How To Write a Professional Short Bio
How do you feel when you join a new community platform and are asked to fill out another about me section? I don’t know about you, but I always stare at the screen blankly while trying to remember everything about myself and my accomplishments before deciding what might be appropriate to share based on the audience. And, of course, I stress about whether I sound full of myself or am not giving myself enough credit.
If you can relate, you’ll appreciate this blog post! It’s all about the art of creating a professional bio – something I do regularly at Collabry as the senior talent manager.
Using the Collabry standard formula for the perfect bio, I’ve compiled a four-step guide below to help you with your next about me section or stand-alone bio as a business professional.
Your first paragraph should start with an introduction:
Your name, current job title, area of expertise, and the industry your role aligns with is always a great start – bonus points for fitting in the number of years you’ve been at it!
The second paragraph should highlight your professional background:
Summarize what you’re good at, passionate about, or recently excelled at – focus on the most significant roles and places you’ve worked that showcase your expertise and the positive results from the work done.
For an optional paragraph, tell the reader about any higher education achieved:
Which degrees you hold, what you studied, and where. Little to no college experience? That’s okay; instead, consider mentioning certifications, training, or company awards you’ve earned (especially if they pertain to your current role).
In the final paragraph, invite the reader to get to know you on a more personal level:
Wrap up your bio with something like where you grew up, the area you currently reside, life outside of work and the things you enjoy doing in your free time – bonus points here for listing something not a lot of people know about you!
Aim for a length of between 150-250 words in three or four short paragraphs. Additionally, be sure to have someone with an editorial background proofread for you before publishing.
If you ask us at Collabry what makes for a perfect bio; it’s short, sweet, and personable – something that is drafted with more of a warm conversational style to prompt a future client or employer to inquire further about you.
