writing a personal statement for linkedin

17 Best LinkedIn Summary & Bio Examples [+ How to Write Your Own]

Published: November 30, 2023

Writing a LinkedIn summary is one of those tasks that sounds easy until you try to do it. Should you recount your prior roles? List your accomplishments? Should it be written in first person? Or in third?

Or, should you forge ahead using the cookie-cutter bio LinkedIn wrote for you? (The answer to that question is no, but not to worry: You’ll soon have a LinkedIn summary you’ll be proud to publish.)

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

Table of Contents

What is a LinkedIn summary?

Why a Good LinkedIn Summary is Important

How to write a linkedin summary, what (not) to put in a linkedin summary, linkedin summary examples.

LinkedIn Summary Template

LinkedIn Summary

The LinkedIn summary, also 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 2,000 words, but only the first three lines are visible before a visitor has to click ‘See More.’

If you're a marketing or sales professional like myself, writing a LinkedIn summary is especially hard. You're not targeting recruiters and hiring managers; you're appealing to potential clients and buyers. To catch their attention, you need to be a little more flashy with your expertise.

When I first crafted my summary almost a decade ago, I simply regurgitated key points in my background — I went to [X] college, then joined [X] company, and so on. Looking back, I was missing a clear narrative pulling it all together.

I also realized that potential clients aren’t just looking for someone with a shiny, perfect track record; they’re looking for a bigger story, a solution to their problem, and a relationship they can trust.

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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 interests — think of it as your digital elevator pitch .

Writing a LinkedIn summary may feel like an unnecessary step — especially if you keep your profile up to date. You might also see it as unnecessary if you don’t spend a lot of time on the platform or aren’t looking for a job.

But, from my experience, a good LinkedIn summary is crucial for career success. For salespeople, it can be a handy tool for social selling ; for other professionals, it could be the gateway to a new career opportunity.

Let’s go over the reasons you should most definitely write a LinkedIn summary.

1. You get to introduce yourself in your own words.

While your prior roles may be notable, they’re not the only things people should know about you. A LinkedIn summary will allow you to make a personable first impression and highlight your accomplishments and expertise in a succinct way.

2. You get to show your personality.

I love LinkedIn summaries that aren't afraid to show some personality. They tend to be more "sticky," staying in mind long after I close LinkedIn.

Consider adding a little flair and humor, or keep it super professional. Either way, your LinkedIn summary will give recruiters and other users a taste of what they can expect if they reach out to you. It can also help recruiters gauge culture fit and help prospects and potential clients get a sense of whether they’d like to work with you.

Need more help building a LinkedIn profile that showcases everything you have to offer? This tutorial can help.

3. You can rank higher in LinkedIn search results.

LinkedIn uses the about section in its algorithm, as well as your LinkedIn headline , current title, and other factors. By writing a keyword-rich LinkedIn summary, you can become more visible to potential prospects and recruiters in search results. If you include keywords such as “content,” “management,” and “analysis” in your bio, you may attract more views.

Ready to get started writing your LinkedIn summary?

• Create a quick outline prior to writing your about section.
• Hook readers with a strong opener.
• Tell the reader why you do what you do.
• Speak to your industry expertise.
• Call out your specialties and skills.
• Provide data to back up your results and prove your expertise.
• Mention if your team is currently hiring and invite people to apply.
• Highlight your professional interests.
• Include a call-to-action with your contact information.
• Tip: Break up large blocks of text.

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

While you do get 2,000 characters of space for your LinkedIn summary, the last thing your audience needs is long, rambling paragraphs with no clear progression from sentence to sentence.

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

Consider following a format similar to this:

• Hook : A sentence that makes the reader want to keep reading. Remember: only the first 3 lines are visible when a user enters your profile. With a hook, you ensure they click ‘See more.’
• Mission : Tell the reader why you do what you do.
• Expertise and Skills : Tell the reader what you’re good at.
• Accomplishments: Show the reader how your expertise delivered results in the past.
• Call to Action : Tell the reader what you want them to do after they’re done reading your summary.

Also keep in mind that people tend to scan, not read. I recommend keeping your sentences short and concise, and consider breaking longer paragraphs into bullet points. 

If you’re not sure how to get started, use our free professional bio templates, which you can use to write your LinkedIn bio.

Featured Resource: Free Professional Bio Templates

Use HubSpot's free professional bio templates to write a standout LinkedIn summary for your profile.

2. Hook readers with a strong opener.

When I think of a good hook, it's something that disrupts you. Not annoys you, or frustrates you. But it makes you stop in your tracks, jolting you out of routine.

A good example is from Ryan Gunn , Director of Demand Gen at Aptitude 8 (and my go-to resource for all things CRM solutions). If you aren't familiar with Gunn, his summary does a fantastic job of grabbing your attention:

I like how he hooks us by describing a common problem — leading readers to think, "Yeah, this guy gets it ." It also sets the stage for Gunn to introduce himself as a solution, conveying himself as a passionate problem-solver and master of the HubSpot platform.

Ultimately, the goal of the first sentence of your LinkedIn summary is to get your audience to continue reading, and Gunn does this well.

There are many ways to hook readers with your LinkedIn summary. For instance, you can open a loop that can only be closed with further explanation or make a claim so outlandish that it needs further justification.

Hook Example

"It took me more than X sales demos to learn the secret about Y, but since then, something unexpected has happened."

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

In my experience, people connect with stories and values more than the straightforward "what you do.'' While the "what" is important, consider also including the "why."

Understand what has attracted you 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 get clearer over time as manufacturing standards improved. Since then, I knew I wanted to spread the word about sustainability in business environments."

4. Speak to your industry expertise.

Next, it’s time to bolster your mission with your industry expertise. Describe 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 customer 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. Call out your specialties and skills.

After highlighting your expertise, tell us what you focus on in 1-2 sentences. For instance, if you’re a digital marketer, do you 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 buyer personas and markets. Whether your goal is to appeal to employers or prospects, be sure to call out the things you do well to attract the opportunities best aligned with your goals.

Specialties and Skills Example

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

6. Provide data to back up your results and prove your expertise.

It’s time to prove that you’re actually an expert by sharing important data points. No need to give prospective employers a laundry list of your accomplishments — that's what the section below is for — but it can be impactful to weave a few of your most impressive data points into your summary paragraph.

Proof Example

"Over the past five years, I've made it into the President's Club three times and my closed-won business has seen less than 10% churn during the first 12 months."

7. Mention if your team is currently hiring and invite people to apply.

This is optional, but it will serve you in several ways. First, it will show that you’re a team player, and second, it will show that you’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 can 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 you have openings, the type of work you do, and why a candidate would want to work at your company.

Team is Hiring Example

"We're currently hiring account managers for our Pacific Northwest territory. The ideal candidate has 5+ 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 learn more and apply."

8. Highlight your professional interests.

Next, it’s time to highlight your professional interests. What do you help others do? What’s your goal in doing so? This is different from your skills in that it’s not necessarily as quantifiable or fact-driven. Because these are your interests, you don’t have to provide data to prove them.

Show that you’re committed to pursuing them and be sure to sound passionate about them.

Professional Interests Example

“I'm a sales coach that’s interested in assisting small teams (five-10 people) optimize their time and workflows so businesses can grow without adding more headcount and reps can advance their careers.”

