how do you write a professional biography about yourself

“My passion as a guitar maker comes from a life-long obsession with making things. From a young age I have always tried to manipulate objects and materials in order to create something entirely different. I find that working with wood is a way for me to connect with nature. The simple act of shaping wood to make something functional or beautiful brings me endless satisfaction.”

He also lists his accomplishments and awards, adding credibility to his business and building trust among prospective clients.

02. Pei Jung Ho

Artist Pei Jung Ho’s brief professional description on her graphic design website is an effective example of a short bio. She concisely highlights her skills and experience, holding the readers’ attention while sticking to the essential details. Notably, she shows why her approach is unique and how it’s rooted in her cultural heritage, helping her stand out from other artists in the field. As she explains:

“Having been an art student for 12 years, I constantly explore various disciplines to broaden my own artistic pursuits, integrating a fine art background with design studies and illustration. My current areas of interest and exploration are my Taiwanese culture, human-centered design, and branding. I begin projects by thoroughly researching and then developing my ideas through creative thinking.”

03. Amanda Shields Interiors

Professional bio examples: Amanda Shields Interiors

Amanda Shields provides us with another effective bio example on her interior design website. Importantly, she spices up her bio by explaining how home decor aligns with her personal life and why it’s so close to her heart as a mother and entrepreneur:

"After working as a product designer for numerous retailers over the years, and after I had my first child, I decided to take the plunge and start my own home staging business…. Coincidentally, a month later I discovered I was pregnant with my second child. I loved the new challenges I faced as a new entrepreneur and mom and it didn't take long for me to discover that this was my calling…. I felt the need to expand my business and launch Amanda Shields Interiors as its own entity to focus specifically on residential interiors and design."

By placing this content on her website’s About page, she provides potential clients with insights into her expertise and professional experience. She expands upon the choices she made along her career path, strategically making note of her achievements and acquired skills along the way.

Creating a bio for your website

As we’ve noted in the examples above, one of the most strategic places to put your bio is on your website. Whether the goal of your site is to start and promote your business , showcase your design portfolio or display your resume, including a bio gives your audience a glimpse into the person behind your content. It can also kickstart your professional growth . Show the world what you do, how you do it, and why it matters, and people will be drawn to your passion and inspired by your experience.

Rebecca Strehlow

Wix Blog Writer

This Blog was created with Wix Blog

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20 of the Best Professional Bio Examples We've Ever Seen [+ Templates]

Published: October 13, 2022

Your professional bio is not only relevant when applying for jobs, seeking new clients, or networking — it also gives the world a brief snapshot of who you are and your professional ideals.

To help you author one that packs a punch, we’ll teach you how to write a professional bio and leverage professional bio templates with the best professional bio examples we’ve ever seen to draw inspiration from. Skip to one of these sections if you know what you're looking for:

What is a professional bio?

Professional bio templates, how to write a professional bio, best professional bio examples, short bio examples, how to write a short bio, tell us a little about yourself below to gain access today:.

A professional bio or biography is a short overview of your experience. Professional bios usually include details about education, employment, achievements, and relevant skills.

Purpose of Professional Bios

A bio tells an audience who you are, and what you've done, and also hints at what you are capable of doing. It can help potential employers, fans, or customers get a sense of your personality and what you stand for.

That may be hard to achieve without a starting point. Below, we've included professional templates to expedite the process of writing a great resume bio.

When it comes to professional bios, keeping your message honest and to the point is best practice. So how do you go about writing one that will effectively market you and your brand?

This is where a professional bio template comes in. By sticking to a predetermined format, all you have to do to begin is fill in the blanks with your most relevant career information. These bio templates will guide you on where you should place your:

Of course, while there is no one-size-fits-all template for a professional bio, these templates are a quick way to start building out your long or short bio before customizing it to your liking. But before choosing your bio template, there are some key elements to include to make sure yours is effective.

It's important to tailor your professional bio to your goals and the people you want to reach for it to be effective. For example, say you're looking for a job. Your professional bio should give recruiters a peek at your career accomplishments and experience.

But what if you've recently published a book or are applying for a grant? In those situations, you might want to highlight organizations you support or funny anecdotes.

Recent graduates can benefit from a well-written professional bio. It can help you communicate how your life experience makes you a great candidate for the roles you're looking for.

To structure your professional bio so it stays true to these objectives, try out our 80+ downloadable professional bio templates — for both short and long-form bios — to start composing a bio that makes a mark:

editable short professional bio pdf template

Download a free, editable short professional bio template.

free editable long professional bio pdf template

Download a free, editable long professional bio template.

What should a professional bio say?

Your professional bio should be as unique as you are. That said, there are a few items you'll want to include to make sure that your readers get the information they're looking for.

Your bio should include important professional roles and achievements. It's also valuable to add passions, personal interests, and how you bring your values to your work. Finally, your bio should give your readers a chance to get to know you. So, it should reflect your personality.

First-Person Bio vs. Third-Person Bio

While first-person bios are quite common, third-person bios can be more effective in formal situations.

Your decision to write your professional bio in the first or third person depends on whether you’d like to leave a more personable or assertive impression. Both approaches can be effective when you tailor them to your goals and the audience you are writing for.

The most important thing is to be clear and concise and tell your story in a way that connects with your reader.

Writing a First-Person Bio

If you want to build a personal brand, writing in the first person can be a great way to connect with your audience. When you write a first-person bio, use "I" or "me" statements to make yourself relatable and approachable.

Here's one way to write a first-person bio: "I’m a freelance writer specializing in small business content. I’ve worked with companies in a variety of industries, from home care services to fine leather goods." By speaking in the first person here, you take a more personable approach to connecting with a client or brand.

When you write a first-person bio you're telling your story directly to your audience. This shows them that you crafted your bio with your personal experience and opinions.

There are a few things to remember that can make your first-person bio great.

Try not to start every sentence with "I."

Showing instead of telling is a great approach.

For example, check out this short professional bio example below. Instead of saying "I love to write." She says "Writer. Bad but enthusiastic dancer." Instead of talking about writing, she creates a vivid picture and shows her sense of humor.

Remember that you know yourself better than anyone else does.

Adding some back story to your bio can help create a context for the roles and successes you're writing about. This bio from Mark Levy is a great example.

Focus on useful details.

These are quick facts about you that can quickly show someone new who you are and what you stand for.

For example, say you're writing a bio for LinkedIn . You might be into playing Animal Crossing for your home right now, but does that hobby say anything about where you want your career to go?

If you want to focus on video games in the future, this could be the perfect addition. But if your interests lie elsewhere, you might want to include a hobby that's more relevant.

Writing a Third-Person Bio

Using third-person will make your bio sound more authoritative and objective. So, if you’re job searching in a formal industry, applying for grants, or trying to get published, you may want to stick to the third person.

For instance, when you write a third-person bio you may start with "Jasmine Montgomery is a Senior Hiring Manager at L’Oreal based in New York. She recruits across several business units to connect with the brightest talent from around the globe." By only using your name and pronouns to speak about yourself here, you are letting your title and skill set speak for themselves.

These bios create distance between the subject of the bio (you) and the reader, through a third person. This person could be anyone, but they usually speak in a tone that emphasizes their expertise. This means that third-person reviews can sometimes feel aloof or overly formal.

Ideally, your third-person bio should sound friendly but polished, like a message from a close colleague at work. Here are a few more tips on how to write a great third-person bio.

Write from the perspective of someone you know and trust.

It can be tough to write about yourself, so try to see yourself from the perspective of your favorite person at work or a mentor you trust. This can help you write from a position of authority without feeling self-conscious.

Show the reader why they should trust your opinion.

A professional bio often reflects a specific industry or niche. With this in mind, your text should include relevant details that people in the industry would know. At the same time, avoid jargon whenever you can.

Remember you're telling a story.

If you want a third-person bio, but you're used to writing in first-person, it may help to write it the way that's most comfortable for you.

Your professional bio is an important piece of writing, so it's natural for you to edit it carefully. In this case, you may want to edit your writing from both points of view and see which works best for your target audience.

Ready? Here's how to write a professional bio, step by step.

If you’re anything like me, you probably don't think about your professional bio until you’re suddenly asked to "send one over via email." You have approximately one afternoon to come up with it so you scramble together a bio that ends up reading like this:

"Rodney Erickson is a content marketing professional at HubSpot, a CRM platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers. Previously, Rodney worked as a marketing manager for a tech software startup. He graduated with honors from Columbia University with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing."

To be fair, in certain contexts, your professional bio does need to be more formal like Mr. Erickson's up there, but there are also cases where writing a personable and conversational bio can be a good thing. Whether you choose to go the formal or casual route, you should take the following steps to create a strong resume bio.

1. Create an 'About' page for your website or profile.

Before you can publish your professional bio, you need a living space for it. Here are a few to consider (some of these you might already have in place):

As you'll see in the professional bio examples below, the length and tone of your bio will differ depending on which of the above platforms you choose to be on.

Instagram, for example, allows only 150 characters of bio space, whereas you can write virtually as much as you want on your personal website — or even your Facebook Business page. But once created, this bio should represent who you are in the eyes of your audience.

2. Begin writing your bio with your first and last name.

If your readers don't remember anything else about your bio, make sure they remember your name. For that reason, it's a good idea for your first and last name to be the first two words of your professional bio. Even if your name is printed above this bio (hint: it should), this is a rare moment where it's okay to be redundant.

For example, if I were writing my own bio, I might start it like this:

Lindsay Kolowich

Lindsay Kolowich is a Senior Marketing Manager at HubSpot.

3. Mention any associated brand name you might use.

Will your professional bio represent yourself, or a business you work for? Make sure the brand you want to be associated with is mentioned in your bio. If you're a freelancer, perhaps you have a personal business name or pseudonym you advertise to your clients. Here are a few examples:

Maybe you founded your own company, and you want its name to be separate from your real name. Don't be afraid to keep it simple: "Lindsay Kolowich is the founder and CEO of Kolowich Consulting."

4. State your current position and what you do.

Whether you're the author of a novel or a mid-level specialist, use the next few lines of your bio to describe what you do in that position. Don't assume your audience will naturally know what your job title entails.

Make your primary responsibilities known to the reader, helping them paint a picture of who you are during the day and what you have to offer the industry.

5. Include at least one professional accomplishment.

Just as a business touts its client successes in the form of case studies, your professional bio should let your own audience know what you've already achieved. What have you done for yourself — as well as for others — that makes you a valuable player in your industry?

6. Describe your values and how they inform your career.

Why do you do what you do? What might make your contribution to the market different from your colleagues?

Better yet, what values do you and your colleagues share that would make your business a worthwhile investment to others? Start to wrap up your professional bio by simply explaining what gets you up in the morning.

7. Briefly tell your readers who you are outside of work.

Transition from describing your values in work to describing who you are outside of work. This may include:

People like connecting with other people. The more transparent you are about who you are personally, the more likable you'll be to the people reading about who you are as a professional.

8. Consider adding humor or a personal story to add flavor to your professional bio.

End your professional bio on a good note — or, more specifically, a funny note. Leaving your audience with something quirky or uniquely you can ensure they'll leave your website with a pleasant impression of you.

