what to write in linkedin summary when looking for a job

Writing a LinkedIn summary is incredibly hard. Whether you're looking for a new job, sprucing upwardly your Linkedin profile later graduating, building your following on the platform, or seeking to appoint prospects, you'll face the following claiming: What should you put on your LinkedIn summary?

A recounting of your prior roles? A list of your accomplishments? Should you write it in first person? Or in tertiary?

Or should you forgo the difficulty of information technology all and apply the standard bio LinkedIn wrote up for y'all?

→ Download Now: 80 Professional Bio Examples [Free LinkedIn Summary Templates]

The answer to that question is no, but not to worry: You'll soon take an enviable and unique LinkedIn summary y'all'll be proud to publish.

In this blog post, we'll dig into what to include in your LinkedIn about section to make information technology stand out, as well every bit some examples to give you inspiration. Permit's get started.

LinkedIn Summary

The LinkedIn summary, as well referred to as the LinkedIn bio or LinkedIn about section, is a few paragraphs of text that appears right before a LinkedIn user's list of current and prior roles. LinkedIn gives a limit of up to two,000 words, but only the first three lines are visible before a visitor has to click 'See More.'

Whether you're a job seeker starting your search on LinkedIn or a tenured professional, your summary should speak to your skills, experience, and professional person interests — think of it equally your digital elevator pitch.

Hither's an example:

"I'm a sales rep dedicated to helping local Oklahoma City services businesses grow their customer base and decrease customer churn. I have half-dozen years of feel in local sales and I've consistently met and exceeded my quota throughout my career. Within the concluding year, I've topped our leaderboard six out of 10 months. On boilerplate, I close business 10% faster than my peers."

LinkedIn summaries are hard — especially for salespeople, marketers, and other professionals whose piece of work relies on networking. Yous're not targeting recruiters and hiring managers; you're appealing to potential buyers and clients. On top of finding an interesting and genuine way to describe your professional person groundwork, you must also come across as a subject field affair expert.

Regardless of your background, writing a good LinkedIn summary is incredibly of import.

Why a Skilful LinkedIn Summary is Important

Writing a LinkedIn summary may feel like an unnecessary step — particularly if you proceed your contour up to date. You might also encounter information technology as unnecessary if you don't spend a lot of fourth dimension on the platform or aren't looking for a job.

Just a skilful LinkedIn summary is crucial for career success. For salespeople, information technology tin be a handy tool for social selling; for other professionals, it could be the gateway to a new career opportunity.

Permit's become over the reasons you should virtually definitely write a LinkedIn summary.

You get to introduce yourself in your own words.

You no longer accept to let your latest function speak for you. A LinkedIn summary will let you to make a personable first impression and highlight your accomplishments and expertise in a succinct fashion. While your prior roles may exist notable, they're not the only things people should know about you.

You get to evidence your personality.

Add a little flair and humor, or keep it super professional. Either way, your LinkedIn summary volition give recruiters and other users a gustatory modality of what they can expect if they attain out to y'all. It can also help recruiters approximate culture fit and aid prospects and potential clients become a sense of whether they'd like to piece of work with you.

You tin can rank college in LinkedIn search results.

LinkedIn uses the almost section in its algorithm, as well equally your LinkedIn headline, electric current championship, and other factors. By writing a keyword-rich LinkedIn summary, you lot tin can become more visible to potential prospects and recruiters in search results. If you include keywords such every bit "content," "management," and "analysis" in your bio, you may attract more than views.

Ready to get started writing your LinkedIn summary?

How to Write a LinkedIn Summary

Create a quick outline prior to writing your about section.
Claw readers with a potent opener.
Tell the reader why you do what you do.
Speak to your industry expertise.
Telephone call out your specialties and skills.
Provide data to back up your results and show your expertise.
Mention if your team is currently hiring and invite people to utilise.
Highlight your professional interests.
Include a phone call-to-action with your contact data.
Tip: Intermission upwardly large blocks of text.