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

Last but certainly not least, include a call-to-action and potentially share your contact information. Are you a freelance or contract worker hoping to find more work on LinkedIn? Your summary should end with how to get in contact with you. If you want to seal the deal, include a list of your most impressive clients.

CTA Example

"Reach me at [email protected] or book time on my calendar here: [Calendar link]. Previous clients include [Your most impressive client], [Your second most impressive client], and [Your third most impressive client]."

If you’re not looking for more work, you can also simply end with, “Feel free to message me — I’d love to chat.”

10. Tip: Break up large blocks of text.

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

Try 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 3-5 sentences that describe: your years of experience in your industry, your area of expertise, the types of organizations you've worked with, your skills, and what you're most known for professionally.

Think of your LinkedIn summary as your digital elevator pitch: In just a few sentences, it should give the reader a clear idea of who you are, what sets you apart, and what you're looking for from the viewer.

Here’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 6 years of experience in local sales and I've consistently met and exceeded my quota throughout my career. Within the last year, I've topped our leaderboard six out of 10 months. On average, I close business 10% faster than my peers."

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

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 profile, but recruiters and potential connections are looking for a brief introduction to who you are, not a regurgitation of your resume.

Cheesy or Cliché Terminology

Your profile should be free of terms such as "guru" or "master." These terms are highly subjective, and don’t speak to your actual skills or abilities. Instead of trying to be 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 results.

Spelling or Grammatical Errors

We’re all human, and spelling mistakes happen. Before publishing your profile, make sure you review it a few times to catch any misspellings or grammatical errors. Having typos on your profile can challenge your credibility, and can be a distraction from your positive attributes.

Your Full Life Story

LinkedIn summaries are not 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, you want those points to be front and center.

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

LinkedIn Summary Templates

Below are several templates you can use to customize with your own details for a succinct and effective LinkedIn summary. Make sure to add personal details to make it memorable for readers.

Feel free to download the entire kit of LinkedIn bio templates first, then follow along as I review a selection of my favorites.

Free Download: LinkedIn Summary Sample Templates

1. friendly linkedin summary template.

Download and customize the full version of this LinkedIn bio for free .

With its friendly greeting (feel free to drop the emoji if it doesn’t fit your personality or industry), this LinkedIn bio template right away captures the reader’s attention, showcases your enthusiasm and expertise, and establishes a personal connection.

When I was filling it out, I highlighted my role as a marketing manager at HubSpot and emphasized a specific accomplishment: preventing millions of organic traffic losses on maturing blog posts.

You can do the same — I recommend focusing on your most salient accomplishment, or the accomplishment that encapsulates what you’d like to do in a future role. That way, you attract connections who could help you live up to your career aspirations.

2. Recent Graduate LinkedIn Summary Template

Out of most LinkedIn users, recent graduates need a bio the most. Since graduates don’t have a lot of experience, they must communicate their skills and experiences in another way.

This LinkedIn bio template is a great example for recent graduates to follow. It effectively introduces someone who is seeking an entry-level role in the tech industry (which you can customize).

It also gives you space to provide essential information about your educational background. By mentioning specific courses, for instance, you can demonstrate your passion for a topic or an industry even if you haven’t secured an internship yet.

This template allows you to easily position yourself as a well-rounded candidate who brings a unique blend of skills to the table. Customizing the bio with additional details about your specific interests, projects, or internships will make it even more impactful and tailored to your desired role.

3. Sales LinkedIn Summary Template

I’m not a salesperson, so when I was customizing this LinkedIn bio template, I used my content marketing role at HubSpot to fill in the blanks. But I can see this being a great template for a salesperson.

Why? Because it effectively positions you as a valuable resource who’s committed to customers’ success and emphasizes your dedication to helping people do something (for me, it’s helping them learn more about marketing and sales). For a salesperson promoting a product, that could be any number of things: Drive leads, improve a process, or streamline operations using the product they sell.

The full version of this bio template includes space for a call-to-action, prompting readers to shoot you a message.

You can also customize it with additional details about your specific sales experience and achievements, showcasing your ability to drive results for clients and positioning you as a knowledgeable and customer-focused sales rep.

4. Job-Seeker LinkedIn Summary Template

If you’re a job-seeker, it’s essential to optimize your LinkedIn bio with keywords. That way, recruiters and companies can find you via LinkedIn search.

This bio template is perfect for that. It effectively conveys the experience and expertise you’ve built during your career, but also gives you space for keyword optimization (I used “SEO content marketing,” “content SEO,” and “SEO content writer”).

It mentions right away that you’re actively searching for your next role — a piece of information you shouldn’t feel shy to share. The most important part? The template gives you space to describe the results you’ve achieved for previous employers. That creates a clear professional identity, showcases your abilities, and increases your chances of securing relevant job opportunities.

5. Catchy LinkedIn Summary Template

This LinkedIn bio template right away highlights the individual's roles as an educator, blogger, and SEO, but you can also be humorous with that first line. For instance, you might write:

I’m a self-proclaimed foodie. I’m a so-so weight-lifter. But most importantly, I’m a marketer at HubSpot, where I drive hundreds of monthly leads and sign-ups via content optimization.

If you want to showcase your expertise in a catchy way, this template is the way to go. Despite being so short, the bio effectively positions you as an authoritative figure in the industry. It also provides a space to include a link to your personal website or another social media profile, allowing interested readers to learn more about you and your work.

6. Simple LinkedIn Summary Template

I love this LinkedIn bio template because it’s simple and to-the-point, yet it showcases my (and your, if you end up using it) career trajectory and notable accomplishments. You can easily establish your credibility and expertise across different organizations with that second paragraph.

Plus, the bio's focus on specific outcomes — I put information about gaining backlinks, driving organic visits, and achieving high search engine rankings — allows you to underscore your ability to drive tangible results for a business.

I recommend using this template to showcase your track record of success. By sharing specific achievements and mentioning the companies you’ve worked with, you can right away create a sense of trust and expertise, which is essential for a LinkedIn summary.

If you need some inspiration, good news. These LinkedIn summary examples will help you find the right words.

1. This salesperson effectively demonstrates his passions and top competencies in the field.

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

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

Our Favorite Lines

• “I have leveraged technology and innovative pedagogy to improve literacy in K-12 education.” Why we love it: This line shows his experience in the field without fluff or unneeded material.
• “This marriage allows us to curate the largest library of audio and video for education in the world, deepening impact for learners globally.” Why we love it: We leave the bio with a deeper of understanding the product he sells and its potential benefits.

Why This Summary Works

This LinkedIn user effectively but succinctly cites a personal experience to show his reasons for supporting others who are going through the challenges he’s gone through. He also shows the breadth of his expertise and research by building upon why his product is needed in the industry.

Try 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 problems are you well-equipped to solve?

2. This digital marketing expert speaks to his prospect's pain and showcases his strong copywriting skills.

When actively connecting with prospects on LinkedIn, speak directly to them with your LinkedIn profile, but do so in a way that says you understand their struggles.

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

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

• “If you're tired of wasting money on digital marketing only to end up frustrated with little to no results, perhaps I and my team can help.” Why we love it: This is a strong opener that’s bound to get qualified leads’ attention.
• “My team and I help growth-driven service providers, entrepreneurs, and experts add their next $1M-$10M/yr in revenue predictably and profitably.” Why we love it: Not only does this line directly identify who prospects are, but also speaks to who they want to become (“successful,” “add their next $1-$10M/yr in revenue”).