It's important to follow the steps above when writing your bio, but don't obsess over any one section. Remember, the people reading your bio are suffering from information fatigue. If you don't hook 'em in the first line, you'll lose them quickly.

(P.S. Want to give your professional brand a boost? Take one of HubSpot Academy's free certification courses . In just one weekend, you can add a line to your resume and bio that's coveted by over 60,000 marketers.)

Why Good Bios Are Important for a Professional

Alright, I know what you may be thinking ... So what? It's just a bio. I mean, how many people read professional bios, anyway?

The answer: A lot of people. More importantly, though, there's no way to tell exactly who is reading it — and you always want it to be ready for when the right people come across it. And when they do, you want it to catch their eye. In a good way.

You see, while your resume is only useful for when you're actively applying for specific positions, your professional bio is much more visible. It can live on your LinkedIn profile , your company's website, your guest blog posts, your speaker profiles, your Twitter bio , and many other places.

And, most importantly, it's the tool that you can leverage most when you're networking.

Bottom line? People will read your professional bio. Whether they remember it, and whether it makes them care about you, is a matter of how well you present yourself to your intended audience.

So, what does a top-notch professional bio look like?

Below, we've curated some of the best real professional bio examples we've ever seen on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the various websites where you might describe yourself.

Check 'em out, and use them as inspiration when crafting your own.

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie : Author

Bio platform: personal website.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie begins her professional bio with an invitation into her world. In just one sentence, she describes the depth and breadth of her body of work as it has been translated into thirty languages and several publications.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Professional Bio Example

Along with her notable writing career, Chimamanda showcases her speaking career which introduces readers to a well-rounded view of who she is as a professional. From there, her bio seamlessly flows into her recent work and a glimpse into how and where she spends her personal time – the United States and Nigeria.

Finally, Chimamanda’s bio ends with a call to action to read a more detailed biography, giving the reader a choice to read the information available about her life and career.

2. Chime Mmeje : SEO Content Writer

Bio platform: linkedin.

A bio with a hook is sure to keep you reading. Chima Mmeje is a freelance SEO copywriter who’s "extremely good at one thing": helping companies rank for their target keywords.

By leading with a strong hook that aligns with her target audience’s marketing needs, she’s able to keep readers engaged.

In the body of her professional bio, Chima briefly lists her process at a high level, giving her potential clients a bird's-eye view of what they can expect when they book her services.

The simple call to action "Drop a message" in her email inbox is a casual invitation to learn more about her services.

3. DJ Nexus : DJ

Bio platform: facebook.

This New England-based DJ has single-handedly captured the Likes of more than 2,000 people in and beyond Boston, MA. And even if you don't listen to the type of music he produces, it's hard not to listen to his compelling Facebook bio.

For instance, consider his tagline, under "About" — " Quiet during the day. QUITE LOUD at night! " DJ Nexus tells you when he works in an awesome way. I got goosebumps just imagining a dance club he might play his music in.

DJ Nexus links his Facebook account to his personal website , where he has the space to tell the full story of his background. Here's a preview, below:

This is a terrific lesson for professional bios: Customers want to learn about you. Consider how you might also lead your Facebook visitors off your Facebook page and onto your personal website to learn more about who you are.

4. Lena Axelsson : Marriage & Family Therapist

Bio platform: industry website.

When it all comes down to it, your professional bio is no different from any other piece of persuasive copy — no matter where it lives. One of the most common mistakes people make is thinking of it as its own beast, separate from other pieces of writing. If you think about it that way, you're far more likely to write something painfully uninteresting.

When you sit down to write your professional bio and you're watching that cursor blinking on the screen, think about how you would introduce a blog post. You don't just dive right into the meat of the thing, now, do you? No. You start with an introduction.

The best bios are often concise (around 200–300 words), so you don't have a lot of room to play around. But a single sentence that tees your reader up and provides context for the accomplishments that follow could make the rest of your bio that much more persuasive.

Take Lena Axelsson's bio, for instance. She's a marriage and family therapist — a job where empathy and compassion are a big part of the job description. That's why she chooses to open her bio with a great introductory sentence: "When human beings experience trauma or severe life stressors, it is not uncommon for their lives to unravel."

Then, she goes into why she's passionate about her job, how she helps her clients, and how she caters her approach to each patient. The necessary educational information is left for the end after the reader has been hooked.

Your bio doesn't have to be super serious, nor does it have to start with a joke. This bio shows how you can capture your reader's attention by being empathetic and showing how that empathy shapes a valuable professional.

5. Mark Levy : Branding Firm Founder

Mark Levy is a small business owner who's taken a more traditional approach to the professional bio on his website — but in a way that takes care to speak to his intended audience.

What we love about his bio is the way he's set it up: On his business' "About" page, he's listed two biographies, which he's labeled "Mark Levy's Biography #1" and "Mark Levy's Biography #2."

Mark Levy's professional bio in his personal website

Click here to see the full version .

Like Ann, Mark's given his readers two different options. The first biography is a "short version," which includes a combination of bullet points listing his credentials and a few short paragraphs.

The second is the "long version," which is actually even more interesting than the first one. Why? Because it reads like a story — a compelling one, at that. In fact, it gets really funny at parts.

The second sentence of the bio reads: "He was frightened of public school, loved playing baseball and football, ran home to watch ape films on the 4:30 Movie, listened to The Jam and The Buzzcocks, and read magic trick books."

Here's another excerpt from the middle:

A snippet from Mark Levy's full professional bio on his personal website

Of course, the fantastic copywriting isn't a surprise, given that this guy wrote several books. But the conversational tone and entertaining copy let his quirky personality (and great writing skills) shine.

6. Audra Simpson : Political Anthropologist

With a classic take on the professional bio, Audra Simpson crafts a brief overview of her career in just a couple of paragraphs. The "why" behind her work is emphasized in the first half of her bio before transitioning to the way she carries out that work in practice.

The second half of her bio combines her bodies of work and the awards she’s won for each from the year 2014 to 2020. This subtle timeline gives readers a picture of her experience in the field of political anthropology without listing her resume in detail.

Audra’s professional bio is an example for those of us with several years of experience to communicate, but a strict word limit to write within.

7. Marie Mikhail : Professional Recruiter

Marie Mikhail checks off nearly every box for what makes an excellent bio. A professional recruiter, she expresses her "passion for recruiting" upfront, in the first sentence, while using that sentence to hook her profile visitors into a brief story of her background.

Marie Mikhail's professional bio on LinkedIn

But there are a lot of recruiters out there, and Marie knows that. So, to differentiate herself, she closes the first paragraph of her bio by explaining that she likes "getting people excited about the things [she's] excited about." It's a well-put value proposition that sets her apart from the rest of the HR industry.

Marie Mikhail finishes off her bio by including a smooth mixture of professional skills, such as her Spanish fluency; and personal interests, such as podcasting and Star Wars (she mentions the latter with just the right amount of humor).

8. Wonbo Woo : Executive Producer

Wonbo Woo is the executive producer of WIRED's video content, and he has several impressive credits to his name. What does this mean for his professional bio? He has to prioritize. With this in mind, Wonbo opens his bio with the most eye-catching details first (if the image below is hard to read, click it to see the full copy).

Not only does Wonbo's bio start strong, but he also takes readers on a suspenseful journey through some of his most harrowing assignments — where he was when news broke and how he responded. You can see this quality below.

9. Chris Burkard : Freelance Photographer

If you're writing your bio but having trouble figuring out how to showcase your accomplishments without boasting, photographer Burkard's LinkedIn bio is a great example for inspiration.

Written in third-person, his bio tells a fluid story, starting with his ultimate mission — "capture stories that inspire humans to consider their relationship with nature" — before diving into more tangible accolades (giving a TED talk, publishing books, etc.).

Chris Burkard's professional bio on LinkedIn

Best of all, rather than using his bio as an opportunity to brag, he instead ties his talents into how he hopes to help others , writing, "Through social media, Chris strives to share his vision … and inspire [his followers] to explore for themselves."

I wouldn't necessarily be inclined to follow Chris if his bio had simply read "I post beautiful images" … but inspire me to travel? Now that's something I can get behind.

Lastly, he ends on a humble, sweet note, writing "He is happiest with his wife Breanne raising their two sons". Don't be afraid to inject some personal information into your bio — it could help you seem more approachable as a result.

10. Lisa Quine : Creative Consultant

Bio platform: portfolio website.

Although a picture is worth 1,000 words, a portfolio is quite different from a professional bio. While this might present a challenge for creative professionals who specialize in visual art to tell their stories, Lisa Quine quantifies her creativity to give her professional bio balance.

Throughout her bio, you’ll notice the number of murals she’s completed and a brief timeline of her career thus far which helps paint the picture of who she is as a professional.

Lisa’s bio checks the box on nearly all of our recommendations for a great bio. She begins with her full name, her location, and what she does best. From there, she gets creative by appropriately mentioning the brands she’s worked with and highlighting some of her favorite projects. With a third-person approach to the writing, this bio invites the reader behind a metaphorical door to meet Lisa as a professional, traveler, learner, wife, and mother.

11. Nancy Twine : Hair Care Founder

Bio platform: company website.

As Founder and CEO of Briogeo — a popular natural hair care line that's received rave reviews in publications such as Allure and InStyle — there are undoubtedly plenty of accolades Twine could boast about.

But she chooses to start her bio from a humbler place, stating: "Nancy Twine is no newcomer to the beauty-sphere — in fact, she made her first foray into the world of natural product formulation at the ripe age of five."

The rest of her bio similarly focuses on Twine's strengths as someone who's able to take hair care "back to basics". The bio focuses on why Twine made the decision she did to start her company, and what ultimately drives her.

12. Trinity Mouzon : Wellness Brand Founder

I gravitated towards Mouzon's bio from the first sentence: "I'm obsessed with leveling the playing field." Mouzon effectively grips the reader's attention with this introduction and then dives into some of her impressive accomplishments — including a brand that's now sold at Urban Outfitters and Target.

The language used throughout Mouzon's bio is authentic, real, and honest. Consider, for instance, the beginning of the second paragraph, where she admits, "While building a brand may have looked effortless from the outside, starting a business at age 23 with no resources or funding quickly forced me to realize that early-stage entrepreneurship was anything but transparent."

Ultimately, this bio doesn't just focus on Mouzon's (impressive) background — it also highlights how she can help her readers start and scale their businesses.

By focusing on the reader, Mouzon effectively demonstrates the real power of a good bio: the power to convert newcomers into leads and customers.

13. Alberto "Beto" Perez : Co-Founder of Zumba Fitness

As an avid Zumba fan, I was excited to include this one in the list. Perez styles his LinkedIn bio as a short story, starting with his background as a hard-working teen who held three jobs by age 14.

His bio tells the fun and fascinating origin story of Zumba, in which Perez, an aerobics teacher in Florida at the time, forgot his music for class and used a Latin music cassette tape instead ... "And it was an instant hit!"

His bio continues, "Shortly after he was connected to Alberto Periman and Alberto Aghion and Zumba was officially created ... what started as a dream now has 15 million people in more than 200,000 locations in 186 countries who take Zumba classes every week."