Recall of your LinkedIn summary as the objective section of your resume: In merely a few sentences, it should requite the reader a clear idea of who you are, what sets yous autonomously, and what yous're looking for from the viewer.

LinkedIn differs from a resume because resumes are usually shared in job applications or interviews, but someone can review your LinkedIn profile at whatsoever time. For that reason, you want to make sure the summary is more often than not targeted: You don't want to call out recruiters specifically, not unless you're looking for a new role.

ane. Create a quick outline prior to writing your About section.

While your LinkedIn profile isn't an academic essay, you should still outline the things you desire to say and the order in which y'all desire to say them.

The last affair your audience needs is long, rambling paragraphs with no clear progression from sentence to sentence.

Sticking to a predetermined structure volition help you communicate clearly and concisely.

Consider following a format similar to this:

Hook: A judgement that makes the reader want to keep reading. Remember: only the kickoff iii lines are visible when a user enters your contour. With a hook, you ensure they click 'Meet more than.'
Mission: Tell the reader why you lot practice what you do.
Expertise and Skills: Tell the reader what you lot're practiced at.
Accomplishments: Show the reader how your expertise delivered results in the by.
Telephone call to Action: Tell the reader what y'all want them to do after they're washed reading your summary.

If you're not certain how to become started, use our free professional bio templates, which y'all tin use to write your LinkedIn bio.

Featured Resource: Gratis Professional person Bio Templates

Employ HubSpot'due south free professional bio templates to write a standout LinkedIn summary for your profile.

two. Hook readers with a strong opener.

The goal of the first sentence of your LinkedIn summary is to become your audience to continue reading. That'southward why it's important to pique their interest early on and hogtie them to keep reading.

This tactic is called a hook.

You can hook readers with your LinkedIn summary by opening a loop that can only be closed with farther caption or making a claim so outlandish that it needs further justification.

Claw Example

"It took me more X sales demos to learn the secret nigh Y, only since so, something unexpected has happened."

three. Tell the reader why you do what you do.

People connect with stories and values more the straightforward "what you do.'' While the "what" is important, consider also including the "why."

Understand what has attracted you lot to your profession and what your mission is in your role. These will make your LinkedIn profile more emotionally resonant.

Mission Example

"I grew up on the Mississippi River and watched it go clearer over time equally manufacturing standards improved. Since then, I knew I wanted to spread the word nearly sustainability in business concern environments."

iv. Speak to your manufacture expertise.

Next, information technology's time to bolster your mission with your industry expertise. Depict your background and qualifications in two-to-three sentences.

For example, are you a salesperson using LinkedIn to connect with prospects? Your summary should speak to your expertise in your industry, and your interest in helping people achieve results. Maybe you're a client success manager using LinkedIn to connect with customers. Your summary should speak to your expertise in your industry and your availability for consulting.

Industry Expertise Example

"I have 7+ years of sales experience in both SDR and account manager roles."

5. Telephone call out your specialties and skills.

After highlighting your expertise, tell us what y'all focus on in i-2 sentences. For instance, if you're a digital marketer, do yous focus on SEO or social media?

If you recently graduated from college, did you study something specifically within your field?

Calling out your specialties is especially critical in sales. There are many types of sales jobs out there in a vast number of industries with an infinite number of heir-apparent personas and markets. Whether your goal is to entreatment to employers or prospects, be sure to call out the things you do well to attract the opportunities all-time aligned with your goals.

Specialties and Skills Example

"I'yard a mid-market sales executive with experience in direct sales and SAAS product demonstrations."

vi. Provide data to support your results and prove your expertise.

It'due south time to prove that y'all're actually an adept by sharing important information points. No need to requite prospective employers a laundry list of your accomplishments — that's what the section beneath is for — merely it can exist impactful to weave a few of your most impressive data points into your summary paragraph.