This summary effectively hooks readers, walks them through whom the LinkedIn profile owner is, and shows them how they can benefit from reaching out to the bio owner. The writer effectively shows the ROI of working with his firm while showcasing his copywriting skills.

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. This HubSpot employee uses humor to show his fun 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 second section, highlighting his impressive track record at HubSpot.

• “Spent 8 years pursuing a career in stand up comedy, appearing on Comedy Central and in the Boston Comedy Festival, before realizing my children liked seeing their father and not starving.” Why we love it: Maybe he should have stayed in standup, because this is a hilarious opening line. It’s guaranteed to get a chuckle from the reader and keep them engaged.
• “10+ years experience in SaaS Sales with an average of over 125% of goal in my 10+ years at HubSpot.” Why we love it: With this line, the writer effectively demonstrates that he can use humor when needed but also get to business.

This short but hilarious summary showcases the writer’s personality and top accomplishments without winding on for a long while. It exemplifies what a LinkedIn bio should achieve and how to do it using the minimum amount of words.

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

For example, you might write, "I was the third runner-up of the National Spelling Bee in 1997. (You better believe the spelling of ‘euonym' is now etched into my memory.) These days, I use my innate desire to learn to help customers."

4. This career consultant indicates to prospects that they’re in the right place.

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

This sales consultant and career coach does this in her first sentence when she says, "[I] love being an early stage employee at fast growing and innovative companies where I can make an impact." If readers relate, they’re bound to keep reading all the way to her call-to-action at the end.

• “I love change management, turnarounds, and strategically fixing problems and fueling growth.” Why we love it: This line effectively highlights the writer’s problem-solving mindset, which makes her a desirable candidate to work with.
• “I can play a CRO role or a VP of Sales role. I have extensive experience with creating aggressive finance strategy, managing cashflow, and optimizing pricing, costs and revenues.” Why we love it: While these are technically two lines, they work well together to demonstrate the range of skills she offers her potential employers.

This summary takes us through the various roles the consultant has taken on, all the way to her career coaching role now. Most notably, she ends with a prompt to book time on her calendar and includes a link right then and there.

Identify your buyer persona and then include a description of them in your summary. Don’t be afraid of expressing the types of roles you could play at a company, and be clear with what you want readers to do once they reach the end of the bio.

5. This salesperson uses his hobbies to look more personable and approachable.

Although it might be a bit untraditional to mention your personal hobbies on your LinkedIn profile, it's a good way to make 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.

• “A city dweller who love to travel and find new adventures along the way.” Why we love it: In this line, the writer summarizes who they are outside of work, reeling in the reader.
• “I have found that nothing satisfies me more than meeting new people, developing new relationships, solving problems, and contributing to the growth of businesses.” Why we love it: It shows the LinkedIn user’s passions at work while hinting at how he can help a potential employer or client.

This LinkedIn summary keeps it short while incorporating the key parts of a bio: the writer’s personality, professional experience, and most desirable attributes.

List a few of the things you like to do in your free time (steering clear of anything controversial, of course). Then explain why you chose your current role and how your customers derive value.

6. This sales leader demonstrates vulnerability and communicates her passion for her mission.

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

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

• “In a sales career that spans more than a decade, I’ve been the only Black woman on the team 99% of the time.” Why we love it: What a fantastic hook — one that’s bound to make you sit straighter in your seat and want to keep reading about her experience in sales.
• “I’d started publishing content and building communities around the deeply held belief that attracting, supporting, and retaining diverse talent is a professional and personal imperative.” Why we love it: We get to see her personal mission in a succinct and effective way, made all the more impactful by her opening line.

The writer opens with one of the challenges she faces while working in sales, setting the stage for why she does what she does, then takes us all the way down to her mission. She closes with a call-to-action that’s impactful and welcoming.

Be vulnerable. Isolate a single moment that encapsulates you as a professional or embodies your values. Then briefly write it as if you were telling this story verbally.

7. This sales executive keeps it short and engages prospects.

This LinkedIn bio opens with his mission: Enabling businesses to become more personable using video. His next two sentences help you get to know him on a personal level.

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

• “Helping businesses make their marketing & sales more human with video.” Why we love it: This line gets to the point quickly, showing the author’s mission, professional expertise, and experience.
• “Always grilling.” Why we love it: We love hobbies in LinkedIn bios — this is one excellent example that’s witty and flavorful.

It’s brief, personable, and professional — all while showing the LinkedIn user’s personality. Plus, the mention of his parents is a unique touch, showing his background without much elaboration or fanfare.

In the simplest words possible, state how your company makes its customers' lives easier, better, more enjoyable, etc. Then reveal something about 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 "Frequently" followed by your favorite thing to do ("Always reading," "Constantly cracking dad jokes," "Frequently juggling.").

8. This retired professional intrigues readers with his work history.

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

• “Ex-corporate lawyer, ex-non-profit founder, ex-round-the-world cyclist, ex-SaaS sales leader, ex-Nigerian federal gov’t employee.” Why we love it: This opener shows how interesting the author’s career has been up until this point, making you wonder what he might be doing now (a question he answers in the last line).

This LinkedIn bio flips expectations and delights with its one-line run-through of the author’s work history. The variety of the roles demonstrates that he can thrive at any employer if he were to ever come out of retirement. We love that he ends with his current status.

List your former jobs. If you've always been in sales, get creative. Did you ever have a lemonade stand as a child? Were you a camp counselor as a teenager? What was your college gig?

For example, you might write, "Ex-lemonade stand CEO, CMO, and COO; ex-juggler; ex-college tour guide. Currently helping prospective homeowners in Arizona find their next dream place to live. (And still juggling when asked nicely.)"

9. This sales leader gives a 360-degree view of her, her role, and her company.

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

• “My Muse team is brilliant, driven, and obsessed with what we are building.” Why we love it: Aside from describing herself and her role, the author gives a nod to her team — something we don’t see often in LinkedIn bios.
• “I love the challenge of being told ‘no’ and turning it to a ‘yes’.” Why we love it: In this line, the author showcases one of the most desirable features of her personality.

This LinkedIn bio provides an in-depth look at the author’s current professional endeavors and her reasons for loving what she does. It ends on a personal note by describing her hobbies and her personality.

Explain why you're so fired up about coming into work each day. What excites you? Why do you love your company? What makes your product, culture, and/or team different from your competitors? Conclude with four or five personal tidbits about yourself.

10. This MBA graduate creates immediate credibility and lists her specialties.

This user earns instant credibility with her LinkedIn summary.

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

• “Whether it’s finding a perfect song for a film or finding a rare product for a rocket, I’ve been able to quickly uncover a customer’s pain point and identify a strategic solution.” Why we love it: This line shows her diversity of skills, high level of professionality, and key strengths.
• “I have since taken everything I’ve learned and started my own business in the cottage food industry, selling decorated sugar cookies.” Why we love it: The author demonstrates what she’s doing now and how her experiences led to her current endeavor.

We love the bulleted list of specialties, but especially love how the author demonstrates how she’s using those skills now at her startup. She also remains personable by closing with her hobbies and an invitation to reach out to her.

Use a short, impactful one-liner to highlight why you're successful or what you're best at. Give two to four examples of how this skill or desire has manifested itself throughout your life. Discuss your areas of expertise, then wrap it up with your favorite topics of discussion.