What I like best about this bio is Perez's decision to use the space to tell the story of his business, rather than list out his accomplishments. It provides a more real and colorful introduction to Perez and immediately makes him feel both relatable and inspirational.

Learn how to write your professional bio with more free tips, templates, and inspiring examples.

Let's dive into a few examples of short professional bios next.

14. Ann Handley : Writer and Marketer

If you're a marketer, you've likely heard of Ann Handley. Her list of credentials is lengthy, and if she wanted to, she could go on and on and on about her accomplishments.

But when people list out all their accomplishments in their bios, they risk sounding a little egotistical. Sure, you might impress a handful of people with all those laurels, but many people who read your bio will end up feeling either intimidated or annoyed. Think about it: Is that how you want the majority of your readers to feel when they read your bio?

To minimize the egoism that comes with talking about yourself, think about how you can list out your accomplishments without sounding like you're bragging. Ann does this really well, choosing a tone in her bio that's more approachable.

Best of all, Ann chooses to focus on her readers' challenges and motivations, rather than her own. For instance, she writes, "Ann Handley writes and speaks about how businesses can escape marketing mediocrity to achieve tangible results. >And she will inspire you to do work you're proud of. "

Short professional bio examples: Ann Handley

Follow the link and you'll be led to a page dedicated to a fuller bio, which she's divided into two parts: a "short version" (literally a bulleted list of key facts) and a "long version," which includes traditional paragraphs. There's something in there for everyone.

15. Rebecca Bollwitt : Writer

Bio platform: instagram.

Instagram is a notoriously difficult platform on which to write a good bio. Similar to Twitter, you simply don't have room for a professional bio that includes everything about you. And because Instagram is primarily a mobile app, many viewers are reading about you passively on their mobile devices.

Instagram's limited bio space requires you to highlight just your most important qualities, and blogging icon Rebecca Bollwitt does so in her own Instagram bio in an excellent way.

Rebecca's brand name is Miss604 and cleverly uses emojis in her Instagram bio to tell visitors exactly what makes her a valuable content creator. Take a look at the screenshot below:

Short professional bio examples: Rebecca Bollwitt

Starting with a trophy emoji, Miss604 says she's an award-winning blogger. I haven't even looked at her pictures yet and the introduction of her bio has already sucked me in.

The rest of her bio follows suit, breaking up the text with an appropriate emoji and a perfect collection of nouns to tell me who she is as a person. She even links out to her husband's Instagram account after the heart emoji (an adorable addition) and assures her followers that all of her pictures are authentically hers.

Take a lesson from Miss604, and show your personal side. Just because you're branding yourself as a professional doesn't mean you have to take your human being hat off. Often your most personal attributes make for the best professional bio content.

16. Corey Wainwright : Principal Marketing Manager

Bio platform: blog byline.

Corey Wainwright is a Principal Marketing Manager here at HubSpot. She's written content for HubSpot's Marketing Blog for years, and her blog author bio has caught my eye since before I ever started working for HubSpot. (Back then, it started with, "Corey just took a cool vacation.")

What I love most about Corey's bio is that it's a great example of how to deliver information about yourself without taking things too seriously. And in this context, that's totally appropriate.

Despite having several impressive accomplishments under her belt, she simply doesn't like displaying them publicly. So, she prefers making her author bio a little more "light."

Her bio (pictured below) reads, "Corey is a Bruce Springsteen fan who does content marketing, in that order."

Short professional bio examples: Corey Wainwright

It helps that authors' social media accounts are located right below our names and above our pictures. For folks who really do want a list of Corey's credentials, they can click the LinkedIn button to go to her LinkedIn page. (You can read this blog post to learn how to create social media buttons and add them to your website.)

17. Megan Gilmore : Cookbook Author

Bio platform: instagram.

Megan Gilmore is a best-selling cookbook author, and she often posts healthy recipes on her Instagram page to inspire followers' to realize that you don't have to sacrifice taste for the sake of health.

Short professional bio examples: Megan Gilmore

Plus, Gilmore includes a CTA link within her Instagram bio that leads followers to free, ready-to-use recipes. You might be thinking — Why would she do that, since it discourages people from buying her book? But that couldn't be further from the truth.

By giving her followers the chance to try out her recipes, she's slowly turning leads into customers. After I tried a few of her Instagram recipes and loved them, I decided to go ahead and buy her book, knowing I'd like more of what she had to offer.

18. Van Jones : Political Commentator, Author, and Lawyer

Bio platform: twitter.

Someone who’s known for a variety of talents and skills may find it difficult to capture who they are in a professional bio. When limited to just over 100 characters on Twitter, the feat is nearly impossible. But Van Jones effortlessly explains who he is and why it matters to everyone who visits his Twitter profile.

Short professional bio example: Van Jones

He starts his professional bio with a token of personalization and prioritization of his values. By mentioning that he is a dad first, we recognize what’s important to him in his long list of successes.

As we’ve seen in other bios, sharing who we are outside of work makes us more personable and should find its way into your bio, if possible. Van leaves plenty of room to share a variety of professional experiences in his bio including CEO of REFORM and his 2020 Emmy award.

What’s great about Van’s Twitter bio is his ability to link valuable offerings to his readers. He invites us to check out his latest book and has his website reformalliance.com linked at the top.

19. Sarah Haskins : Writer

When in doubt, a few words go a long way.

Consider, for instance, the funny and impactful bio of Sarah Haskins on her Twitter page, which reads: "writer. bad but enthusiastic dancer."

What more do you need to know?

She doesn't take her bio too seriously and uses the space to highlight one serious accomplishment/skill (writer) and one not-so-impressive skill (bad dancer), to demonstrate her sense of humor and realness.

Short professional bio examples: Sarah Haskins

Particularly for a social media account that already restricts word count, consider how you might showcase your uniqueness in just a few words.

20. Bea Dixon : Feminine Care Founder

Bea Dixon, Founder, and CEO of The Honey Pot Company, efficiently uses her space on her Instagram profile to highlight who she is as a well-rounded human — not just a businesswoman.

For instance, while she highlights her Girl boss attitude with a tiara emoji, she equally calls attention to her fashion interests (Free People), her pets Boss and Sadie, and her love for ramen noodles.

Short professional bio examples: Beatrice Dixon

Consider how you might also highlight your interests, hobbies, or passions outside of the 9-to-5. If people are reading your bio, they're interested in getting to know the full you.

If you're posting a bio on a social media account or sending a quick blurb to a client, you want to keep it short and sweet while showcasing your accomplishments.

To get you started, here are the best practices for writing your short professional bio:

Your introduction is your first impression, so always begin by telling people who you are. You may start with a greeting like, "Hello, my name is" or "Hi! Let me first introduce myself …" when sending your bio as a message.

If you’re writing a bio for an online platform, simply stating your name at the beginning works as well, like the way freelancing entrepreneur Alex Fasulo presents themselves in the first person on their website:

Portrait of Alex Fasulo from their short professional biography on their personal website

2. State what you do.

Give people an idea of what you do day-to-day, as well as where you work. Your job title is how the people put you into context and consider whether your profession relates to your audience’s industry. So detail the most relevant work you're involved in your short bio like CEO, professor, and author, Angela Duckworth , specifies on her LinkedIn:

Short professional bio examples: Angela Duckworth

Even if you are a freelancer with a broad focus, you can keep it general yet clearly specify the type of contract work you do. If your specialty is writing, your title could be "Freelance Writer," or if it's Help Desk or Information Technology you may state yourself as a "Freelance IT Specialist."

3. Add key skills or areas of expertise.

Especially, if you're sending a bio to a client or potential employer, make sure to highlight the skills that they will find valuable. For instance, if you’re expertise is in social media marketing and content creation like Ivanka Dekoning , make sure you list these skills concisely:

Short professional bio examples: Ivanka Dekoning

Here Dekoning showcases their experience so potential connections immediately see if they have what they're looking for— and you can show this too.

4. Include a personal mission statement .

What do you hope to achieve through your work? Why do you do what you do? Answering these questions can help give your bio’s mission statement some direction, similar to how Farmer Bea makes their goal to help bees clear to all of their Twitter connections:

Short professional bio examples: Farmer Bea

5. Celebrate your wins.

Your short bio can be a proud showcase of your accomplishments, so add 1 to 2 personal successes you’ve achieved through your skills or mission. For instance, if you’ve received acclaim from industry leaders in your scope like Art Critic Jerry Saltz , your wins may list as something like:

Short professional bio examples: Jerry Saltz

6. Provide your contact information.

People who visit your profile or receive your message will already know your social media account. But to take business off the app, include your email address, website, or any other professional profiles you’d like them to know about. Political Commentator and Sports Correspondent, Angela Rye , shows a great example of this in her short professional bio on Instagram:

Short professional bio examples: Angela Rye

7. Show them your personality.

Don’t be afraid to add a little bit of personal charisma to your short professional bio — because professional doesn’t have to mean plain. Your personality may be best portrayed through:

A joke: "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. At least that’s what I learned when I created…"

A mention of a hobby: "I’ll be honest: for me, tennis is life— Go Nadal!"

A fun fact: "Every year I watch 100 new films! I’m a cinephile and love every movie genre."

Whichever way you choose to get personal, give people a glimpse into who you are as an individual.

When writing a short bio it can be tempting to try and pack in as much relevant information about yourself as possible — but this isn’t the most effective approach. Instead, focus on including the details that you and your audience care about most and leave out the fluff.

Create Your Own Professional Bio

Prim and proper, relaxed, or studded with accomplishments, your bio is a reflection of your best professional self. Your professional bio will often precede your physical presence. Before people meet you for the first time, they’ll probably read your bio.

Whether you’re creating an about page for your website or social media profile, one thing’s for sure, you’ll want to put your best foot forward with a top-notch professional bio.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Create a compelling professional narrative for your summary, bio, or introduction.

How to Write an Online Bio

Which three words would you use to explain your personality to a stranger?

If you could only think of “human with face,” or “professional needs job,” you’ve come to the right place. Learning how to write a bio is not easy; defining yourself in a few words even less so. But never fear—you can do it! Taking a few minutes to think about what you’re about isn’t just a great writing exercise, it’s a clarifying moment of personal development. Here are a few ways you can get started on your professional, website, LinkedIn, or short bio.

Here’s a tip: Want to make sure your writing shines? Grammarly can check your spelling and save you from grammar and punctuation mistakes. It even proofreads your text, so your work is extra polished wherever you write.

Give your writing extra polish Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly

How to write a short bio

When most people think of online bios, they probably can readily name a few common short bio examples first. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest all have space for a short description of who you are and what you do. And you should make the most of the 1-2 lines you’re afforded here. Keep your social media bios short, sweet, and only filled with the most important things a stranger should know about you, such as:

How to write a professional bio

Professional sites like LinkedIn , AngelList, or a speaker bio on an event site all have space for a bio or summary section. For each of these, you’ll probably want to write a mid-length description of both your current role, professional aspirations, and biggest achievements. Professional bios allow you to go into a bit more detail than short social media bios, especially on LinkedIn. It’s generally a good idea to include:

What to include in a bio at work

Writing a bio for your company’s website, HR system, or Slack instance? Be sure to give your coworkers a sense of both your professional expertise—and your personality!