Proof Instance

"Over the by v years, I've made it into the President's Club three times and my closed-won business has seen less than ten% churn during the showtime 12 months."

vii. Mention if your squad is currently hiring and invite people to apply.

This is optional, but information technology will serve yous in several means. Offset, it will show that yous're a squad player, and second, information technology volition prove that you lot're committed to both your professional growth and your current company's growth.

It's a must-have if you're in the business of recruiting, as this tin serve as an excellent recruiting tool. For example, are you a team manager using LinkedIn to recruit for job openings? Your summary should speak to the fact that y'all take openings, the type of work you do, and why a candidate would desire to piece of work at your visitor.

Team is Hiring Example

"We're currently hiring account managers for our Pacific Northwest territory. The ideal candidate has five+ years of sales experience and a demonstrated familiarity with the region. We're a fast-growing team with no cap on commission. Click here to acquire more and use."

8. Highlight your professional interests.

Next, it's time to highlight your professional interests. What practise you assistance others practice? What's your goal in doing so? This is different from your skills in that it'due south not necessarily equally quantifiable or fact-driven. Considering these are your interests, you don't accept to provide data to show them.

Show that you're committed to pursuing them and be sure to audio passionate about them.

Professional Interests Instance

"I'm a sales motorcoach that's interested in assisting small teams (5-x people) optimize their time and workflows so businesses can grow without adding more headcount and reps tin advance their careers."

9. Include a call-to-action with your contact information.

Last but certainly non least, include a call-to-action and potentially share your contact data. Are y'all a freelance or contract worker hoping to observe more piece of work on LinkedIn? Your summary should cease with how to get in contact with you. If you desire to seal the deal, include a list of your most impressive clients.

CTA Example

"Reach me at electronic mail@accost.com or book time on my calendar here: [Calendar link]. Previous clients include [Your nearly impressive client], [Your 2d virtually impressive customer], and [Your third most impressive client]."

If you're not looking for more piece of work, you can also simply terminate with, "Feel free to message me — I'd beloved to chat."

ten. Tip: Break upwardly big blocks of text.

If you lot find your summary is on the longer side (which isn't a problem every bit long every bit information technology's compelling), endeavor breaking up large blocks of text to make it easier to read. When initially viewing a profile, many people are scanning for loftier-level context. If you are posting long paragraphs, some of your notable highlights can get lost.

Attempt keeping your text blocks to two or three sentences max, making your summary easier to read and digest.

What to Put in a LinkedIn Summary

Depending on the goal of your LinkedIn profile, your LinkedIn summary should include 3-v sentences that describe: your years of experience in your industry, your surface area of expertise, the types of organizations you've worked with, your skills, and what y'all're most known for professionally. Remember of your LinkedIn summary every bit your digital elevator pitch to tell people the most important things they need to know almost your career in under xxx seconds.

Your LinkedIn summary should sum up your biggest value propositions for the result you're hoping to accomplish. The summary is one of the first things people read when they land on your profile, then write a paragraph that succinctly and convincingly tells the reader why they should keep scrolling. Additionally, close your summary with a phone call-to-action, such every bit how to contact you.

Now, let's discuss what to avoid when crafting your LinkedIn summary.

What (Not) to Put in a LinkedIn Summary

Cheesy or Platitude Terminology

Your profile should be gratuitous of terms such equally "guru" or "master." These terms are highly subjective, and don't speak to your actual skills or abilities. Instead of trying to exist a self-proclaimed "guru," share a tangible piece of work you've done that demonstrates your expertise, or describe a specific initiative where your work drove business organization results.

Your Resume

Avoid copying and pasting points from your resume to your LinkedIn summary. Not only is it redundant because your work history should be up-to-date on your contour, but recruiters and potential connections are looking for a brief introduction to who you are, non a regurgitation of your resume.

