How to write the About section on LinkedIn
3 Simple Templates for Jobseekers
How to write in About section on LinkedIn?
A question that bothers many.
In this article, I will share with you three simple templates that you can use, as well as some tips on writing this section.
So without further ado, let’s look at the templates.
Template 1. 4S framework
I usually advise my clients to approach about section on LinkedIn as an interview question: “Tell me about yourself”.
You can use the same old 4S framework to talk about yourself in the interview.
4S stands for:
- Success
- Strengths
- Situation
- Skills
What can you write in these subsections?
Success
- Write about what you have done in the past.
- Write about what was your game up to date and what you have achieved in it.
- What made you the specialist you became today.
- Showcase your proven track record of delivering value to the companies you’ve previously worked for.
- Emphasize experiences that showcase skills.
Strengths
- What are your top skills?
- What is the value that you are offering to a potential employer?
- In this paragraph, you must display how you can produce positive ROI, should an employer decide to invest in you.
- What is the career capital/social capital/culture that you can introduce to the company DNA.
Situation
- This is the paragraph in which you explain your current situation.
- Explain why you are in transition and what you are looking for.
Skills
- Bullet list of your skills (hard skills/foundational skills)
- Contact info at the bottom.
NB: No blocks of text. Write in short paragraphs. Only the essence. Make it readable.
It actually takes time to craft an About section that would be concise and easy to grasp. As Mark Twain Said:
I would have written a shorter letter if only I had time.
You have time so take it. Put some thought into it. Juggle with words and formatting. Your About section is always work in progress and it shall remain such.
Template 2. #KB style
Here is a template proposed by Kirsty Bonner.
It’s clean, professional, and gets right to the point. Just as I like it.
It is almost like a cover letter + mini-resume.
Here is what you write:
- What you are professionally
- What are your core competencies and achievements( that can be automatically translated into the value of the job requirements)
- Key competencies
- Technologies
- Methodologies
- Key achievements
Example [link to the original post on LinkedIn]:
I am an MS educated Senior Project Manager with extensive experience in delivering proven results through the management of technical operations and projects, within time and budget constraints.
A servant leader, adept at identifying problem areas and guiding staff in the collaborative implementation of corrective actions, I also identify project needs to drive process improvements and bottom-line gains.
Key Competencies:
- Leadership and Management
- Project Management
- Strategic Planning and Implementation
- Change Management
- Process and Performance Optimisation
Technologies:
- MS (Project, Visio, Teams, SharePoint, Access, SQL, VB6), JIRA, Clarizen, JavaScript, SAP ERP, C, API Integration
Methodologies:
- Prince2, Waterfall, Agile, Scrum
Key Achievements:
- Led cross-functional teams of up to 40 people
- Increased project revenue by 30%
- Managed high profile program for major establishment with $2m budget
- Executed 6-month maintenance project for 50 global clients
Please contact me at EMAIL to find out how I might contribute and add value to your next project.
Template 3. FAQ style
Look at the About section from the Fanny Dunagan’s LinkedIn profile.
This is a brilliantly written About section, and this is what is done right:
- Giving away value right from the first paragraph. Fanny tells what is her specialization and what kind of problems she solves.
- She knows her audience and understands the questions they might ask.
- It is a response to the FAQ of some sort but also packed with value.
- She uses emoji to spice it up but not excessively — tastefully done, just enough to grab attention to the key points.
See if you can find those Champion LinkedIn Thought Leaders and replicate (not plagiarize) what they do. Fake it till you make it.
More tips
Find your style
1st person vs 3rd person?
It will very much depend on what kind of professional you are.
If you are more corporate, like KPMG and others in big 4, or position yourself as a serious brand it is more of a standard to go with write in a 3rd person.
If you are anything else — go with the 1st person and don’t be afraid to show your voice.
Think like a copywriter.
The job of the headline is the same as the job of the headline in the article. It should grab the attention of the reader and make him scroll down to your About section.
You’re about section is your Lead. In copywriting Lead is the first paragraph of the copy. It must give away 80% of your story and self-marketing material. The idea is the same, your reader must want to continue scrolling down to other sections and dive deeper into your experiences, certificates, achievements, and recommendations.
Hence the next tip on writing your About section.
Be short, be direct, and be done.
The detention span of an online reader is very short.
80% of the time people skim-read information online without reading in-depth.
This is how our brains are trained to read online.
Our brain shuts down when we see long blocks of text on the screen. The brain understands that it will require more energy to process the information and spending more energy is the last thing the brain wants.
Don’t push people away with text. Write in short sentences.
Brevity is the sister of talent.
Improve SEO
Populate your profile with buzz-words, industry terminology, and professional language.
Show that you know your stuff.
Use Emojis.
Emojis can be used as an excellent attention grabber.
They serve the same function as the bullets points except that they’re doing a better job at grabbing attention.
However use the right ones and do not abuse them.
Be professional.
Emojis can communicate creativity and can help you to present your message in a more comprehensive way, but used wrongly they can ruin the impression, making you seem superficial and indecorous.
End up with a Call to Action.
You can include a call to action (CTA) in your About section.
What do you want your reader to do? Email you? Schedule a call with you? Check out your portfolio?
Again, write with your target audience in mind.
Good luck with your LinkedIn game!
If you have any suggestions on what kind of content on #linkedintips I should create, drop me a line in a comment section.
Cheers!
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