You should include anything you’d include in a professional bio in a bio for your company, but don’t be afraid to personalize it with a few personal details. Have a hobby you love? A favorite book? A professional hero you look up to? Add them to give your coworkers a sense of who you are before they work with you.

What to include in a bio on your website

The “About” section of any personal website can be a slog. A drain. A hassle. You’ve already created a whole website about yourself, so it can be difficult to muster the strength to write that final description of who you are and what you’re about.

But never fear! Your website bio doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs context on who you are and what you’ve done. This is an open, larger space, so you have room to list a few accomplishments and give context on why they’re important. You can also add a short paragraph about who you are outside of your nine-to-five. For this type of bio, you may also want to include a contact form or email, to help prospective clients, employers, or collaborators get in touch. If you do, be sure to include a clear call-to-action for your reader to contact you.

A bio template to use and customize

Even after you understand different types of bios, it can be difficult to get started. The words may not be flowing, you might not fully understand how your professional bio will be used, or you might just be stuck. Never fear! Here’s a bio recipe you can use across most sites.

4 quick tips on writing a bio

Even with all of this information on how to write a bio, it might still be difficult to write about yourself. Even for the most confident person, self-promotion can be exhausting. But never fear! There are a few ways you can keep your “about me” writing on point—without pulling your hair out.

Tip #1: Don’t overthink it

Bios are usually formulaic—and that’s OK! For most professional bios, LinkedIn summaries, and speaker bios at events, you won’t need to stray from the norm too much to stand out. Even adding an adjective that shows your personality or an unusual accomplishment can make your bio different from the crowd. You don’t need to create the next Between The World And Me to write a killer bio.

Tip #2: Remember your worth

Writing a bio on a site like Twitter, Instagram , or LinkedIn can be daunting because there are already so many fantastic bios (and people!) out there. But don’t fall prey to bio comparison. Your story is only yours to tell, and it has value. Focus on staying authentic to your truth, and don’t worry about others’.

Tip #3: When in doubt, borrow

Bios can be repetitive, sometimes even tedious. So if you find a structure you like and think sounds unique, borrow it! You should never copy a person’s bio—after all, it’s their story, not yours—but you can mimic the structure if you’re feeling stuck.

Tip #4: Get writing help

You’re not alone in your quest to create a bio that stands out. Grammarly is here to help you choose powerful adjectives , clean up hedging language , and make your bio stand out.

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6 short professional bios and how to write one yourself

Short professional bios can be just as effective as long ones that detail your accomplishments. Whether you need to work within Twitter’s character count or you’re making career moves on LinkedIn, a well-written short professional bio gives you the chance to make an excellent first impression. Here’s how to turn this brief text into a powerful introduction to your greatest strengths and accomplishments.

Short professional bio template

To help you get started, here’s a third-person short professional bio template you can use:

“[Your name] is a [professional title] at [current employer] with [length of experience] helping [target audience] with [audience’s problems] . Specializing in [area of expertise] , [first name] uses that experience to [describe most important aspects of the job] .

By focusing on [branding statement about what matters professionally] , [first name] has been able to put the [degree(s)] they earned at [college or university attended] to good use. Over the years, [first name’s or pronoun] strengths at [employer or project] has garnered some recognition for/by [major accomplishments] . [First name] may spend their days at [employer or employer location] , but it’s the [one or two aspects of the job that they’re passionate about] that gets them up in the morning.

When they’re not at [employer] , [first name] is an avid [hobby] and loves spending time [another hobby or interest] .”

Example of a professional bio

Jerry Smith is a race car driver at Hendrick Motorsports with five years’ experience making speedy turns for several hours, helping his thousands of fans to fulfill their entertainment needs. Specializing in left turns and safely overtaking his opponents in the pursuit of a checkered flag, Jerry uses that expertise to never come in last.

By focusing on making sure Hendrick Motorsports ends up in the winner’s circle at every race, Jerry has been able to put the racing certifications he earned at driver’s school to good use. Over the years, his strengths at Hendrick Motorsports have garnered some recognition for winning several races each year. Jerry may spend his days at the racetrack, but it’s the thrill of the race and the glory of coming in first that gets him up in the morning.

When he’s not behind the wheel, Jerry is an avid fisherman and loves spending time in the great outdoors.

What should be included in your bio?

Now that you know how effective a short bio can be, you’re getting closer to putting the proverbial pen to paper and letting the world know more about you. Before you get started on your bio, it’s important that you consider each element you want to mention in it. A correct representation of your professional work experience, especially if it's narrow and global at the same time such as bringing technical innovations to the market, proving new hypotheses in science or just digitization of processes in the healthcare industry may become ace up your sleeve. A good professional bio should include the following bits of information, regardless of your writing style or your goals:

- Start with who you are and what you do. The basics of a bio include your name and a brief summary of your professional endeavors and goals.

- Describe what you’re currently doing. Include quantifiable information that can show how effective you are in your most recent position.

- Share a couple of professional triumphs. If you’ve enjoyed a level of professional excellence that resulted in special recognition, share those results. This is your moment to showcase two or three key moments in your career, such as awards, special recognition, or significant accomplishments. Approach this like you would a cover letter for a job application.

- Create a branding statement . Consider your values as a professional and take some space to outline them. Think of this as an easy way to help people quickly determine what matters to you.

- Include some personal details that showcase your personality. At the end of the day, your career doesn’t completely define you. Feel free to include interests and hobbies in your bio to make you more relatable.

- Mention how to reach you. Add social media links or an email address to your bio. This one is more optional and context-dependent, but a smart idea nonetheless.

5 steps to write a professional bio

With all that in mind, here are the five steps you should take when writing your professional bio:

1. Identify the bio’s purpose and gather information. Good news — if you followed along in the previous section, then you’ve already arrived at this step. Knowing why you’re writing the bio, who you expect to read it, and how you want to present yourself to that reader is important to the bio writing process.

2. Choose either a first- or third-person perspective. Do you want to use first-person “I” and “me” language, or do you want to talk about yourself in the third person? Third person sounds as though someone else wrote your bio for you, giving it an air of objectivity. However, if you’re posting this on your own portfolio page and the rest of your content is written in first person, then you may want to stick with that style for consistency.

3. Write for the platform. Depending on where you’re posting this bio, you may have a short character limit or as much digital real estate as you want. A Twitter bio will naturally be much shorter than your website. Consider writing bios of different lengths to fit each situation.

4. Begin writing. Your bio should contain everything you collected earlier. It should start with a broad overview of who you are and what you do before ultimately diving into your background and what makes you unique. Have fun with it, but remain professional. Be thorough, but don’t overstay your welcome.

5. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Before posting your professional bio online, walk away from the finished product and then return to it with fresh eyes. Reread it and make edits. When you’re good with your edits, share your bio with a friend you trust to look it over. Once this process is complete, your short professional bio is ready for prime time.

Real life bio examples

While the professional bio template and example provided above can serve as a good starting point for your own bio, it may help to check out some bios from successful individuals in their fields. Here are six excellent examples of what makes a good professional bio.

The bio : Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple and serves on its board of directors.

Before being named CEO in August 2011, Tim was Apple’s chief operating officer and was responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Prior to joining Apple, Tim was vice president of Corporate Materials for Compaq and was responsible for procuring and managing all of Compaq’s product inventory.

Previous to his work at Compaq, Tim was the chief operating officer of the Reseller Division at Intelligent Electronics.

Tim also spent 12 years with IBM, most recently as director of North American Fulfillment where he led manufacturing and distribution functions for IBM’s Personal Computer Company in North and Latin America.

Tim earned an MBA from Duke University, where he was a Fuqua Scholar, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University.

Why it’s good: Featured on a corporate about page and focused on one of the most important people in tech, Tim Cook’s professional bio speaks directly to his impressive professional history. This bio is a great example for someone with significant experience in their field.

Richard Branson

The bio : Founder of the Virgin Group, which has gone on to grow successful businesses in sectors including mobile telephony, travel and transportation, financial services, leisure and entertainment and health and wellness. Virgin is a leading international investment group and one of the world's most recognised and respected brands. Since starting youth culture magazine “Student” at aged 16, I have tried to find entrepreneurial ways to drive positive change in the world. In 2004 we established Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, which unites people and entrepreneurial ideas to create opportunities for a better world. Most of my time is now spent building businesses that will make a positive difference in the world and working with Virgin Unite and organisations it has incubated, such as The Elders, The Carbon War Room, The B Team and Ocean Unite. I also serve on the Global Commission on Drug Policy and supports ocean conservation with the Ocean Elders. I'm a tie-loathing adventurer, philanthropist and troublemaker, who believes in turning ideas into reality. Otherwise known as Dr Yes!

Why it’s good: Richard Branson’s LinkedIn professional bio just exudes his personality. Seen as an eccentric billionaire with a penchant for space travel, the Virgin Group founder meshes his professional accomplishments with the many value-driven, philanthropic passion projects he’s undertaken over the years.

Ann Handley

The bio : Ann Handley is a writer, digital marketing pioneer, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author who inspires and empowers you to create marketing that your customers will love, igniting real results for your business.

Ann Handley writes and speaks about how businesses can escape marketing mediocrity to achieve tangible results.

And she will inspire you to do work you’re proud of.

Why it’s good: Marketing guru Ann Handley's profile is short, sweet, and to the point. Perfect for most venues, such as the personal website this is posted on, Handley's bio explains what her strengths are and how she can best help you and your business.

Joaquin Duato

The bio : Joaquin Duato is the Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson and serves on its Board of Directors. As CEO of the world’s largest healthcare company, Joaquin leads a global workforce of 135,000 employees in developing and delivering transformational and innovative healthcare solutions in Pharmaceuticals, MedTech, and Consumer Health.

From his early days in Spain, Joaquin found inspiration by focusing on how healthcare improved patients’ lives. Over the course of three decades with the company, he developed a deep understanding of what’s possible at Johnson & Johnson by working in all business sectors and across multiple geographies and functions. Before being named CEO, Joaquin served as the Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee, where he provided strategic direction for the Pharmaceutical and Consumer Health sectors and oversaw both Information Technology and the Global Supply Chain.

Joaquin’s many accomplishments include driving the transformation of the company’s pharmaceutical business into a global powerhouse by refocusing strategy and investment around core therapeutic areas and areas of greatest unmet need during his tenure as the sector’s Worldwide Chairman. More recently, he oversaw the company’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic and drove coordination of global initiatives to safeguard the health of employees and ensure business and supply chain continuity, so the company’s life-saving medicines and products reached patients and communities in need.

A believer in the power of technology to accelerate progress in healthcare, Joaquin is leading Johnson & Johnson to harness data science and intelligent automation for insight generation so that teams work as a united front, with expertise and purpose, to solve the world’s toughest health challenges.

A dual citizen of Spain and the United States, Joaquin’s international perspective gives him a deep appreciation of diversity in all its forms. He is committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the patients J&J serves, evidenced by nearly a decade acting as Executive Sponsor for the African Ancestry Leadership Council ERG.