11. This leadership consultant highlights her passions and shares how it fuels her work.

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 can expect from working with her.

• “I believe that the strongest organizations are those in which employees feel connected — to each other and their work.” Why we love it: We get to see the core belief that drives the author’s current work in a succinct and clear way.
• “Along with my consulting work, I’m the founder of The Management Essentials, a comprehensive leadership development program for new managers.” Why we love it: While readers could potentially look at her work history to see her founder role, we love seeing it in her own words.

The summary is connected to the author’s mission from top to bottom — you never feel like her points are disjointed or disconnected. She then leads into her current work as a founder and instructor, and ends with a list of specialties for readers to scan.

Do you have an origin story related to your career path? Share a brief description of what has inspired your work, and what makes you want to do the work you do.

12. This career consultant speaks directly to who she wants to serve.

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

• “I am on a mission to get all women of color–and people of color– the money, power, and respect we deserve in the workplace.” Why we love it: The natural response to a line such as this is ‘Sign me up,’ encouraging visitors to continue reading and reach out to the author.
• “I regularly partner with organizations to support BIPOC employees and leaders to success – through coaching, consulting, and workshops.” Why we love it: This line effectively summarizes what the author can do for organizations that work with her.

The author opens with an effective and visionary hook, then describes her mission and how she works to fulfill that mission every day. She then describes what organizations and clients stand to gain from working with her.

In the first few sentences of your summary, try writing a hook that would appeal to your ideal customer or client and keep their attention.

13. This business development professional highlights her wins.

Have you received any notable awards, or had exciting features highlighting your work? Include them in your summary to build credibility. This Senior Business Development Manager shares relevant awards and accolades in her LinkedIn summary to provide valuable context around her skills and abilities.

• “In 2018, I was selected by Jeff Bezos and his leadership team to be a recipient of Amazon’s Just Do It Award.” Why we love it: We love how this user explicitly shares her major accolades, and how she opens with the most impressive one.
• “It is important for me to serve my community through non-profit work, community organizing, mentoring, and planning events.” Why we love it: Not only does this line showcase the author’s key strengths, it shows the roles an organization could hire her for.

Your LinkedIn bio isn’t the space to be shy — and this summary exemplifies that down to the last sentence. It showcases the author’s key accomplishments without sounding arrogant, and mentions her non-profit work at length.

Highlight accolades and wins specifically related to roles you would like to be considered for.

14. This SEO professional demonstrates her friendly personality while showcasing her strong content writing skills.

You don’t have to be rigid and cold in your LinkedIn summary, and this bio is proof. It’s professional, succinct, and well-written — not to mention friendly, which is a breath of fresh air on a platform like LinkedIn. She effectively shares her expertise and invites users to engage with an attention-grabbing call-to-action.

• “How many content writing, video producing, graphic designing, SEO white hats who can’t whistle do you know? No guesses?” Why we love it: This is a fantastic opener that lists the author’s key areas of expertise while showcasing her sense of humor.
• “Tell me your least favorite through a private message.” Why we love it: One of the most creative calls-to-action we’ve seen, this line effectively asks users to engage with an icebreaker built in.

This LinkedIn bio effectively subverts expectations, engages readers, and describes the author’s specialties in content creation. The bio remains professional while still communicating a high level of openness and friendliness.

Strike a different sort of tone in your LinkedIn bio that shows the fun side of your personality, while still communicating your value proposition and what you can offer potential employers and clients.

15. This healthcare professional describes her educational background and key specialties.

For more formal fields such as healthcare, using third-person may be warranted, and this family physician takes advantage of that opportunity. She first describes her education, which is critical in medical fields, and then ends with her key mission. Still, she shows her personality by sharing her passion for her alma mater and her nickname (“The Community Doctor”).

• “Dr. Mooreland received her Doctorate from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) where she was inducted into the Gold Humanist Honor Society and selected as a National Health Service Corp Scholar.” Why we love it: In this line, the author effectively shares her educational background, her personality, and her key accolades.
• “Dubbed the ‘The Community Doctor,’ Dr. Mooreland founded Life Cycle DPC to be fully committed to serving well, free from meaningless boundaries and unrelenting paperwork, to engage and be fully present in the community with you and your family.” Why we love it: This line shows Dr. Mooreland’s pivotal role in her community and addresses the reader directly.

This formal LinkedIn bio front-loads the author’s educational background, which is key in industries such as healthcare, and adds a personal touch by emphasizing the importance of her work in the community.

Play with the structure of your LinkedIn bio, depending on your industry. If you’re an entrepreneur, you might start with your most recent startup; if you’re a lawyer, you might begin with your most important practice areas and your case record.

16. This t alent acquisition professional harnesses the power of storytelling .

As you write your LinkedIn summary, consider how your past experiences have led you to your current position. For instance, maybe your summer job as a teenager sparked a passion for sales, or your degree in Film informs how you shoot social media marketing videos.

• "One of my first memories is going to a parent-teacher conference in kindergarten and having my teacher tell my parents, “Desiree is definitely my most talkative, no matter where I move her in class she communicates with everyone!" Why we love it: We're not sure where the story is going at this point, but the hook is intriguing enough to continue reading.
• "I have developed a passion for not only being a voice of those that cannot communicate themselves, but also teaching people to communicate effectively." Why we love it: She weaves a common theme throughout her bio: effective communication. This ties the entire bio together.

This bio is far from cold or stuffy. The writer adds warmth by presenting personal tales that explain her journey to present day. Further, the same theme echos throughout the entire story (the importance of communication).

Weave a common thread through your academic and professional experiences (if one exists). Leverage the power of storytelling to bring your bio to life and add a touch of warmth.

17. This sales leader intrigues readers with her local know-how.

Katie does a great job underscoring her knowledge of Cape Cod with a compelling story about her community. She positions herself as the "go to" person for recommendations in the area, from oysters to suits. It's her passion and enthusiasm that lets real estate buyers and sellers know she's deeply connected to the local area.

• "When I want the freshest oysters, I don''t go to the fish counter at the grocery store; I go to John, the East Dennis oyster guy." Why we love it: From the first sentence, the author is flexing her local knowledge, which is important in real estate. We also love this intriguing hook.
• "A Cope Codder since I was a kid, I can find you the right house, bank, builder, school, auto mechanic, and yes, even the right oyster guy." Why we love it: Sometimes it's uncomfortable to tout our expertise. This author uses storytelling to boast her authority without it being the main focus.

Let's face it: it's hard to write about yourself and your accomplishments. The author hits the right note by folding her local expertise and know-how into a delightful story about her community in Cape Cod.

If you're in real estate, it's important to flex your knowledge about the area. After all, real estate is a local game. Make sure to identify yourself as an expert and enthusiastic fan of where you live and work.

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 it personal, unique, and engaging — and prospects and potential employers will feel like they know you already.

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

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How to Write a Compelling LinkedIn Summary [with Examples]

We discuss what to write in your LinkedIn "about" section and provide effective LinkedIn summary examples

Your LinkedIn summary serves as a 30-second elevator pitch for your profile visitors.

When writing your profile summary, assume that your readers will have a short attention span.

You should quickly engage readers right away by providing key information they need to determine whether they want to engage with you further.

We'll analyze key elements of an effective LinkedIn profile summary and explain how you can leverage them to build your credibility with potential employers or clients.

