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

10 Tips To Write A Great LinkedIn Summary

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Writing a LinkedIn summary is incredibly difficult — especially without examples to look at.

What should you put on your LinkedIn summary? A recounting of your prior roles? A list of your accomplishments? Should you write it in first person? Or in 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.)

→ Download Now: 10 LinkedIn Summary Templates

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.

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.’

Writing LinkedIn summaries is especially hard for salespeople, marketers, and other professionals whose work relies on networking. You're not targeting recruiters and hiring managers; you're appealing to potential buyers and clients.

Plus, on top of finding an interesting and genuine way to describe your professional background, you must also come across as a subject matter expert.

Regardless, 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 <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/elevator-pitch-examples?_ga=2.12140916.1347173586.1624634524-1823687404.1624634524&hubs_content=blog.hubspot.com%252F&hubs_content-cta=17%2520Best%2520LinkedIn%2520Summary%2520%2526%2520Bio%2520Examples%2520%255B%252B%2520How%2520to%2520Write%2520Your...">elevator pitch </a>.

Access 80+ Professional Bio Templates and Examples for LinkedIn, Speaker Bios, and More.

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 a good LinkedIn summary is crucial for career success. For salespeople, it can be a handy tool for <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/social-selling-linkedin?hubs_content=blog.hubspot.com%252F&hubs_content-cta=17%2520Best%2520LinkedIn%2520Summary%2520%2526%2520Bio%2520Examples%2520%255B%252B%2520How%2520to%2520Write%2520Your...">social selling </a>; 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.

Add 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.

3. You can rank higher in LinkedIn search results.

LinkedIn uses the about section in its algorithm, as well as your <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/how-to-write-an-effective-linkedin-headline?hubs_content=blog.hubspot.com%252F&hubs_content-cta=17%2520Best%2520LinkedIn%2520Summary%2520%2526%2520Bio%2520Examples%2520%255B%252B%2520How%2520to%2520Write%2520Your...">LinkedIn headline </a>, 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?

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

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

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:

<ul><li>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.’ </li><li>Mission : Tell the reader why you do what you do. </li><li>Expertise and Skills : Tell the reader what you’re good at. </li><li>Accomplishments: Show the reader how your expertise delivered results in the past. </li><li>Call to Action : Tell the reader what you want them to do after they’re done reading your summary. </li> </ul>

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

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

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

"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.

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.

"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."

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.

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

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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

“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.

"Reach me at email@address.com 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.”

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.

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.

"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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

<ul><li>“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. </li> </ul>

10 Tips to write great LinkedIn Profile summary

10 Tips To Write A Great LinkedIn Summary

Need A Spectacular LinkedIn Profile?

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