Joaquin earned an MBA from ESADE in Barcelona, Spain, and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two college-aged children.

Why it’s good: Joaquin Duato, an executive at pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, shares an extensive profile. Not only does this corporate professional bio outline his impressive career, but the long-form entry backs up his status as someone at the top of his game by listing past accomplishments.

Anne T. Madden

The bio : Anne T. Madden is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Honeywell.

She is responsible for managing legal affairs, Government Relations, health, safety, environment, product stewardship and environmental sustainability. Anne is also responsible for Honeywell’s global M&A efforts.

Prior to taking this role in 2017, Anne was Vice President, Corporate Development and Global Head of M&A, leading acquisition and divestiture activities for 16 years. During her tenure, Honeywell made around 100 acquisitions, representing approximately $15 billion in revenues and divested about 70 businesses, representing close to $9 billion of non-core revenues.

Anne joined Honeywell’s predecessor AlliedSignal in 1996 as General Counsel of Fluorine Products. Later that year she became Vice President and General Counsel of Specialty Chemicals and then Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT).

Prior to that, Anne worked at Shearman & Sterling and KPMG Peat Marwick.

Anne earned an A.B. in English and American literature from Brown University, an M.S. in accounting and MBA in finance from the NYU Stern School of Business, and a J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law, where she was Managing Editor of the Law Review.

Why it’s good: Anne Madden's corporate bio is shorter than Joaquin Duato's, but it still manages to detail her career's trajectory in a comprehensive way. Additionally, it offers quantifiable data to show how proficient she is in her field.

Ethan Klei n

The bio : Host of @TheH3Podcast

(Podcast Booking Inquiries: [email protected]) (Business Inquiries: [email protected])

Why it’s good: Not all professional bios need to be lengthy descriptions of a person's career, passions, and hobbies. Ethan Klein's Twitter bio not only highlights his current role as the host of the H3H3 Podcast, but also provides potential connections and partners with ways to get in touch. It gets straight to the point in a way that’s atypical for most professional bios, but it certainly meets the definition for short without missing any key information.

Why do you need a professional bio?

Think of a professional bio as the narrative of your career up to this point. Rather than focusing exclusively on chronological minutiae like a resume, a good bio will give you the ability to focus on your “greatest hits” in a way that also showcases your personality. Here are some of the benefits of having a professional bio of your own:

- Serves as a preemptive icebreaker. If you’re regularly meeting new people at work or attending networking events (check out Namecheap’s how-to video on networking ), a professional bio lets everyone know who you are beforehand. This is particularly helpful for conferences and industry events.

- Easily conveys your personality. While most professional writing requires some rigidity for professionalism’s sake, your bio can and should speak to who you are as a person.

- Gives you a chance to brag. You worked hard to get awards, receive honors, and achieve professional milestones, so flaunt them if you have them!

- Explains who you serve as a professional. If you have a niche you cater to, your bio can quickly and easily explain the areas of focus that mold your professional life.

- Showcases what you do aside from work. There’s more to life than work, so use your bio to show how well-rounded you are by sharing the hobbies or volunteer work that shape your life outside the office.

- Works as your own sales pitch. If written properly, your professional bio will make you more attractive to potential employers and clients by highlighting exactly what makes you a unique and worthwhile addition to any team or project.

Get started on your bio

Anyone can write their own professional bio. Whether you’re looking to book additional side gigs, trying to promote past work, or currently seeking full-time employment, crafting the right professional bio for your needs can give you a leg up in achieving your goals. Through the use of tools like Namecheap Site Maker , you can put together a personal or professional site that highlights your work and showcases who you are as a person by broadcasting your bio to the internet. Likewise, if you’re looking for tips on a crafting professional bio for networking purposes, you may want to check out Namecheap’s business card maker , which can help you make a great first impression with a well-designed calling card.

Ready to get your name out there and build your professional brand? It’s time to write your professional bio and use Namecheap as your source for a website and professional identity.

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How To Write A Short Bio That Gets Noticed (With Templates + Examples)

What Is a Short Bio?

How to write a short bio, what to include in a short professional bio, short bio examples, short bio templates, tips for writing a short bio, writing a short bio faq.

Summary. To write a short bio you should first make an initial introduction introducing yourself in the first or first person. Your short bio should include your brand, your accomplishments, and your values and goals. Your short bio should be one to three short paragraphs or four to eight sentences long.

Knowing how to write a concise, informative, and interesting biography about yourself can help throughout various parts of the professional process. You can use your bio to capture the attention of potential employers or clients and convince them to choose to employ or work with you.

In this article, you’ll learn more about what goes into a short bio and how to write one, and you’ll also get to see some short bio templates and examples to help you get an idea of what yours should look like.

Key Takeaways

A short bio serves to introduce you, your achievements, and what you offer professionally to potential employers or clients.

It’s important to keep your bio brief so that readers stay engaged and will remember your main points.

You may need to adjust your bio for different audiences, as your clients may want to know different information than a recruiter would.

Talk about your skills and accomplishments in your bio, but don’t exaggerate them.

A short bio serves as your introduction to the professional world. In terms of finding or expanding on your job, a bio will cover your:

Work history

Achievements

Any other relevant professional information

Think of it as a professional memoir that a hiring manager or consumer can read and understand quickly. It’s usually about one to three paragraphs depending on experience.

There’s an emphasis on being succinct when it comes to writing a professional bio. This is because a bio is supposed to be a preface to attract recruiter attention and incline them to reach out for more information. Many readers will get lost or bored with a lengthy bio.

Using a short bio can be helpful across very different industries, from marketing to accounting, from psychiatry to sales.

You’re probably familiar with providing short bios on social media websites and applications. While the information and skills you include in a professional bio may differ, the general formatting is similar.

There’s a lot of considerations to take into account when writing a short bio, and it can quickly become intimidating. Deciding what information is relevant and how to keep it near 140 characters is no small task.

If you’re having difficulty writing a short bio, follow the outline below to craft an introduction that engages your reader.

Make an initial introduction. You can’t jump right into everything you’ve done and what you want to do in the future before introducing yourself.

Your bio’s first sentence should begin with your full name in the third person or introduce yourself in the first person and continue to briefly outline your most notable skills and accomplishments. It’s a good place to state your current job and employer.

Go deeper with what motivates you. Once you’ve catchily illustrated who you are in your short bio, you can use the second sentence to describe your motivations for your work.

Stating what drives you to do the work you do is essential to employers and customers alike. Whether you work as a physician or fitness consultant , there’s a reason why this is your profession, and you should explain that in your short professional bio.

Describe your accomplishments. Your short bio is for detailing why you’re the ideal candidate to be trusted with handling an employer or consumer’s business. By describing your prior accomplishments, you let them know what you could offer as an employee and how you’ve succeeded in the past.

While you should avoid sounding braggy, the reader is looking for information about what your qualifications are , and your accomplishments generally measure these qualities.

Even though you could probably go on for ages about the details of your accomplishments, save that for an interview . In a short bio, only include the most impressive of your achievements to outline.

Accomplishments relevant to a short bio could include:

Impressive results on a project

Former promotions

Awards received in your field

Certifications received

Include contact information. The purpose of a short bio as either a business or a job seeker is to inspire the reader to reach out. Without contact information, this pursuit becomes futile. Make sure your short bio has some way to contact you at the end.

Relevant contact information may include:

Phone number

Professional networking profile

A short professional bio includes:

Your full name. You can choose to write your bio in the first person (I, me, my) or third person (he, she, they), but either way, you need to include your full name at some point. Branding doesn’t work so well without a brand name (i.e., you!)

Your brand. Of course, if you have an actual brand that you’re trying to market, you should include the brand name as well.

What you do. Summarize what you want the reader to know about what you do in one sentence — tricky, we know.

Your accomplishments. For a short bio, you can stick with just one major accomplishment from your professional life. Or, if you have a string of impressive achievements, try condensing all of them down to one sentence.

Your goals and values. Let the reader know what makes you tick — why do you do what you do and what do you hope to achieve with your work? People are compelled by a story more than anything else, so it’s important to get this part right.

Something personal (optional). If you have a quirky tidbit about yourself you’d like to include, go for it. Just make sure it doesn’t throw off te the tone of the rest of your bio.

Contact info (optional). If your bio is serving as a call-to-action to drum up business or get leads on job opportunities, it makes sense to include your contact information at the end of your bio. It’s not necessary if that information is available elsewhere on the page , though.

Entry-Level Job-Seeker Bio Example

Mitchell Morrison is an upcoming video producer and editor who believes in the art of visual organization. He is a recent graduate from the University of Washington and focused on post-production during his time studying there. He was introduced to the magical world of visual art production by watching his father work on editing commercials growing up and has been working towards his dream of becoming a video editor ever since. During his last year of college, Mitchell participated in a competitive internship with Digital Space Films. He was chosen out of 2,000 applicants based on his academic portfolio and personal statement essay. This internship was an incredible learning experience and resulted in three professional accreditations for music video editing. Mitchell currently lives in Seattle, Washington pursuing freelance opportunities and spending time with his Dog, Pikachu. To get into contact with Mitchell: MitchellMorrisonVideo.com/contact

Working Professional Website Bio Example

Lisa Kennedy is an experienced real estate professional. She knows how important a home is for long-term happiness and has invested her career in putting people in the house they’ve always dreamed of. Lisa was driven to pursue real estate from her passion for helping people during life-altering times, and a keen interest in high-end, luxury homes. She’s been working in the real estate industry for ten years and in that time has assisted over 3,500 people in finding homes. She was educated at the University of Los Angeles with a bachelor’s in business management. She’s worked for some of the most respectable Real Estate companies in Los Angeles and individually under her agency “Kennedy Homes.” Lisa has also been published in Real Estate Quarterly Magazine as the 2017 winner of the “Top Luxury Home Seller” award. Lisa loves the culture of Los Angeles and has been living there with her family of five since she graduated from college. She enjoys spending her free time exploring towns along the West Coast and swimming. If you’d like to get in touch with Lisa: Email: [email protected]

Professional Networking Profile Bio Example

Bianca Jones Marketing Manager Miami, FL The first step towards customer satisfaction is being reached by stellar product marketing, and that’s what I aim to provide. My professional experience as a product marketing manager has allowed me to assist many organizations in improving their sales margins and audience response to emerging products. I’ve brought dedication and positive results to the companies I’ve worked for because I am passionate about product perception, marketing, and business statistics. What drives a product to success interests and inspires me. I specialize in long-term growth strategies and audience outreach. In addition to eight years of experience in professional product marketing, I have also published two books on creating a career as a marketer called “What to Do After Your Bachelor’s” and “A Marketer’s How-To.” If you’re interested in learning more about how to market your business better, or just discuss more, feel free to contact me by email at [email protected]

Your first choice is whether you want your bio to be written in the third person or first person. These short bio templates show both options, and also include different ideas for what to include, and how. Feel free to pick and choose your favorite parts of each of the two.