A strong summary accomplishes the following goals:

• Provides an overview of your background
• Outlines your key areas of expertise
• Tells visitors what you are interested in
• Invites visitors to contact you
• Builds your personal brand

1. Provides an overview of your background

The primary purpose of your summary section is to tell anyone who happens to stumble upon your LinkedIn profile who you are.

Because LinkedIn is a social network, it's perfectly acceptable (and even encouraged) to write your summary in the first person .

Questions to address in your introduction include:

• What is your current job title?
• What companies have you worked for in the past?
• What major career accomplishments are you best known for in your industry?

You don't need to go into granular detail here.

More detailed information should go into your experience section instead.

An effective example for a hotel investment professional would be:

I currently serve as the Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for DiamondRock Hospitality.   I bring over 10 years of experience in hotel feasibility and development finance, consulting, and asset management with Hilton, EY’s Hotels and Hospitality group, and Host Hotels and Resorts.

2. Outlines your key areas of expertise

In your summary statement, be sure to outline your key areas of expertise.

By doing so, you will naturally incorporate relevant keywords , helping with LinkedIn SEO and allowing recruiters to find your profile more easily.

The candidate above might say something along the lines of:

My areas of expertise include portfolio growth strategy, investor and owner relations, contract negotiations, and financial analysis.

3. Tells visitors what you are interested in

Make your professional goals clear in your profile.

After reading your LinkedIn summary section, a hiring manager, recruiter, or potential client should walk away with an idea of:

• The hard skills you bring to a prospective employer
• What kind of jobs may be of interest to you
• What services you offer to your clients

A CFA candidate might mention:

I am currently pursuing my CFA designation and look forward to applying my skills in a long-term career in portfolio management.

A cross-border financial planner might say something along the lines of:

If you are a US citizen living in the UK, we can help you navigate US and UK tax laws in relation to your financial planning and investment management efforts.

4. Invites visitors to contact you

In your LinkedIn profile summary, be proactive!

Whether you are a job seeker, employer, or looking for new clients, make sure to leverage the power of social media to your advantage by telling visitors why they should get in touch.

Consider saying something along the lines of:

If you are in the market for a new role in logistics, please don't hesitate to contact me.

- Hiring manager looking to add a team member

Upon completing my MBA, I hope to secure a role in management consulting, and I'm happy to share my resume outlining my prior experience in financial services.

- MBA job candidate seeking a new position

My team of career experts can help you kickstart your job search with interview preparation coaching that will boost your confidence and interview performance. Feel free to contact me for more information.

- Founder of career coaching firm

You may also want to include your email address in your LinkedIn summary, enabling visitors who are not an existing connection or do not have LinkedIn premium to easily reach you.

5. Builds your personal brand

A great LinkedIn summary helps build your credibility and reputation.

You should put just as much care into preparing your profile summary as you would into preparing your resume and cover letter (though your LinkedIn content should be different from that of your resume ).

We recommend printing out your final summary on paper to catch any punctuation or grammatical errors.

Your LinkedIn summary is among the first things visitors see when they visit your profile.

By making your background, accomplishments, and professional goals clear, you'll be able to maximize the value you get out of your LinkedIn profile.

To learn more about LinkedIn best practices, check out our   LinkedIn Series here !

About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here's how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services : If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.

Executive Resume Template Downloads : If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email [email protected] .

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About the Author Matt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents. At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.

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How to write a compelling LinkedIn summary (with examples)

11 min read · Updated on April 17, 2024

Make a strong first impression on LinkedIn

LinkedIn gives you the power to create a professional reputation like no other. It's an essential tool for both your job search and career. But, to make the most of it, you need to create a detailed, comprehensive profile – including an engaging LinkedIn summary.

This short bio is a less formal version of the personal statement on your CV. But here's one major point to keep in mind: the way that you write and target your LinkedIn summary will differ from a formal application. LinkedIn is, after all, a social network at its core. 

If you're not sure how to get started, you've come to the right place. In the following guide, we'll look at why your short LinkedIn summary matters, what you should include, and prime examples that you can use for inspiration. Read on to perfect your next LinkedIn summary. 

What is a LinkedIn summary?

Also called your “About” entry or “'LinkedIn bio,” your LinkedIn summary is that short blurb that appears below your profile header. You have around 370 words to play with here, so you'll want to avoid writing a memoir. It's all about getting – and keeping – the reader's attention. With that in mind, your ideal LinkedIn summary should be: 

• Short . You can't surpass the 2,600 character limit. So it's best not to add unnecessary “fluff,” aiming for a LinkedIn summary that's snappy and to the point.
• Original . Try not to sound like every other professional on the social network. If you want to gain attention for all the right reasons, your LinkedIn summary should be unique. 
• High-value . What do you bring to the table? Don't just tell the reader what you do. Focus on the value that you bring to the hiring manager and company. 
• Captivating . The language that you use in your LinkedIn summary matters more than you think. Make sure to hook the reader and keep them engaged throughout your bio. 

Within this short LinkedIn summary, you have to make the right first impression . The reader can tell who you are and what you do by looking at your experience, so don't commit the proverbial mistake of simply stating the obvious. Instead, give them a reason to care about you . Use this part of your LinkedIn profile to detail why you're worth a second look and what makes you special. 

Why does your LinkedIn summary matter?

Now that you're well-versed on what a LinkedIn summary is, let's talk about why it matters. You might think that this part of your profile is just an added bonus, rather than a necessity. That's simply not the case as your short LinkedIn summary allows you to do the following: 

• Showcase your USP . What's your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) ? What's the one thing that you have over other professionals in your sector? When you have pinpointed this aspect of your professional profile, it's time to lean on it. Your LinkedIn summary is an ideal place to put your USP front and centre. 
• Add personality to your profile . If you want to get ahead in your career, your personality is the key. There are loads of candidates with the same experience and expertise as you. But what don't they have? Your personality. As your LinkedIn summary is among the first things that your LinkedIn profile visitors will see, it allows this aspect of yourself to shine through. When you're writing your LinkedIn summary, don't be afraid to showcase your creative flair. 
• Rank your profile in LinkedIn searches . Do you want your LinkedIn profile to be found by hiring managers? If the answer is yes, crafting a well-written summary is a must. Including industry-specific keywords in your bio can increase your online visibility in your sector. That means that when people search for professionals with your skills and experience on LinkedIn, you're more likely to rank highly in their results. 

Whether you're currently looking for a new job or not, make sure you keep your LinkedIn summary up-to-date. This approach allows you to build a sturdy reputation on the platform, which you can leverage when you do want to climb the career ladder later on.

7 tips for writing a stellar LinkedIn summary 

Ready to put pen to paper? Each person's LinkedIn summary is unique to them (and their experience). However, there are some tried-and-true pointers that you can follow when writing yours. Here are seven things to keep in mind when crafting your bio section:

1. Target the right audience

A hundred different people may end up reading your LinkedIn summary, but that doesn't matter if they're not the right people. Ask yourself a simple question: who do you want to read your summary and, crucially, what do you want from them? 

For example, if you're on the hunt for a new role, you may be targeting recruiters and hiring managers. In that case, you should be writing a LinkedIn summary that sells you and your skills . Much like your CV, this brief overview needs to show people that you absolutely have what it takes to take the next step in your career.

Before you even dream of writing that first sentence, consider who will be reading it. Having a clear target audience will help you find a core message, helping you avoid a long-winded, boring description, and write something truly compelling instead.   

