About LinkedIn’s All-Important “About” Section

This is your chance to shine, tell your story, reel off your greatest hits, be a name dropper, showcase your unique talents and skills.

The LinkedIn About (or summary) section gives you 2,600 characters, roughly 350-400 words, to engage, inform and wow your audience. So take every advantage of it!

I suggest writing it in a first-person narrative format (see example further on). It establishes a human connection with your reader, makes you more approachable.

Top-load the section with any well-known companies you worked for; your most impressive achievements; honors, awards and special recognition you received; notable schools you studied at; degrees you earned. Put them in order of prominence, not chronologically.

I call it the Harvard effect. If someone reveals to you right off they went to Harvard, everything they say after that will carry more weight.

While maybe not as impressive, we all have a Harvard-like boast or two that will add a positive sheen to the rest of our profile. So put it right up front.

And yes, I said boast. Your profile is one place where humility can take a backseat. If you did something outstanding, rightly take credit for it.

Recruiters, employers and prospective clients aren’t looking for timid, self-effacing people, but proud and confident achievers. If you don’t toot your own horn a bit, the person who ultimately gets that plum job probably did.

Yet inexplicably, the vast majority of LinkedIn users leave their About section blank, grossly incomplete or hopelessly dull.

Many merely snip passages from their resumes, filled with non-specifics like:

"Skilled, forward-thinking professional with proven track record is a team player and problem solver. Adept at analyzing problems, developing and simplifying procedures and creating innovative solutions. Reliable and friendly."

That’s all this guy wrote—226 characters out of thousands available.

Now, to be fair, this wouldn’t be that bad if tens of millions of other LinkedIn users weren’t, believe me, saying the same thing. Making the same unsupported claims.

If anyone with a vested interest in viewing your profile knows: you are not something simply because you say you are.

Show me the money. Where’s the evidence? What problems did you solve? What procedures did you simplify? What innovative solutions did you create? Be specific.

As importantly, who are you? How did you get to where you are? What is your approach to your work, your career, your life? Again, specifics please.

Here’s the profile of a woman in sales with a compelling story to tell, that ultimately landed her a position she loves:

"When you're selling product to Schlumberger, Northrop Grumman, Pride International, and other industry leaders, you better know what you're doing.

More than that, you better excel at building relationships, provide unswerving customer service, work your tail off, be willing to travel, and, equally important, be likable!

Fortunately, I've been able to cultivate all of those qualities. And it didn't happen by luck. Or overnight.

I got my baptism by fire right out of school, joining Advance Steel Supply, where I virtually single-handedly oversaw customer service, sales, purchasing, inventory control, receivables, payables, payroll, staff training…an extraordinary educational foundation on which I built a successful career in sales.

'Anne’s greatest asset…is Anne herself,' wrote my CEO. 'Her personality is a boost to any business. Customers love dealing with her.'

My extra-mile work ethic is ingrained. Family need demanded I work 32 hours a week while attending high school. I persevered. And still found time to work with athletes in the Special Olympics. They inspired me. If they didn't shrink from a challenge, no matter how daunting, how could I?

While forging my career, I grabbed every opportunity to expand my business acumen, including night school, professional development programs, technical courses. If it helped boost my contributions to my employer, and advance my career, I was in.

The last few years I've plied my talents successfully to my own business, in the investment, refurbishment and sale of real estate.

Now, ready to reenter the corporate world, I seek a position that can fully benefit from my skills, experience and drive. And yes, I will travel."

People love to be told a story. We are so much more than a bunch of resume bullet points. The above summary puts a human face on Anne, helps you learn some interesting things about her, makes her more accessible, believable, hirable.

You also have a story to tell. Let the world hear it!

If you have friends or colleagues whose profiles are in need of a makeover, pass along the link to this newsletter so they can benefit, too.

? 2024 Jerry McTigue

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Based on the book Business Blather: Stop Using Words That Sound Good But Say Nothing! Available on amazon in both print and Kindle editions.