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Did you know that LinkedIn profiles with well-crafted “About” sections receive up to 40% more views? This isn't just another part of your profile, it's your professional pitch to the world. Your narrative helps differentiate you from others in your field, highlighting your unique skills, passions, and career path. Use this section to engage readers and give context to your career choices, making your profile stand out to potential employers, collaborators, and STLs.
Purpose and benefits of the "About" section
In essence, the purpose of the "About" section is to introduce yourself to the LinkedIn community in a way that is engaging, reflective of your professional identity, and meaningful to your career objectives. It’s about finding the right balance that suits your personal style and professional goals.
Personal branding
Engagement
This section is your chance to present a cohesive narrative that reflects your professional identity and personal brand. It allows you to highlight what sets you apart from others in your field to increase your visibility and appeal to specific industries or roles.
This clear articulation of your brand can attract more relevant opportunities and lead to a stronger network alignment.
A compelling story can engage readers; potential employers, recruiters, or networking contacts more effectively than a simple list of achievements. It invites readers to connect with you on a more personal level, understanding your motivations, values, and career aspirations to spark an interest that leads to deeper interactions, such as messages, connections, or job offers.
Contextualizing your career
Showcasing your value
Use this space to connect the dots between various stages of your professional journey, explaining transitions, key achievements, and how your experiences have shaped your current career path and future goals.
This helps others understand the trajectory of your career and the strategic moves you’ve made. This understanding can enhance your credibility and showcase your growth mindset, which is appealing to future employers or collaborators.
Beyond listing skills or job titles, the "About" section should articulate the unique value you bring to your profession or industry. This might include your approach to problem-solving, how you've driven success in past roles, or your vision for your career.
By focusing on how you've driven success in your roles or contributed uniquely to projects, you differentiate yourself from others. This clarity in your professional contributions helps potential employers see the specific benefits you can bring to their teams.
Crafting your story
Start with a hook
Begin with something memorable, but interesting fact about your career passion, a notable achievement, or your professional philosophy. A good hook could be a unique insight from your career, such as discovering your passion for cybersecurity during a university challenge.
I discovered my passion for cybersecurity during a university challenge that required us to solve real-world hacking scenarios.
Be authentic
Share real experiences that showcase your values and personality
Pro tip
Authentic stories build trust and make your profile more engaging and relatable.
Highlight key achievements
Illustrate your capabilities and impact without turning it into a resume. Contextualize these within the larger narrative of your career goals and aspirations.
Led a team to develop a new cybersecurity protocol that reduced security breaches by 40%
Focus on readability
Despite being a narrative, keep it concise and easy to read. Use short paragraphs and bullet points if necessary to avoid large blocks.
Passionate about innovative technology solutions
Proven track record in project management
Dedicated to continuous learning and improvement
End with a call to action (CTA)
Conclude by encouraging readers to connect with you, whether they're potential employers, colleagues, or industry peers. This can be a simple invitation to reach out for networking opportunities or to discuss potential collaborations.
Feel free to reach out to discuss how we can collaborate or to explore networking opportunities.
Why the variance in approaches?
Upon reviewing others' LinkedIn profiles, you might notice a range of styles in the "About" section, from highly narrative and personal stories to more straightforward, summary-style write-ups.
This variance exists because the most effective approach depends on one’s industry, career stage, and personal brand strategy. Some professionals may find a narrative style allows them to stand out and connect on a personal level, while others prefer a more formal summary that highlights their professional qualifications and achievements directly.
Tech Professional
A tech-savvy narrative with technical milestones might resonate.
Developed an app that solved XYZ problem, resulting in a 50% reduction in customer complaints.
Healthcare Professional
Focus on empathetic and impactful storytelling.
Led a patient care initiative that improved patient recovery times by 20%, enhancing patient experiences significantly.
Dos and Don’ts for crafting your LinkedIn “About” section
✅ Dos
❌ Dont’s
✅ Start with a captivating hook that grabs attention, like an intriguing fact or a bold statement.
❌ Start with overly generic or cliché statements that don't grab attention.
✅ Showcase your personality and professional identity to create a personal connection.
❌ Write in a tone that feels impersonal or too formal, like a resume.
✅ Use specific examples that highlight your achievements and the impact of your work.
❌ List every job or responsibility without explaining the significance or outcomes.
✅ Tailor the content to your industry, using terms and metrics that resonate with peers and recruiters.