2. Be authentic, honest, and concise 

It should go without saying that lying on your LinkedIn profile summary is a recipe for disaster. For one, everyone can see your page and someone can easily call you out on your little “white lies.” Plus, there's the fact that you have to back everything you write up with facts and evidence. 

Don't try to be someone else. Be yourself! It might sound cliche, but it works. When writing your LinkedIn summary, it's important that you're honest about your experience. Pick out the elements that are likely to “wow” readers and have them wanting more. 

Note: Avoid writing too much here! No one wants to read your life story. Save those minor details for your autobiography instead. 

3. Let your personality shine through 

The recruiter or company reading your LinkedIn profile summary hasn't met you face to face. They have no idea who you are or how very charming you may be. 

Unlike in your CV, you can use your LinkedIn profile summary to let some of that award-winning personality shine through in your writing. This technique is used in the best LinkedIn profile summaries, and it can really work wonders when you get it right. 

LinkedIn strategist, Jasmin (Jay) Alić , knows how to write a summary that really flows. Here's his LinkedIn summary example:  

“Hey there, thanks for stopping by my profile!

For the TL;DR peeps:

I help brands win hearts. Main strengths: copy and strategy. Wanna e-meet over coffee? I'm always down to connect and explore new opportunities.”

While you may think that this is a casual way to start a summary, it works for Jasmin. As a LinkedIn strategist, he has to have the personality to carry his role. It's a people-led business, after all. By offering up a TL;DR for readers, he gives them a chance to get to know him quickly and easily. Of course, he also includes a longer bio where you can learn about his experience.

While you may think that starting with a joke is risky business, Jasmin manages to make it work.

Note: The key word here is “show.” Don't make the mistake of writing “I'm a funny, warm person…” in your summary. Paint the picture and let it come through naturally!

4. Explain what you do (briefly)

What exactly do you do, anyway? Your regular job duties and work history may cover a whole range of things, but you shouldn't babble in your LinkedIn summary. Instead, condense what it is that you do down into a manageable paragraph. 

The best summaries give a taste of the person's expertise and previous roles without getting too bogged down in the everyday, nitty-gritty details. How do you help businesses succeed as a whole? Be concise and clear by dedicating just a couple of sentences to your role. 

5. Add industry-specific keywords

As we've already mentioned, keywords are a must. When writing your LinkedIn summary, make sure to do some research. What words and phrases are trending within your field? Identifying these will help you craft a strong LinkedIn summary. 

Once you have a list of words at your fingertips, the next step is to include them organically throughout your summary. You may want to replace any synonyms you've used with keywords that will get more traction, for example. Don't make the mistake of trying to shoehorn keywords in where they don't belong. Instead, use them only where appropriate.

6. Show the depth of your professional knowledge 

You know your profession better than anyone else, right? Well, then show that to those who look at your LinkedIn page. Legal headhunter, Liz Smith , does a stellar job of showcasing her talents and expertise in the following LinkedIn summary example: 

“I am an expert in moving Legal teams, Associates and Partners. I provide a bespoke head hunting service to clients in the legal sector focussing on attracting the very best talent. For lawyers I provide a tailored career advisory service along with a targeted approach to firms that suit your next career move. I have a caring approach. I'm here to listen, to guide, nurture and support. I've been doing this for 20yrs.” 

By sharing how long she has been in the industry, Liz shows she is an expert in her field. She also includes details of how she works and her areas of expertise to boot. Recruiters know exactly what they're getting when they look at this summary.

7. Master the art of a “closer” line

As you get to the end of your LinkedIn profile summary, what's the takeaway message you want to leave the reader with? This final closing line should be both neat and memorable. 

Expert copywriter Shea Karssing details the brand names that she has previously worked with in her summary. She also has a way with words. At the end of the summary, she concludes with a simple sentence “Let's make words work for you.” Check it out here:

“Brands I have worked with include: KFC, BCX, Momentum, Nedbank, Automobile Association of South Africa, South African Tourism, Sun International, Standard Bank, MTN, Volvo, and many more.

My specialisations include:

- Content writing (blogs, social media, white papers, press releases, brand development, video scripts, and more)

- Copywriting (websites, advertisements)

- Keyword research

- On-page SEO

- Analytics and reporting

Let's make words work for you.”

Rather than leaving the reader with the bland “Connect with me now!” message, Shea decided to add a little pizazz to her profile. This closing sentence shows that she knows what potential clients are looking for in a simple and memorable way.

LinkedIn summary template 

By this point, you should feel prepared to write an epic LinkedIn summary. The structure that you use matters more than you may imagine. With that in mind, here's a LinkedIn summary template you can use to guide your writing: 

• USP . Lead with the main thing that you have to offer.
• Value . Add in the value that your USP brings to a business. 
• Evidence . Back up your statements with stats and figures. 
• Call to Action . Close with a killer line that encourages the reader to get in touch.

Whilst you don't have to use this LinkedIn summary template verbatim, it's good to keep it in your mind as an outline. There are many different approaches you can use when writing your LinkedIn summary. Figure out which one works best for your career and long-term goals. 

Make an impression with your LinkedIn summary

Elevator pitch, CV personal statement, LinkedIn summary – these are all different ways through which you introduce yourself as a professional. On LinkedIn, that means a careful balance of professionalism and personality, expressed in a summary that makes people within the social network interested in learning more about you. With the right LinkedIn profile summary, connecting with HR managers and industry professionals alike will be a breeze.

While your LinkedIn profile will help you connect with professionals, a well-written CV can fast-track your job search. Find out if your CV makes the grade with our free CV review !

Recommended reading: 

The art of self-marketing: promoting your skills and achievements to an employer

How to build a positive reputation at work

How to use LinkedIn to build your network of contacts

Related Articles:

Customise your LinkedIn URL: boost your professional image

How to establish your professional brand on LinkedIn

The worrying LinkedIn mistakes you could be making

See how your CV stacks up.

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• Personal Branding
• How to Write a Powerful...

How to Write a Powerful LinkedIn Profile Summary

4 min read · Updated on October 12, 2022

Learn how to pitch your talents on LinkedIn in 30 seconds or less.

You have 30 seconds to describe yourself. Can you do it?

With a LinkedIn summary, that's all the time you have. Sorry, no one wants to read your entire work history — not even a little bit. 

The summary section requires brevity and critical thinking. You must explain what you're about and the impact you make on others.

So, do you need LinkedIn profile help?

The following guide is from my new book, Wait, How Do I Write This Email? , a collection of 100+ templates for networking, the job search, and LinkedIn.

Step 1: Who are you, really?

When you write a LinkedIn summary, keep it basic. In a nutshell, what are you known for? What is your value proposition? What's your identity? And how does your work and skills help other people?

It's a useful exercise to describe yourself in less than ten seconds. Plus, it's important to think hard about the value you add to the market.

Here's part of a LinkedIn summary example from a young guy we'll call “Lamar.”

“Every day, I protect sensitive information on thousands of people from hackers and cyberattacks.”

At Lamar's professional core, that's the work he does AND how his work improves the lives of other people.

Step 2: What do you do?