[Full Name] is a [job title] who [believes/knows] in the power of [what you do]. [He/She/They] began their journey in [field] by [how you got started in the field], and now dreams of [what you hope to accomplish]. [His/Her/Their] biggest accomplishment to date has been [your biggest accomplishment]. [Full Name] lives in [where you live] and participates in [a hobby/interest]. To get in touch with [Full Name], call/email/message me on [how you’d like to be contacted].

I am a [job title] who helps [who you help] [what you help them do]. It’s my belief that [your unique perspective on the field]. In the past [# of years] years, I’ve [major accomplishment #1] through [how you accomplished it]. I have a passion for [your professional passion], but on the side, I also enjoy [personal passion]. Get in touch with me today at [contact info] — I look forward to talking with you about [what you want to talk to your readers about].

You have a firm grasp of the structure of a short bio and what to include. Now, you may need some tips for how to polish your short professional bio and make it stand out from the competition.

Be mindful of length. While you’re probably getting sick of hearing that your bio should be short, it’s good to keep in mind throughout the writing process. It’s easy to go off on a tangent while trying to include everything relevant or rationalize, making your bio too long.

Avoid this impulse. The point of a bio is that it’s limited. You want to intrigue the reader enough to inspire them to seek more information about you or your services.

Tailor your bio to your intended audience. Whether you’re using a short bio to attract a particular customer base or potential employer, tailoring it to fit their wants and needs is crucial. Consider your intended audience base and what they’re looking for in a candidate or service.

Be genuine. Your short bio should be an authentic representation of your traits, experience, and personality. People are repelled by what they interpret as stretching the truth. If you’re being received as disingenuous by the reader, they’ll probably move on.

Proofread. The only way to steer clear of errors in your short bio is by proofreading it. Imagine a hiring manager being completely interested in your bio.

They love what you have to say about yourself and find your prior experience enticing. That is, until they come across a mistake that clearly shows you didn’t do proofread or edit.

Include links to your portfolio, website, or networking profile. One way to circumvent the confining factor of keeping your bio short is by including links to more detailed sources.

This can be in the form of linking your portfolio or website to allow the reader to go deeper into your discussed skills if they please, without taking up more space in your bio.

Implement these links seamlessly into your bio by attaching them to anchor words that describe what clicking will lead them to.

Add some personality. You aren’t the only person who has an impressive list of accomplishments to put on a bio, so you’re going to need to find some additional ways to make an impression.

What should a short bio include?

A short bio should include your name, what you do, and your achievements. You should also include your company or product’s brand, if you have one, and your goals and motivations for doing what you do. This humanizes you and helps you stand out from the rest of the pack.

How long is a short bio?

A short bio is typically one to three paragraphs long. These should be short paragraphs though, as other experts say that between four and eight sentences is the ideal length for a short bio.

What makes a good bio?

A good bio is succinct and memorable. Readers don’t want to spend long reading about your professional and personal life, so go back and cut it down to the important parts multiple times after you draft it. You might be surprised at how little you actually need to include.

What should you avoid putting in a short bio?

You should avoid including anything negative or arrogate. It’s never a good idea to write anything negative about previous jobs or employers. Only include positive things in your professional short bio.

It’s important to include your achievements in a short bio, but there is a fine line between mentioning your achievements and bragging about them. Stick to the facts when talking about your accomplishments.

Fremont University – Building Your Professional Bio

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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A detailed description of an individual's life, professional background, education history, achievements, and skill set

What is a Bio?

A bio is a detailed description of someone’s life, professional background, education history, achievements, and skill set. Unlike a curriculum vitae , a bio presents a person’s life by highlighting important aspects such as their unique skill set, details of their professional experience, notable projects they are involved in, and an analysis of their personality.

The bio should be authoritative, and it should reflect a person’s level of professional experience and achievements. The information should be written in the third person instead of the first person so that it is useful to the intended audience.

A bio can range from a few words to a page, depending on the intended purpose. For example, when you are scheduled to speak at a professional conference, the event organizer may request a short bio that can range from a few words to a paragraph. It acts as a reference when you are being introduced to the audience.

A bio can also range from a single paragraph to a page – especially in professional social networking sites, such as LinkedIn . LinkedIn allows professionals to include as much information in their bio so that it captures all of their professional attributes, such as an introduction of who they are, professional credentials, work experience, list of projects they’ve been involved in, and their professional goals.

How to Write a Professional Bio

A professional bio serves as an opportunity for a person to showcase their professional background, competencies , aspirations, and areas of expertise. Professional bios are more detailed than social media bios, which allow users to write a short description of who they are and what they do in one to two lines.

Follow the steps below to write an impactful professional bio:

1. Know your audience

Before writing your bio, you should identify the target audience and the purpose of the bio. The bio serves as the first point of contact with your audience, and you should use it to let the audience know who you are, your competencies, and what you do.

Depending on the target audience, the bio can be formal, personalized, or funny. For example, a bio for a college application should be formal since the intended audience is formal. In contrast, a social media bio can be funny and personal.

2. Write in the third person

When written in the third person, the bio appears objective since it is written from a third-person point of view. The third person is required in a formal setting when you do not need to use a personal tone.

For example, a bio written in the third person should be written as “Smith is a credit analyst in New York” rather than “I am a credit analyst in New York.” Personal bios for an online profile can be written in the first person to create a more personalized tone.

3. Mention your first and last name

When writing a bio, you should assume that the audience does not know anything about you. Your first and last name should be the first two words of the bio to allow your audience to easily identify and associate with you. Mention your preferred official names but avoid nicknames and unofficial names. For example, the names should be indicated as follows:

John Smith – John Smith is a senior credit analyst at ABC Bank in New York.

4. State your current position

The bio should provide information about your current position, whether you are employed or if you are the CEO of your company. You should mention the primary responsibilities associated with your current position.

Also, mention your current employer to help paint a picture of your industry experience. If you are currently out of work, list your previous position with your former employer or your current area of expertise.

5. State at least one professional accomplishment

If you’ve earned awards or professional achievements that are relevant to your field, indicate them in the bio. It lets your audience know your achievements and your impact on other people in the industry. An example of a professional accomplishment can be indicated in the bio as follows:

Smith won the prestigious award for innovation for his monthly column in the Insider Times Magazine.

6. Decide whether to include personal details

When writing a professional bio, it is not mandatory to include personal details, such as hobbies, personal history, favorite TV shows, and unique interests. However, including personal details can help paint you as a well-rounded person and will more likely allow your audience to establish a more personal connection with you. Don’t include personal details that are potentially embarrassing to you or your audience. An example of personal details is as follows:

During the weekends, Smith spends his time tending to his garden or hiking with his wife and two daughters.

Bio Example

John Smith is a senior credit analyst at ABC Bank with over a decade of experience in risk analysis for banks and other lending institutions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the State University of California. Smith is credited with creating a unit in ABC Bank to counteract cyber fraud in the credit department.

He is the organizer of the Annual Credit Risk Trends conference in New York, which brings together professionals from across the United States to discuss credit risk analysis, using technology to manage risk, and how banks can better position themselves to deal with emerging credit risk issues.

At work, Smith developed an internal stress management guide to help employees manage stress and work pressure effectively. During the weekend, he likes to go hunting with his dog Bingo or preparing grilled delicacies in his backyard.

How to Nail your next Technical Interview

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How to Write the Best Personal Bio - With Examples

A crucial thing that most people do not pay enough attention to while applying to jobs is their ' personal bio' . Perhaps, the limited availability of time and a general lack of awareness about the importance of personal bios has ended with candidates creating dry and boring personal bios that fail to add adequate value.

In order to crack tough technical interviews at FAANg companies, aside from extensive preparation, creating and presenting the best personal bio is of supreme significance.

This article will take you through what the ideal personal bio looks like and how to create the best personal bio to amplify your chances of making a great impression and landing your dream job.

Here's what this article will cover:

What is a personal bio, significance of a personal bio, how to write a personal bio, how to make your personal bio noticeable, components of a personal bio, tips for writing a personal bio.

Example of personal bios

A personal bio refers to a short introduction that provides a concise summary of all your credentials and achievements. It lists out your professional history and educational qualifications in detail.

Think of it as an efficient marketing tool that portrays what makes you who you are. Unlike a resume, a personal bio also gives the other person an idea of the set of values that you hold and gives them a whiff of your personality.

Where are personal bios required?

You could require writing a personal biography for the following reasons-

A personal bio provides a digital introduction of an individual. It is an opportunity to highlight one’s competence, experience, and other achievements in a few lines. The bio is important not only for listing out your achievements but also to make the reader care about you.

You can pick any suitable tone for the bio depending on the role you're applying to. It can be funny, personal, formal, or conversational, depending on the target audience.

The advantage of a personal professional bio is that it goes beyond just job applications. It also helps with networking and promotion. This is a branding opportunity that helps display your unique personality to the whole world in a limited number of words.

The purpose of the bio is to grasp the attention of the reader and draw them towards your profile. This is why you need to make it extremely concise and informative.

Writing a personal biography can be challenging. Following a standardized template such as the one provided below will help you create the ideal personal bio effortlessly.

Refrain from making it a listicle of your achievements but rather create an interesting story using those. You can also include details about what inspires you in life or any other relevant anecdotes.

Just writing a personal bio is not enough; you need to ensure that it is able to reach the right people and has the power to appeal to them. You can refer to various short personal bio examples to find out ways in which you can make the bio more interesting and noticeable. Here are a few features that will make your bio catch the attention of its readers-

While you are writing a short bio on yourself, you need to make sure that it contains all the essential components. A standard bio needs to have the following information-

All the personal biography examples that you come across will have the following things in common.

Will Roberts brings together online brands to the right target audience and provides the perfect marketing experience. A graduate from the University of California, Roberts believes that the perfect balance of classical marketing strategies and modern techniques yield the best results. Will recently participated in a research study that analyzed the trends of customer conversion in the online marketplace. He aspires to work in a leading digital marketing company in the future.

Connect with Will:

Email: [email protected]

Networking site: w.roberts

Personal bio sample for a teacher

Kelly Wilson believes that motivated children are the future of this world. She has been teaching at the Edinson Public School for the past 19 years. She has spent years teaching children of all grades and finds extreme joy in sharing stories and listening to little anecdotes from her students’ lives. She majored in English at the University of Virginia and was awarded her National Board Certification in 2004. Kelly has also completed her Master of Education degree and aspires to continue sharing her knowledge and stories with her dear students.

Connect with Kelly at [email protected]

3. Personal bio for a marketing professional

Ryan Davis is a Brand and Marketing Strategist who works towards the upliftment of several personal and professional brands. Ryan holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Texas. He understands that the only way a brand can succeed is by truly connecting with the people. Ryan has worked with esteemed companies such as CNN and Edelman. The extensive PR and marketing experience that Ryan possesses makes him a highly known name in the industry. Ryan is also a certified business coach who likes to spend his Time telling people about business basics.

Connect with Ryan at [email protected]

Browse some of his previous works here <link>

4. Personal bio sample for a writer

Joe Tucker published his first book ‘ Time,’ when he was 20. He has since then been involved in writing columns for various newspapers and magazines. Joe graduated from Columbia University and took up writing as a career to be able to bring the world together with the power of his words. He is currently working on a non-fiction novel that speaks about his life experiences. His works have been critically acclaimed, and he was awarded the National Prize for Arts in the year 2019.

