How To Write a Professional Short Bio (With Examples)

I’ll bet it’s more than once. How many times have you sat in front of a blank screen, staring at the annoying cursor, wondering why it’s so difficult to write about yourself? Thinking about who you are as a person is a mental (or existential?) gymnastics exercise. Writing a professional bio can feel like it is at Simone-Biles-floor-routine difficulty because you are trying to condense who you are and what you do into something that will be interesting to recruiters, hiring managers, coworkers, potential clients, and other contacts at the same time.

Possibly the most significant text you will ever write about yourself is your professional bio. It serves as your first introduction to who you are, what you do, and what you enjoy, whether it’s for a personal website, a team page for your company, or a social media platform. What you choose to emphasize could influence whether or not people choose to follow you, contact you for an interview, or invite you to take part in an event. You have the chance to briefly highlight your work, abilities, and areas of expertise. So you’d better stick the landing.

By following these steps, you can write a clear, powerful, and professional bio:

Choosing the appropriate name and professional titles to use is the first step in writing a professional bio. Depending on the purpose and audience of the biography, different names and titles may be used. For instance, some people decide to substitute their given name for a different first name in their bio. Other professionals don’t adopt a new surname after marriage; they stick with their first name. If they apply to you, you might also want to include or exclude titles like MD (medical doctor), Pr (pastor), or Esq (esquire).

In a bio, how you refer to yourself matters. Whether you use the pronoun “I” (first person) or your name (third person), your bio should be written in the first or third person. Personal and informal biographies are typically written in the first person, whereas professional and formal biographies are frequently written in the third person. Ask your manager or editor which would be more appropriate if you were writing a bio for work.

If you’re writing a bio while still working, include your title or position, such as “Senior Associate” or “Editor.” You can list your prior responsibilities or current areas of expertise in your bio if you’re unemployed and creating it for an online profile. For example, you could list “Web Developer” or “Professional Nanny. ”.

Your audience can learn more about your experience, industry, and availability for work by learning who your current employer is. After identifying your position, title or role, identify your employer. You can skip this step if you’re self-employed or don’t currently have a job.

What work or life philosophy informs how I succeed? is the next step. You might think about including the response in your bio to help the audience understand what drives you. You could write, “Developing strong relationships is the foundation of everything I do, both professionally and personally,” if cultivating strong relationships is important to your work. ” .

You typically don’t have to include personal information in your bio. However, in some circumstances, it might be advantageous to demonstrate your range to others.

Examples of popular personal details in bios:

Here are several examples of professional bios:

Here is an example of a third-person professional bio:

Writing multiple versions of your biography for both professional and personal uses might be helpful. Request feedback from close friends and coworkers on how to improve the spelling, grammar, or information in your bio.

Depending on the circumstance, your bios may be of varying lengths. You might be required to adhere to strict word limits, for instance, if you’re writing a bio for a company website. The above steps are a helpful framework for structuring your ideas for an insightful, useful bio. Keep in mind to adhere to any guidelines provided by your employer or job application.

Here is an illustration of a professional bio with identifying information:

“My name is John Sullivan. I have ten years of experience as a human resources specialist working in the complex field of personnel administration. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking with friends and family. ”.

Your audience is more likely to feel connected to you on a personal level if you include information about your hobbies or interests. A great way to make your bio more approachable and human is to mention a hobby.