Spelling or Grammatical Errors

We're all human being, and spelling mistakes happen. Earlier publishing your profile, make sure you review information technology a few times to catch any misspellings or grammatical errors. Having typos on your contour can challenge your credibility, and can exist a distraction from your positive attributes.

Your Full Life Story

LinkedIn summaries are non the place to publish your autobiography (though I'm sure your autobiography is lovely). If users are scanning your profile looking for relevant information pertaining to a role or opportunity, yous want those points to exist front and eye.

When you update your LinkedIn summary, aim to include information that's relevant to the jobs and opportunities you're open up to, and continue things clear and concise.

LinkedIn Summary Examples

If y'all need some inspiration, good news. These LinkedIn summary examples will assistance y'all find the right words.

1. Demonstrate your passion.

This sales professional draws potential customers in by describing his enthusiasm for "building thriving organizations in the teaching ecosystem" — a goal he probably cares highly about, too.

His adjacent line tells prospects he's interested in learning their needs, not just selling them. Then he establishes his expertise.

Effort it yourself: Describe the most rewarding aspect of your job, whether that's helping small businesses go mobile or making corporations more efficient. Next, highlight why you're qualified. How many people or companies have you worked with? What are their average results? Which high-level issues are you well-equipped to solve?

two. Speak to your prospect's hurting.

When actively connecting with prospects on LinkedIn, speak direct to them with your Linkedin profile simply do so in a fashion that says you sympathise their struggles.

In essence, position yourself as a solution provider rather than a product seller.

This digital marketing and sales skillful does this well for his marketing agency by calling out the trouble. He does this before introducing himself or his solution.

Try it yourself: Write a whole introductory paragraph appealing to your customer's pains and emotions without mentioning yourself. You can offer a piece of advice or ask a question.

3. Evidence some personality.

This HubSpot inbound marketing specialist shows his personality in his summary. The detail about his previous life as a standup comedian is intriguing, and the line about "realizing his children didn't like starving" is funny and relatable.

Sally gets more serious in the 2d section, highlighting his impressive runway record at HubSpot.

Attempt it yourself: Begin your summary with an unexpected, interesting fact about yourself. In your next paragraph, tie information technology into your sales career.

For example, you might write, "I was the third runner-up of the National Spelling Bee in 1997. (Y'all amend believe the spelling of 'euonym' is at present etched into my retention.) These days, I use my innate desire to learn to assistance customers."

4. Indicate they're in the right identify.

By calling out the audience you're targeting, you tin can get them to self-place with your bulletin. Specifying who you lot're talking to indicates to the audition that they're in the right place.

This sales consultant and career coach does this in her first sentence when she says, "[I] dear being an early phase employee at fast growing and innovative companies where I can brand an bear upon."

Try it yourself: Identify your buyer persona and so include a clarification of them in your summary.

5. Make yourself seem approachable.

Although it might be a bit untraditional to mention your personal hobbies on your LinkedIn profile, it's a good manner to brand yourself more human off the bat. A prospect reading this summary might think, "Oh, I also love to travel." They'll immediately feel more connected to you lot.

Try it yourself: List a few of the things yous like to exercise in your complimentary fourth dimension (steering clear of anything controversial, of class). So explicate why you chose your current role and how your customers derive value.

6. Tell a story.

It's worth re-mentioning that stories resonate with people. While your LinkedIn profile includes where you've worked and the skills you accept, your summary is prime real manor for revealing the real you backside your job history.

This leader in the B2B sales and marketing space does this by sharing her difficulty being a Blackness woman in sales. Being told this brusque story about her, we become to know her mission and values as a professional.

Try information technology yourself: Be vulnerable. Isolate a single moment that encapsulates you as a professional person or embodies your values. So briefly write it as if you were telling this story verbally.

7. Engage prospects.

This business relationship executive opens with his mission: Enabling businesses to become more personable using video. His next two sentences assist y'all become to know him on a personal level.