Now take the opening line a bit deeper, but remember the 30-second rule. This is no time to delve into three huge paragraphs on everything you've done when you're writing your LinkedIn profile summary. Keep it rolling with specific details, like:

Your title and company

BRIEFLY what you do at the job

Again, how your job helps people

Specialties or areas of expertise if you need to describe your role a bit further

Here's the continuation of Lamar's LinkedIn profile summary example:

“As an information security analyst at Acme Hospital System in Sacramento, I manage the day-to-day flow of information into and out of five hospitals and two emergency centers. With a focus on database management, my job ensures critical computer systems, medical files, and patient history remain active and never fail. My team and I stay updated on the latest trends in information security to not only keep Acme Hospital System safe but also on the cutting edge.”

Step 3: Bring 'em home

In the final step, put a stamp on your LinkedIn summary. By now the reader knows who you are and what you do. Now, finish out with a strong “closer” sentence.

Similar to your opening line, what's your mission as a working professional? What are you passionate about? And I know I'm a broken record, but how does your passion help other people?

When writing your LinkedIn summary, reiterate that point at the end, add a period, and you're done.

Here's the LinkedIn summary example from Lamar's closing line:

“A hospital never sleeps, and the same goes for IT. If everything runs smoothly and nothing suffers a glitch, then I know I did my job.”

LinkedIn Summary Example: Lamar

Every day, I protect sensitive information on thousands of people from hackers and cyberattacks. 

As an information security analyst at Acme Hospital System in Sacramento, I manage the day-to-day flow of information into and out of five hospitals and two emergency centers. With a focus on database management, my job ensures critical computer systems, medical files, and patient history remain active and never fail. My team and I stay updated on the latest trends in information security to not only keep Acme Hospital System safe but also on the cutting edge.

A hospital never sleeps, and the same goes for IT. If everything runs smoothly and nothing suffers a glitch, then I know I did my job.

Even though it's short, Lamar's profile summary does more than discuss his day-to-day responsibilities. The summary explains his job, showcases his personality, and proves why his work makes other people better.

In a vast ocean of online profiles, Lamar has a bio you will remember. And that's the goal when writing a LinkedIn summary: to be unforgettable.

Need LinkedIn profile help? Hire a TopResume writer to optimize your LinkedIn profile today!

Recommended Reading:

5 Tips for Delivering the Perfect Elevator Pitch

10 Ways to Create a Winning LinkedIn Profile

Resumes vs. LinkedIn Profiles: What You Should Know

Related Articles:

How to Create & Change a Custom LinkedIn URL in 3 Easy Steps

Why LinkedIn is Important: 7 Reasons to Polish Your Profile Today

12 Ways to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out (2023 Guide)

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How To Write A LinkedIn Profile Summary (With Examples)

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Find a Job You Really Want In

The summary on your LinkedIn profile is the first place people will go to get an idea of who you are as a professional. That means that it’s arguably the most important part of your profile, as it’s your introduction to potential professional contacts. It can even be a way to catch recruiters’ attention if you know the right keywords to add.

If you’re interested in creating a LinkedIn profile, updating yours, or just want to know how important the summary on your profile is, that’ll all be discussed in this article.

Key Takeaways

Your LinkedIn profile summary should include your current job, your strengths and accomplishments, and a call to action.

Let your personality shine through in your summary by telling stories, sharing about your personal life, and being creative in your writing.

Use your LinkedIn profile summary to explain what you do and why you do it.

What is a LinkedIn profile summary?

Why is writing a linkedin profile summary important, how to write a linkedin profile summary, linkedin profile summary examples and why they work, tips for writing a linkedin profile summary, linkedin profile faq.

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A profile summary on LinkedIn functions as your professional bio for your page. It’s a brief synopsis of your work experience , job title, and relevant skills. A good profile summary will also showcase your unique personality to attract clients or land a job .

After reading your LinkedIn summary, a potential employer or client should have a clear picture of your career, why you do it, and perhaps most important, why you’re good at it . The profile summary acts as a preview into a particular person’s career.

Making sure that you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile and summary is important in terms of networking and job searches . It gives recruiters and professional contacts an overview of who you are, what your skills are, and what you have experience with.

Having a LinkedIn profile summary has a number of uses:

You control your first impression. First impressions matter, and your summary is likely to be the first impression many people get of you. That means that you have control over it, as you decide what to write and put on your profile. This gives you the opportunity to have a positive first impression on a lot of people.

It shows you pay attention to your career. LinkedIn is all about career networking. If you put in the time to have a strong summary on your profile that stays up-to-date, it shows that you are about your career and career advancement. And that’s attractive to both employers and clients.

Keywords can make you show up at the top of search results. Leveraging the right keywords can make you appear at the top of search results, and get pinged by potential employers more often. There’s no reason not to leverage technology to your advantage, is there?

It gives you a chance to put your personality into it. The summary on your profile isn’t strictly about your career. You can put a bit of your personality and interests outside of work into it. Usually adding a bit of who you are outside of work makes your profile more interesting and yours.

The LinkedIn summary is in many ways the hardest part to write. How do you distill your life and career down to a few measly paragraphs? But that’s why it’s so important — it tells potential recruiters, clients, and professional contacts who you are. Here’s how to go about writing an engaging summary:

Decide on first or third person. The first decision you have to make when it comes to your LinkedIn profile summary is if you want to write in the first or third person. Either choice is appropriate for a profile summary since it should have a more informal tone.

Deciding to use the third person establishes your profile as more of a professional brand. Using a first-person voice can give your summary a more conversational tone.

For almost all job-seekers, we recommend the first person voice (“I” instead of “he/she/they”) — unless you’re a major celebrity, folks reading your profile know that you’re the one who wrote it.

Decide what action do you want the reader to take. Before writing a word of your LinkedIn summary, you need to decide your profile’s goal. A freelancer who wants to attract clients to work for will handle their profile completely differently than a business that wants to attract sales.

Think about what action you want the reader of your summary to take once they’ve digested the information.

State your current role and company. Initiate the reader into your summary by stating your professional responsibilities and the company you work for, if applicable. You don’t necessarily have to make this the first sentence of your summary because you’ll likely want to use something catchier than just your job title.

However, make sure the reader understands your job by the time they finish reading your LinkedIn profile summary.

Highlight strengths and accomplishments . You want your LinkedIn profile summary to impress the reader. You don’t want to simply reiterate your resume . Instead, focus on your most significant accomplishments and skills that make you stand out from the crowd.

When discussing your achievements and skills, be as specific as possible. Include statistics or other empirical proof of your abilities when possible to strengthen your summary.

Get creative and let your personality shine through. Someone who comes to your LinkedIn profile to read your summary will most likely be more interested in your character than your professional history. Use your LinkedIn summary as a creative platform to express who you are beyond your career and make people want to work with you in the future.

The Structure of a LinkedIn Profile Summary

Despite being highly personalized, a LinkedIn profile summary is business writing. The way that you can tell is that they almost all follow a similar format and style. Luckily, the format is straightforward and easy to replicate. When writing up your summary, start with this format:

A catchy opening line. It’s critical to start out with something more interesting than “My name is X and I work at Y as a Z.” Instead, consider what aspects of your career would interest people, how you’re different than others in your field, or a compelling story about how you got into the business.

There are countless ways to be interesting while still keeping things professionally relevant. We recommend a judgment-free brainstorming session where you spit out as many opening lines as you can think of (even if they sound ridiculous and silly). Chances are, you’ll find a gem in there somewhere.

You don’t have to have one single opening line, either. Sometimes a quick series of short sentences to start things off can also be rhetorically effective.