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How to Write a Professional Bio

Follow these guidelines and examples for a professional bio that stands out to hiring managers.

How to Write a Bio

Are you trying to get noticed by clients or hiring managers ? A professional bio can help you stand out from the crowd by showcasing a bit about who you are and what you strive for in your work. However, writing a professional biography is easier said than done. It can feel awkward to write about yourself and express your worth fluently, so here are a few tips to help you get the process started.

Here are some essential elements in any professional bio:

Vintage toned image of a young man working at home, freelancer, designer or writer, checking e-mails or typing on the laptop. Only natural light used, higher iso settings. Interior looks like a modern office, home or a co-working space.

(Getty Images)

The Step-by-Step Guide to Career Success

You can post your professional bio on your personal website, your personal blog, your company's website, your professional portfolio, your LinkedIn "about" section, your Facebook business page and on other social media pages such as Instagram. While the length of your bio will vary depending on where you are wanting to publish it, using that outline of elements will help you create a complete bio.

For example, if you post your bio in your "about” section on LinkedIn, you are limited to about 2,000 characters; your own website could include a lengthier bio on its own page. A short professional bio would work best on your social media pages; consider including your professional title and branding statement.

How to Start a Biography

You may know who you are professionally, but it can be hard to articulate this clearly and precisely, especially in writing. To start, create an outline of what you want to include in your bio using the elements above. You can use your resume and other documents where you've tracked your professional accomplishments to help you, but avoid copying and pasting from there.

You can also look up the professional bios of successful professionals that you admire. What items do they include? What impresses you about their bios? While you don’t want to copy their bios, you can take note of the elements that speak to you and then try to emulate that in your own bio.

To help you come across authentically in your bio, think about what you would say out loud to someone if they asked you about the items on the list above. For example, how would you explain what you do for work or what your branding statement is? Write down what you would say. This can help you to “see” your voice on paper.

Keep in mind that, generally, a professional bio should be written in third person, especially if it’s for a company website. However, there are exceptions to this. For example, your “about” section on LinkedIn should be written in first person.

Your Name and Professional Title

Include your full name and your title. If you don’t have a job currently , list your last title or what you are certified for. For example: John Doe, Marketing Director.

What You Do in Your Current Position

This helps the reader understand what you do and if you would be a good fit for their organization. For example: John specializes in all forms of digital marketing including social media marketing, online advertising and search engine optimization.

List Your Branding Statement

This is a sentence or two that reflects your professional values and how you stand out from others in the industry. For example: John is diligent and adapts seamlessly to constantly evolving processes and technologies. This allows him to provide the best service possible to his customers.

List Outstanding Professional Accomplishments

Listing a few accomplishments allows readers to understand your level of expertise and how you positively contribute to your organization or industry. Examples could include how you have helped the company save money, increased visibility or attained positive results for your clients.

List Personal Details

Listing a few personal details can help the reader connect with you on a more personal level. If they connect with you, they will be more likely to reach out to you. Examples could include hobbies , pets, a favorite movie or interesting details about your background. Of course, make sure that you feel comfortable with any personal details that you choose to share with your readers.

How to Write a Bio for Work

If your company has asked you to write a professional bio for their webpage, make sure you include the requested elements. If you are unsure, ask your supervisor for additional information. Also, check the “about” page of your company and take note of what those in higher positions have included in their bios. Try to follow that same format and order of information. This shows attention to detail on your part and also speaks to your professional worth. When you have finished your professional bio, ask someone you trust to proofread it for grammatical errors and clarity.

Professional Bio Examples

Here are a few examples of what a short professional bio could look like:

Sample 1: Empathetic family medicine physician leveraging 10+ years of experience promoting health and improving the quality of patients through changes in research, medical education and patient care across organizations and the community. Known for innovative, tactical thinking, and an authentic, influential leadership style. Skilled in building the relationships, consensus and strategic partnerships needed to move large-scale and challenging initiatives forward.

Sample 2: Certified career coach, speaker, author and national career expert with over 21 years of experience. Her company Create Your Career Path is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. She is regularly featured in the media and has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Vanderbilt University and the University of Illinois. With over 1,500 success stories, her team of coaches and resume writers help professionals find jobs that make them want to jump out of bed in the morning to go to work.

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Find savvy job advice from the brains behind top careers blogs and websites, including Robin Madell, Robin Reshwan, Jobhuntercoach, Career Sherpa, Ray Bixler, Hallie Crawford and Peter Gudmundsson.

Edited by Jennifer Ortiz .

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How to Write a Professional Bio for Any Situation—Without the Stress

Hot jobs on the muse.

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How many times have you sat in front of a blank screen staring at the pesky cursor, wondering why it’s so hard to write about yourself? I’ll bet it’s more than once. Contemplating who you are as a human being is an exercise in mental (or existential?) gymnastics. And if you’re trying to write a professional bio, you’re trying to distill who you are and what you do in a way that’s compelling to recruiters, hiring managers, colleagues, potential clients, and other contacts all at once—so it can feel ramped up to Simone-Biles-floor-routine-difficulty levels.

SEARCH OPEN JOBS ON THE MUSE! See who’s hiring here , and you can even filter your search by benefits, company size, remote opportunities, and more. Then, sign up for our newsletter and we’ll deliver advice on landing the job right to you.

Your professional bio is, arguably, the most important text you’ll ever write about yourself. It’s the first introduction to who you are, what you do, and what you’re interested in—whether it’s for a social media platform, a personal website , or company team page. What you choose to highlight may play a role in others deciding to follow you, call you in for an interview, or invite you to participate in an event. It’s an opportunity for you to—in a few lines—showcase your work, competence, and areas of expertise. So you’d better stick the landing.

But don’t worry too much: You don’t have to be the Simone Biles of LinkedIn to write a professional bio. We’ve gathered the steps, template, examples, and bonus tips you’ll need to write a bio for any occasion.

How to get started on your professional bio

We’ll get to the good stuff shortly (read: the template and examples), but before you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, there are a few things you should know—about yourself.

Your bio shouldn’t be a laundry list of accomplishments, but a window into the person behind the accolades. You’re more than your most recent position (especially if you have a trendy startup title; I’m looking at you, ninjas and rock stars), so think about the strengths that make you good at what you do and the qualities that make you unique. These are what you want the person reading your bio to come away knowing.

If you’re drawing a blank, try to answer these questions before you start writing:

Once you’ve got all that down, you’re ready to get it into your professional bio.

Professional bio template

The template below is designed to help you write a “master” professional bio that you can then tweak for different situations. This template is meant to offer you a general framework only—if you find that you need to add an extra couple of sentences or determine that a section we’ve included doesn’t feel relevant to how you wish to present yourself, feel free to tweak it.

[Name] is a [role] who [how you help clients, customers, or your employer] by [something unique about your process or output]. [First name] [knows/believes] [what you know/believe about the work you do].

[First name] has [landed/secured/garnered/worked at/supported/mastered] [insert your most compelling experiences, accomplishments, and skills]. Currently [he/she/they] is/are [working toward/studying/planning to] [your next professional goal or some way you’re developing as a professional].

[First name] is [trained/certified/awarded] in [relevant trainings, awards, honors, etc]. [First name] holds a [ degree] in [area of study] from [University].

When [he/she/they] is not [brief phrase that describes what you do], [First Name] [can be found/enjoys] [brief description of compelling interests or hobbies you’d like to share].

Here’s an example of how this template could look filled in:

Matthew Chang is a social media manager who excels at creating campaigns and posts for nonprofits that make followers take action by combining strong writing and design with insights about the org’s audience. Matthew believes that the right post, seen at the right time, can inspire people who believe in a nonprofit’s mission to help the causes they care about and ultimately allow that org to make a bigger impact.

Matthew has driven more than 10,000 social-influenced donations to three different nonprofits, with over $200,000 raised for important causes. Currently they’re working with GoodBoyGirl dog rescue to inspire not only donations, but also pet adoptions through Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok posts. (Matthew is always happy to share pictures of dogs they’ve helped find forever homes!)

Matthew holds a HubSpot Social Media Certification, and has taken several graphic design courses through The New School. They hold a bachelor’s degree from UCLA where they double majored in marketing and English.

When they’re not crafting social media campaigns, Matthew can be found biking around the city with their chihuahua Kyra on their back (don’t worry, the pup has a tiny helmet!) or taking in a Broadway show.

How to adapt your bio for different situations

Now that you have your “master professional bio,” you’ll want to tweak it for different situations.

For each iteration of your bio, imagine a specific reader and what they’d want to know about you, and then write for them. For instance, let’s say you’re on an alumni panel for your college. Student attendees will want to know what they should be doing now to get the career you have. In this case, your bio should reflect less of your day-to-day work responsibilities and more of the past campus activities, classes, and early-career internships and jobs that led you to where you are.

We’ve outlined specific advice for some of the most common scenarios where you’ll need to write a professional bio below—along with examples.

1. Your LinkedIn summary

Start by identifying how you use—or would like to use— LinkedIn . Are you content with your job, but looking to expand your network? Are you trying to attract recruiters?

Whatever you’re seeking, your LinkedIn summary should support your activity on the site; a profile focused on networking within the industry will read differently than that of someone aggressively hunting for a new job. Once you’ve identified your purpose, it will be much easier to tweak the above template for your LinkedIn summary. You’ll still want to lead with your position and other info from the first paragraph of the bio template. Then move onto whatever skills or accomplishments are most relevant to your LinkedIn goals. Last, share those goals.

Here’s an example of a LinkedIn summary that follows this strategy:

As a field sales manager with over eight years of experience driving market share growth in designated territories, I have mastered the ins and outs of pharmaceutical sales and territorial prospecting. After honing and executing these specialties to reach numerous company goals, I was honored with an invitation to join the National Marketing Council. Now, I spend the majority of my time brainstorming sales strategies and connecting with other industry professionals who are interested in talking shop.

You can always add supporting content on either side of this skeleton paragraph, such as a personal anecdote, previous positions, or a mission statement. If you need a bit more inspiration, look to your recommendations for outside opinions on what makes you special.

2. Your Twitter bio

Even a snappy, 160-character bio can help set you apart. To write a great bio for social media, grab the first two sentences of the bio we just drafted. We’ve crammed a lot of great info in there: who you are, what you do, who you do it for, how you do it, and what you believe about the work you do. Then make sure you’re stating it as succinctly as possible. Finally, squeeze in your pizazz. Key word: squeeze. Don’t focus on unrelated quirks or superfluous details.

For example:

Software engineering whiz @Belly spreading nuggets of coding gold related to mobile applications. 8-year member of @IEEEorg, aspiring member of The Avengers.

If you’re looking to create a more serious social presence, though, you may choose to leave out the pizazz while including all the same important info:

Proud 8-year member of @IEEEorg and lead software engineer @Belly. Passionate about innovations in coding and mobile applications.