The summary is short enough that readers are guaranteed to terminate it — but he makes every line count. He makes you lot interested in learning more almost him.

Endeavour information technology yourself: In the simplest words possible, state how your visitor makes its customers' lives easier, better, more than enjoyable, etc. Then reveal something almost your background ("I was born in Spain and raised in Texas," "I've lived in Chicago my entire life," "My hometown boasts the largest Beanie Babies museum in the world") and end with "Always," "Constantly," or "Oft" followed by your favorite thing to practice ("Always reading," "Constantly cracking dad jokes," "Frequently juggling.").

8. Intrigue your readers.

This LinkedIn user uses the same formula equally the previous — simply in reverse. He begins with his former jobs, which immediately tells you he'south (already) had an interesting career. He then tells you what he's currently upwards to.

Try information technology yourself: List your former jobs. If you've always been in sales, get artistic. Did you lot ever have a lemonade stand as a child? Were you a military camp advisor as a teenager? What was your college gig?

For example, yous might write, "Ex-lemonade stand CEO, CMO, and COO; ex-juggler; ex-higher tour guide. Currently helping prospective homeowners in Arizona discover their adjacent dream identify to live. (And notwithstanding juggling when asked nicely.)"

9. Give a 360-degree view of y'all, your role, and your company.

This LinkedIn summary showcases the user'due south passion and enthusiasm for the role. She highlights her chief responsibilities and values, tells the reader why she's proud to work at The Muse and what sets the business organization apart, and lists some fun facts most herself.

Try it yourself: Explain why you're so fired up most coming into piece of work each day. What excites you? Why do you lot beloved your visitor? What makes your production, culture, and/or team different from your competitors? Conclude with four or five personal tidbits about yourself.

x. Win firsthand credibility.

This user earns instant credibility with her LinkedIn summary.

She starts with a bold argument: "I similar to solve problems." She proves it with multiple examples from her career, and so spotlights her specialties. Finally, she describes a few of her interests.

Try information technology yourself: Use a short, impactful one-liner to highlight why y'all're successful or what y'all're best at. Requite two to four examples of how this skill or desire has manifested itself throughout your life. Discuss your areas of expertise, and then wrap information technology upwards with your favorite topics of word.

eleven. Share your passion.

This Boise-based consultant and business owner displays her sources of expertise. She concisely shares what inspired her work, and gives potential clients a preview of the benefits they tin expect from working with her.

Try information technology yourself: Practice you take an origin story related to your career path? Share a cursory description of what has inspired your piece of work, and what makes you want to do the work you do.

12. Speak directly to who you lot desire to serve.

For consultants, business organisation owners, and sales reps, speaking directly to who you lot want to serve in your LinkedIn summary is a smart approach to take. This career strategist and author does this masterfully in the start few sentences of her LinkedIn summary. By immediately calling in who she aims to serve, she can hook the correct readers, increasing her chances of connecting with the correct people.

Try it yourself: In the first few sentences of your summary, try writing a hook that would appeal to your ideal customer or client and go along their attention.

13. Highlight your wins.

Accept yous received any notable awards, or had heady features highlighting your piece of work? Include them in your summary to build brownie. This Senior Business organization Development Manager shares relevant awards and accolades in her LinkedIn summary to provide valuable context around her skills and abilities.

Try it yourself: Highlight accolades and wins specifically related to roles yous would like to exist considered for.

LinkedIn Summary Template

Below is a basic template you lot can use to customize with your own details for a succinct and constructive LinkedIn summary. Make sure to add personal details to make it memorable for readers:

LinkedIn Summary Sample Templates

Stand Out with an Exceptional LinkedIn Summary

With these LinkedIn summaries to draw on, you should have plenty of ideas and inspiration for your own description. Make information technology personal, unique, and engaging — and prospects and potential employers volition feel like they know yous already.

Editor'southward notation: This post was originally published in August 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Jul 16, 2021 1:15:00 PM, updated August 25 2021