An engaging and descriptive body section. The body of your summary is where you want to use keywords relevant to your field, describe your passions, accomplishments, etc.

Invite an action. What action you want the reader to take depends on your goals (more on that below), but it’s always good to finish things off by giving the reader something to do (if they want).

Example #1 – Real Estate Agent

Finding a house is one of the most stressful and incredible experiences that a person can have. Without the right person to guide you through the process of finding and securing a home, you can end up somewhere that you don’t want to call home. Brianna Clarkson is the real estate agent for you if you aren’t satisfied with anything less than the perfect home. In a career that spans over a decade, Brianna has helped over 250 home buyers find their forever place. When she’s not helping people’s home and interior features dreams come true, Brianna enjoys rock climbing with her fiancé and going for runs with her dog, Bones.

Why It Works: Briana’s LinkedIn profile summary works because it draws the audience into what she has to say by providing them with what they want: to find the perfect home. She focuses most of her profile summary on what the reader can get out of the relationship because she wants to build a clientele and makes note of her accomplishments in the industry to demonstrate proof of her experience

Example #2 – Social Media Manager

I became a social media manager because I love organizing a brand’s image to bring them to their full potential. I enjoy using analytic tools to help you build your brand on social media and improve your overall business growth. While there are a lot of social media managers out there, here are a few reasons why I think I’m the one you need. My primary goal is to help you and your business reach its full potential My former clients have seen sales profit margins improve by 3% I’ve worked with major corporations to assist in building an online presence Graduated in 2014 bachelor’s degree in business management I have experience with various platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat I’m always open to learning more

Why It Works: This LinkedIn summary example uses a bullet point list structure to explain their skills and experience in the social media industry, similar to a resume format . This approach works because it makes it clear what the important points are. The reader doesn’t have to go looking through paragraphs for examples of their abilities because they’ve already been outlined. This LinkedIn summary is also on the short side but still hits all the information they need to get across.

Example #3 – English Language Teacher

When I was 19, I knew that I had a passion for two things: language and connecting with people. I decided to travel to Japan to get my TEFL certificate and teach 4th-grade students how to speak English. The experience was more than I can explain, so let’s just say, incredible. As I got older and gained more experience, I knew that I wanted to bring my teaching skills to adult English learners from different countries. Since then, I’ve been working to bring top-notch conversational English lessons to people around the world. In addition to the in-person classroom, I established an online English school called “James Teaches English,” where students can virtually learn through lesson plans designed by yours truly. The course has had over 2,500 downloads in the past two years. I continue to work as an international English teacher for the same reasons that initially inspired me when I was 19: language and people.

Why It Works: This example of a LinkedIn summary goes for a first-person voice, and it gives the writing a more casual tone. It works because the writer describes their professional life succinctly and in a way that makes the reader connect with their story. Within the timeline approach taken with this summary, the writer still manages to describe their accomplishments and brand themselves in a distinct way that illustrates their passion for the field.

Example #4 – Administrative Assistant

Adam Darren is an administrative assistant with seven years of experience. He currently works for a property management company called Allhomes Property Management, where he is responsible for the majority of clerical tasks around the office. Adam has been recognized for his outstanding performance in the form of two promotions over the course of the past three years. In his spare time, Adam enjoys biking and takes place in a county-wide triathlon every year. Skills: Time management, Microsoft, Quickbooks, Calendar Management, Communication

Why It Works: Adam’s profile summary is the shortest on the list of examples, but it still provides enough details to inform the reader about his professional experience. This LinkedIn bio works because it’s extremely straightforward. Sometimes, an employer isn’t looking for the most creative profile, but the one who is the most direct.

Adam also adds a little bit of character to his summary by including the ending about how he enjoys spending his free time.

Example #5 – Therapist

The first thing that anyone says when describing me is, “Erin loves her work!”. I’m not only good at providing my patients with mental clarity or a listening ear in times of need, but I also enjoy doing it. I’ve been working as a therapist for the past twelve years. In that time, I’ve gained invaluable skills in communication, understanding, and patience that I bring to every session. I specialize in helping people in their teenage years cope with grief, anxiety, and the hard parts of becoming an adult. I choose to work with teenagers because I believe that they need someone to confide in without judgment more than any other age group. It’s a unique time in a young person’s life, and I aim to help them through it. I’m motivated by creating a comfortable place for my clients in my practice, and knowing that I’m helping just one person makes my career choices worth it. I currently live in Portland, Oregon with my human family of three and my dog family of two.

Why It Works: Erin’s LinkedIn summary is more personal and confident. It feels like a conversation over coffee with an old friend, which is a strong way to tackle creating a profile summary. It works because the main focus is her passion for her job. This sentiment will resonate with both clients looking for a therapist who will put their needs first and an employer looking for a candidate who cares deeply about their job.

LinkedIn profile summaries are inherently personal, despite the fact that you’re putting them out for the world to see. That means that you want to put your best foot forward and talk about the interesting things about you. Here are some additional things to keep in mind as you work on your summary:

Be yourself. The most important part of creating a LinkedIn profile summary is being yourself. A summary description that sounds too rigid or gives the impression that you’re trying to be something you’re not will make readers less likely to believe anything you have to say.

Consider keywords . When hiring managers for competitive jobs are looking to fill an open position on their team, they search for applicants using keywords.

Be concise. Although LinkedIn offers its users up to 2,000 words to create their summary, you may not need to make yours that long. Professionals with a long history and lots of accomplishments to discuss should feel free to use as much space as they need, but overall, it’s best to keep your profile summary concise.

Think about proof. It’s not 100% necessary, but adding a bit of evidence to your profile summary can be really effective for certain readers. This can range from including certifications from accredited bodies in your field to including a link to your professional portfolio .

Tell a story. Stories grab readers’ attention and help them remember you. You don’t need to launch into a pages-long epic about the first time you fed a baby bird and how it inspired you to become a veterinarian , but a quick sentence or two about it will stick in people’s minds.

Proofread. Even if you aren’t a professional writer, your LinkedIn summary needs to be error-free. Hiring managers will be distracted by typos and will get the impression you’re sloppy in your work, which they don’t want in an employee.

What makes a strong LinkedIn profile summary?

The thing that makes a strong LinkedIn profile summary is that it draws in the reader. This is usually done through strong writing, picking the most interesting things about yourself, and letting your passion shine through.

People are most often drawn in by descriptions of someone that it sounds like they would like to meet or work with. Don’t be afraid to talk about what’s important to you, and to make it clear why and how much it matters.

Why do you need an engaging LinkedIn summary?

The reason you need an engaging LinkedIn summary is because it’s often the first instruction recruiters, clients, and professional contacts have with you. An up-to-date LinkedIn profile isn’t just for job seekers but for anyone looking to build their professional career.

Forbes — 17 LinkedIn Profile Writing Tips to Make You Standout

Harvard Business Review — How to Tell Your Story on LinkedIn

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.

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How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

• Ruth Gotian
• Ushma S. Neill

A few adjustments can get your application noticed.

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

• Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
• Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
• Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
• Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

• Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and associate professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor and Financial Times Guide to Mentoring . She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters and test your mentoring impact . RuthGotian
• Ushma S. Neill is the Vice President, Scientific Education & Training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She runs several summer internships and is involved with the NYC Marshall Scholar Selection Committee. ushmaneill

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