a rare moment where it's okay to be redundant. Will your professional bio represent yourself, or a business you work for?
Make sure the brand you want to be associated with is mentioned in your bio. If you're a freelancer, perhaps you have a personal business name or pseudonym you advertise to your clients.
Here are a few examples:. Maybe you founded your own company, and you want its name to be separate from your real name. Whether you're the author of a novel or a mid-level specialist, use the next few lines of your bio to describe what you do in that position. Don't assume your audience will naturally know what your job title entails.
Make your primary responsibilities known to the reader, helping them paint a picture of who you are during the day and what you have to offer the industry. Just as a business touts its client successes in the form of case studies, your professional bio should let your own audience know what you've already achieved. What have you done for yourself — as well as for others — that makes you a valuable player in your industry? Why do you do what you do? What might make your contribution to the market different than your colleagues?
Better yet, what values do you and your colleagues share that would make your business a worthwhile investment to others? Start to wrap up your professional bio by simply explaining what gets you up in the morning.
Transition from describing your values in work to describing who you are outside of work. This may include:. People like connecting with other people. The more transparent you are about who you are personally, the more likable you'll be to the people reading about who you are professionally. End your professional bio on a good note — or, more specifically, a funny note. Leaving your audience with something quirky or uniquely you can ensure they'll leave your website with a pleasant impression of you.
It's important to follow the steps above when writing your bio, but don't obsess over any one section. Remember, the people reading your bio are suffering from information fatigue. If you don't hook 'em in the first line, you'll lose them quickly. Want to give your professional brand a boost? Take one of HubSpot Academy's free certification courses. In just one weekend, you can add a line to your resume and bio that's coveted by over 60, marketers.
Alright, I know what you may be thinking So what? It's just a bio. I mean, how many people read professional bios, anyway? The answer: A lot of people. More importantly, though, there's no way to tell exactly who is reading it — and you always want it to be ready for when the right people come across it.
And when they do, you want it to catch their eye. In a good way. You see, while your resume is only useful for when you're actively applying for specific positions, your professional bio is much more visible. It can live on your LinkedIn profile , your company's website, your guest blog posts, your speaker profiles, your Twitter bio , and many other places. Bottom line?
People will read your professional bio. Whether they remember it, and whether it makes them care about you, is a matter of how well you present yourself to your intended audience. Below, we've curated some of the best real professional bio examples we've ever seen on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the various websites where you might describe yourself. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie begins her professional bio with an invitation into her world.
In just one sentence, she describes the depth and breadth of her body of work as it has been translated into thirty languages and several publications. Along with her notable writing career, Chimamanda showcases her speaking career which introduces readers to a well-rounded view of who she is as a professional. From there, her bio seamlessly flows into her recent work and a glimpse into how and where she spends her personal time — the United States and Nigeria. A bio with a hook is sure to keep you reading.
What comes next is a unique differentiator in a professional bio. In the body of her professional bio, Chima briefly lists her process at a high level, giving her potential clients a birds-eye view of what they can expect when they book her services. And even if you don't listen to the type of music he produces, it's hard not to listen to his compelling Facebook bio.
For instance, consider his tagline, under "About" — " Quiet during the day. I got goosebumps just imagining a dance club he might play his music in. DJ Nexus's bio brilliance doesn't stop there. DJ Nexus links his Facebook account to his personal website , where he has the space to tell the full story of his background.
Here's a preview, below:. In this story, DJ Nexus describes both when he "became known as DJ Nexus" and a company he founded shortly afterward — all before going to college. This is a terrific lesson for professional bios: Customers want to learn about you. Consider how you might also lead your Facebook visitors off your Facebook page and onto your personal website to learn more about who you are. When it all comes down to it, your professional bio is no different than any other piece of persuasive copy — no matter where it lives.
One of the most common mistakes people make is thinking of it as its own beast, separate from other pieces of writing. Skip to content Writing a personal or professional biography is one of those tasks that most of us dread. To structure your bio, choose one or two sentences from each of the four categories below. A final word about writing your professional bio Use these bio templates as a starting point but try not to feel constrained by them.
Pingback: End. Your accomplishments. For a short bio, you can stick with just one major accomplishment from your professional life. Or, if you have a string of impressive achievements, try condensing all of them down to one sentence. Your goals and values. Let the reader know what makes you tick — why do you do what you do and what do you hope to achieve with your work? Something personal optional. Contact info optional. If your bio is serving as a call-to-action to drum up business or get leads on job opportunities, it makes sense to include your contact information at the end of your bio.
Deciding what information is relevant and how to keep it near characters is no small task. Make an initial introduction. This is the first sentence of an already short bio, so keep it as concise as possible. Go deeper with what motivates you. Stating what drives you to do the work you do is essential to employers and customers alike. Describe your accomplishments. While you should avoid sounding braggy, the reader is looking for information about what your qualifications are , and your accomplishments generally measure these qualities.
Even though you could probably go on for ages about the details of your accomplishments, save that for an interview. In a short bio, only include the most impressive of your achievements to outline.
Include contact information. The purpose of a short bio as either a business or a job seeker is to inspire the reader to reach out. Without contact information, this pursuit becomes futile. Make sure your short bio has some way to contact you at the end. You have a firm grasp of the structure of a short bio and what to include.
Now, you may need some tips for how to polish your short professional bio and make it stand out from the competition. Be mindful of length. Avoid this impulse. You want to intrigue the reader enough to inspire them to seek more information about you or your services. Tailor your bio to your intended audience.
Be genuine. Your short bio should be an authentic representation of your traits, experience, and personality. People are repelled by what they interpret as stretching the truth. Be realistic, and try not to exaggerate your skills. Being genuine in your representation of yourself and professional history will be more impressive than any embellishment you can craft. The only way to steer clear of errors in your short bio is by proofreading it.
Imagine a hiring manager being completely interested in your bio. They love what you have to say about yourself and find your prior experience enticing.
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