❌ Include jargon or technical terms without explanations, making it hard for non-specialists to understand.
✅ Keep it concise and easy to read, using short paragraphs and bullet points.
❌ Write lengthy paragraphs that make the text difficult to digest.
✅ End with a clear call to action, inviting connections or discussions around shared professional interests.
❌ Leave readers without a next step or reason to connect with you.
Identify and clearly articulate your unique selling points (USPs). What makes you stand out? This could be specialized skills, unique experiences, or notable insights.
Employ storytelling to weave your professional experiences into a cohesive narrative that highlights pivotal moments and decisions, reflecting on how they've shaped your current objectives and future goals.
Where possible, quantify your achievements to provide tangible evidence of your capabilities and the impact you've made in your roles.
Write in the first person, sharing genuine insights into your professional journey. This not only makes your profile relatable but also encourages others to reach out.
Use industry-relevant keywords throughout your narrative to enhance your visibility in search results.
Regularly revisit your “About” section to reflect any new achievements, insights, or changes in your career direction. This not only helps you maintain accuracy but also demonstrates your proactive approach to career development. Aim to update your profile at least once every six months or after any significant career development like a new role, project, or professional certification.
👋 Hi, I'm [Your Bane]! I’m [an aspiring Data Scientist] with a passion for [leveraging data] to [drive strategic business decisions]. My journey has equipped me with [a strong analytical mindset, technical skills, and a keen eye for detail].
🌍 Background and Experience [PLACEHOLDER TEXT]
I've developed my skills through academic training and practical experience, including:
A [mention degree, if applicable], with a focus on [data science and analytics].
A [Data Science certificate] from Turing College, where I gained proficiency in [data tools and techniques].
🛠️ Technical Toolkit [PLACEHOLDER TEXT]
[Programming languages: Python (including statistical modeling with Sklearn and StatsModels)]
[Database management: Proficient in SQL]
[Visualization and reporting tools: Advanced proficiency in Tableau and Matplotlib]
[Key skills: Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Data Visualization]
✅ Key Achievements [PLACEHOLDER TEXT]
[Academic projects: (Add here the name of courses or programs if applicable): Describe a significant project you completed as part of your studies. For example, if you analyzed a dataset to solve a specific business problem, detail the tools you used (like Python, SQL, Tableau), the analysis techniques employed, and the insights or recommendations you provided. Mention any praise or recognition you received for your work.]
[Capstone project at Turing College (or another relevant course/project): Outline a project where you developed a model or analysis that had practical applications, such as predicting financial trends or market behavior. Specify the technologies you utilized, the objectives of the project, the process of your analysis, and the impact or results of your findings.]
[Leadership or initiative in a club or society: If you held a significant role in a university club, or led a major initiative that had quantifiable outcomes, describe your role, the actions you took, and the outcomes. For instance, if you organized events, workshops, or campaigns that improved member engagement or achieved specific goals, these are noteworthy achievements.]
[Volunteering achievements: If applicable, include any notable contributions to volunteer projects, especially those where you used your analytical skills. Describe the project, your role, and any specific outcomes or improvements that resulted from your involvement.]
🎯 Career Goals [PLACEHOLDER TEXT]
I am seeking opportunities to leverage my [data science and analytics] skills in roles such as [Data Scientist and Machine Learning Engineer]. I aim to [help organizations understand data-driven insights and drive strategic growth].
🔗 View My Work [PLACEHOLDER TEXT]
💼 GitHub:[add link here]
📬 Let's Connect! [PLACEHOLDER TEXT]
I am eager to join a [forward-thinking team] to [contribute to data-driven decisions and strategic business growth]. Feel free to email me at 📧 EMAIL@email.com to discuss potential opportunities or collaborations.
LinkedIn text formatter - This tool allows you to format LinkedIn text with bold letters, italics, and other styles to make your profile stand out.
Emojipedia - Using emojis can make your LinkedIn profile more engaging and visually appealing.
LinkedIn Headline Generator - Generate compelling headlines that can grab attention and succinctly summarize your professional brand.
Use formatting and emojis with caution
While using these tools can enhance your profile and make your text easier to digest, it’s important not to overdo it. Excessive formatting or emoji use can make your profile look cluttered and unprofessional, standing out in the wrong way. Aim for a balanced approach that enhances readability and leaves a memorable, positive impression.