How to Write a Professional Bio for a Company Website or Online Social Network

With the popularity of social networking sites like LinkedIn and Zoom Info, more and more professionals are finding the need to create a polished and informative bio. Unlike a casually written Facebook or Myspace profile, a bio for a social networking site for professionals should advertise your career accomplishments and reflect well on you and your employer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Take a look at your resume for inspiration. Jot down any notes about your education, background, goals for the future and your proudest accomplishments. Remember to keep your bio focused on your career, rather than your personal life.

2. Create a short outline using your resume and notes to sum up the structure of your bio. In total, your bio should be no more than two paragraphs.

3. Begin writing your fleshed out bio: approach it as an advertisement for you. Keep it clear and concise and use a tone appropriate for your field. For example, if you are an attorney or investment banker, the language in your profile would be more formal than if you worked in a more creative field like marketing or advertising.

4. If necessary, you make choose to ad a photograph of yourself. Your photo should be a professional looking portrait, rather than a candid shot. Or, it is perfectly acceptable to skip this stem altogether.

5. Read your profile aloud to make sure it is free from errors and sounds professional. Nothing looks worse or inspires less confidence from your peers than a typo-ridden profile.