3. Your company website blurb

A bio for your company website (like on a team or staff page) is where you can opt out of some standard details, such as your title, in favor of things that distinguish you as a pro (or a person). After all, anyone reading this knows where you work and your job title will likely be listed by default. So you can use the second and third paragraph of the template to craft a bio focused on what makes you unique.

Margot has exceeded every Clarabridge sales goal by at least 84%, which landed her in the top CEM-seller spot and prepared her for the challenging position of strategizing sales tactics for the National Association of Sales Professionals. Her keen and innovative insights in the areas of forecasting and sales force development have enabled Clarabridge to emerge as a national leader, with a sharp and qualified team in tow to maintain the standard she helped set.

If that’s too formal for the culture of your office, and all your colleagues mention their favorite food trucks, you can aim for a 50-50 split between the professional and personal—or whatever balance suits the company’s brand.

Margot tops the sales charts at Clarabridge. In fact, she’s beat every goal by at least 84% without ever missing a practice as the coach of her son’s (undefeated) soccer team. Fueled by loaded nachos, she landed the top CEM-seller spot and took on a position brainstorming sales tactics for the National Association of Sales Professionals. Not only is she a pro when it comes to forecasting and sales force development, but she can also advise a team on where to find the best free events in the city on any given weekend.

4. Your personal website or portfolio “About Me” page

Here’s where you want to lay it all on your audience. You can use as much of the bio you wrote from the template above as you see fit and feel free to expand on whatever sections you’d like. Craft your “About Me” page so potential partners or employers understand what you can do for them and why you’re the person they should hire .

Chad Wilborn takes complex technical ideas and distills them into user-friendly visuals to improve digital marketing campaigns for companies along the West Coast. He has an education in traditional advertising and a background loaded with marketing and graphic design projects, centered around modernizing the consumer experience. Chad’s portfolio demonstrates his ability to capitalize on every pixel for the overall benefit of startups or established enterprises trying to reach consumers. His services have won multiple design and branding awards, and he is excited to help add your company to his list of successes.

But don’t forget your brand ! If you want to showcase yourself in a more unique or quirky light, opt for a first-person version with more light-hearted language.

I am a modern magician, except I transform complicated technical ideas into user-friendly images before the eyes of your company’s customers. I believe in telling relatable stories through graphics, so I studied the basics of traditional advertising before working my magic on corporate marketing projects for companies along the West Coast. My portfolio showcases a lineup of my most recent tricks, which range from visual startup campaigns to Fortune 500 projects—each of which have won design and branding awards. I’m always ready for new design opportunities and have plenty of room up my sleeve for a few more award-winning performances.

A few more tips

Keep these in mind as you write your professional bio, no matter where it’s going to end up:

Alex Honeysett , Adrian J. Hopkins , and Regina Borsellino also contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

You are here: Influencer Marketing Hub » Social Media » Your 5-step Guide to Writing a Professional Bio [+Templates]

Your 5-step Guide to Writing a Professional Bio [+Templates]

Writing is difficult, even more so when you need to write about yourself. Considering how important an online presence is nowadays, a short bio is a must-have asset for everyone.

To help you with this seemingly daunting task, we've broken it down into five steps. We’ve also included a few templates and real-life examples to serve as inspiration. So, be sure to read to the end.

Your 5-step Guide to Writing a Professional Bio [+Templates]:

What is a professional bio, why do you need one, where can you add your bio, tips and best practices for creating professional bios.

Frequently Asked Questions

A professional biography, or more often simply called a professional bio, is a short blurb that summarizes your history or employment and accomplishments. In short, it is an ad for yourself. Unlike a resume, it is much shorter (it is typically only 5 - 10 sentences long) and more engaging as it also gives you the chance to share your relevant beliefs and values.

You would be surprised how many people actually read the bio section. Unless you are applying for a job, your resume remains “hidden” on your desktop. Though, your bio, while much shorter and condense, is out in the open for virtually everyone to see. There is a huge pool of potential clients that will read your bio, making it a piece of prime real estate that you should use to your advantage.

Source: shutterstock.com

There is a number of platforms where you can add your professional bio, these include your:

Depending on where you add your professional bio, you might need to adjust the tone and length.

Even though your own website does not restrict the number of characters you may use like most social media platforms, it does not give you a licence just to copy and paste your resume. When writing a bio for your website, you will typically write it from first-person point of view as opposed to third-person point of view which is most often the case with social media sites. As CTAs are a crucial element in effective website design, be sure to include a call-to-action sentence at the end.

Social media

When writing a bio for a social media channel, you want to be engaging, yet professional. Generally, you can avoid using full sentences to help you keep it short and within the character limit.

For LinkedIn, you can use up to 2,000 characters. Though, you do not have to use all of that, especially when you consider that most of the time visitors will not click on “See More”. So, it’s best to keep all your information, especially the most important points, above the fold. While you may use emojis on other platforms, when you are writing for LinkedIn , it’s best to avoid emojis altogether.

While Twitter has a strict character limit, it is much less formal than LinkedIn. So, you can use emojis to optimize the space available, but do not go overboard. Here, you can also include keywords in the form of hashtags that are relevant to your niche to help improve the chances that your target audience will discover your profile.

Instagram’s bios are slightly longer than Twitter. That said, Instagram bios should still be short, sweet, and savvy. Like Twitter, you can also use emojis and industry-related hashtags.

guidelines for how to structure your bio

The trick to writing an effective bio is to keep it succinct, yet include all the most important information that will highlight your expertise and experience. If you will be sending out your bio, for example as part of a guest post, as opposed to posting it on a specific social media channel, it’s also a good practice to adapt your bio so that it emphasizes the skills that will best fit that specific platform or client. To help you make the most of the short space available, the following are some guidelines for how to structure your bio.

1. Include your first name and surname first

The most important thing that readers should remember after reading your bio is your name. So, ensure that this is the information that you include first.

If you are linked with any brand or have your own business name or alias, you can include this information as well after your name. To create a logical link, you can include your position or title at the business.

2. Describe the responsibilities of your position

In addition to mentioning your job title, you should also dedicate a couple of lines to describing your main responsibilities. You can use this as an opportunity to highlight to readers the expertise you can offer.

3. Boast about your achievements in moderation

Just like it’s fine for businesses to share the success stories of their clients, you too should refer to what you have accomplished professionally. In other words, what value can you bring?

4. Mention your values

What is your driving force? Why do you do what it is that you do? Do you have specific beliefs about your industry?

While others in your industry might have the same achievements, your values can set you apart from your competitors. By briefly describing your values, you can help future clients understand what value you can bring to the table and why it will be worthwhile to work with you.

5. Add a personal element

All work and no play will make you sound dull. So, be sure to write something about what you do when you are not working. It could be about your family life, hobbies and/or interests. Perhaps you have started a promising side hustle?

Authenticity is becoming increasingly crucial to brands and by sharing something about yourself on a personal level it will be easier for you to foster a deeper connection with others. You can even try to include humor. By wrapping up your bio with a personal experience or something unusual, those who read your bio will remember you for the right reasons.

Examples of Templates

If you are not quite ready to start from scratch, here are three templates that you can use as building blocks.

The following professional bio template was shared by The Muse, a website for the next gen workforce looking to find more information about careers and businesses:

[Name] is a [title] who works with [who you help] to [how you help them].

[First name] [knows/believes] [what you know/believe about the work you do].

[First name] has [landed/secured/garnered/worked at/supported] [insert your most compelling experiences and wins].

[First name] is a [trained/certified/awarded] [insert relevant training, awards, honors, etc].

[First name] holds a [insert degree] in [insert area of study] from [insert university].

For something somewhat shorter, you can tweak the following template that was shared by Zippia, a platform that shares career tools:

(Name) is passionate about (Career Field) because (Why Are You Passionate About Your Job?).

(Name) has been recognized in their field for (Professional Accomplishments) and graduated from (University if applicable).

In their spare time, (Name) enjoys (Hobbies). (Pronoun) currently lives in (Where You Live).

If you are a speaker, freelancer, or entrepreneur, you can use the following template shared by Envato Tuts+, a leading publisher of online tutorials and courses, as a starting point:

Before starting a business or freelance work, Name worked (number of years) as a (relevant job title 1) and a (relevant job title 2). After a successful career helping (sub-niche or branch of your target market 1 e.g. fitness trainers, residential leasing agents, make-up artists, aspiring authors) and (sub-niche or your target market 2), (Name) now (appropriate action verb e.g. trains, coaches, advises) them on how to (specific tasks you do for your target market).

Name enjoys (hobby 1) and (hobby 2).

Name is available for (your type of work) or private consultations. You can reach (Name) at (phone number or email address).

4 Real-life Examples

Brad colbow.

Source: udemy.com

Brad Colbow’s professional bio on Udemy is a good example of how you can include your beliefs and values. He does it in such a manner that it becomes a subtle call to action. By mentioning that he believes learning to draw is a journey, you get the impression that he is easy to talk to – a key trait for an instructor.

Lauren Goode, Senior Writer at WIRED

Source: wired.com

While Lauren Goode’s professional bio does not specifically highlight her values, it is a good example of how you can include a sentence about your interests.

Michael Hyatt

Source: michaelhyatt.com

Michael Hyatt’s professional bio is a great example of how you can come across as authentic, yet an expert in your field. He skillfully includes his accomplishments without sounding too egotistical.

Trinity Mouzon

Source: trinitymouzon.com

Trinity’s bio is an example of how your bio can remain engaging, even if you opt for the longer format. An aspect that sets her bio apart from others is her language usage. By admitting to the own challenges that she has faced (similar to the above-mentioned one of Michael Hyatt), she remains authentic, without taking anything away from her accomplishments.

Wrapping Things Up

The majority of professional bios are typically standard and are built around a set form of words. So, it’s OK to keep it conventional. As you will be including a unique accomplishment, value, and a sentence or two about your personal life, your professional bio can still be memorable, even though its structure is generic.

How do you create a good Instagram bio?

While there is no objective answer, the most effective Instagram bios are easy to read, informative, witty, humorous, and compelling. Also, as you get only one link on your Instagram bio, it is a good idea to use a link in bio tool to help you make the most of that one link.

How do you make the most of your social media platforms?

Start by creating a business account as it gives you more options. Most social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter give you the option to create a business account in the profile settings. After you created your business accounts, upload a high-quality profile picture and write your professional bio. Your bio should tell your story in an engaging way, while providing all the most important information about you like your name, location, contact information, and expertise.

Can you include more than one link in your Instagram bio?

To add more than one link in your Instagram bio, you will need to use a link in bio Instagram tool which will enable you to link to more content and pages. You can use this tool to create marketing campaigns that will appeal to your target audience on Instagram. The following are some of the top tools to help you optimize your professional bio: Feedlink by EmbedSocial, Linktree, Koji, Sked Link, Link in Profile and Tap Bio.

What are the pros of a link in bio for TikTok?

Should you include hashtags in your Twitter bio?

While you may include hashtags in your professional bio on Twitter, the platform actually advises users not to go overboard. Too many hashtags can clutter your messaging and take attention away from your link. While brands have typically used hashtags to help with discovery, this seems to be less valuable now. For example, if you have a branded hashtag, you can restrict your hashtag usage to that one.

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