I have noted LinkedIn About Section schisms with differing theories and philosophies in a previous article and will now provide a specific formula. Here’s a summary of key points:
- Make it skimmable and scannable: Utilize up to 2600 characters that you are allowed.
- Use all capital letters for section headers: This makes your content more organized and easier to navigate.
- Avoid Unicode : It may be visible to the human eye but is not readable on all platforms and devices because it’s code.
- Copy and paste bullet points from a Word document (not Google docs): LinkedIn will not generate bullets.
- Check responsiveness: View your About section on both a desktop and a mobile device to ensure it looks good when it shrinks to a handheld device.
- Avoid long, dense paragraphs: These can be off-putting to readers.
- Add emojis: This makes your profile more engaging and visually appealing.
- Consider different reader behaviors: Some people will not read your About section at all, some will skim and scan, and others will read it in detail. Therefore, avoid dense paragraphs, make the content the “just right” length, and strategically use white space, bullet points, keywords, and emojis.
This approach will ensure your LinkedIn About section will be engaging and accessible across different devices and reader preferences. Avoid the schisms! Go with a winning formula!
A FORMULA FOR CONSIDERATION
Title of what you do and what problems you solve without using fluffy adjectives that are your opinions. Think of important keywords within two lines.
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[emoji] Expertise in …
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[emoji] Strengths include …
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[emoji] Known for …
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[emoji] CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Specialty Skill Area: Accomplishment with metric
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- Specialty Skill Area: Accomplishment with metric
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- Specialty Skill Area: Accomplishment with metric
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- Specialty Skill Area: Accomplishment with metric
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- Specialty Skill Area: Accomplishment with metric
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🧊 ICEBREAKERS – LET’S CHAT ABOUT
[emoji] personal interest area keyword in alpha order
[emoji] personal interest area keyword in alpha order
[emoji] personal interest area keyword in alpha order
[emoji] personal interest area keyword in alpha order
[emoji] personal interest area keyword in alpha order
[emoji] personal interest area keyword in alpha order
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✅ CORE COMPETENCIES
- list 12-15 keywords in alpha oder
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
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💻 TECHNICAL SKILLS
- list in alpha order (for the mildly technical personal – IT professionals should contact me so we can showcase your secret sauce)
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
- x
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✅ CONTACT INFO
📱 xxx-xxx-xxxx
FORMULA ADD-ON FOR JOB SEEKERS
👉 Seeking new opportunity. #ONO #opentowork (put this above your contact info)
FORMULA ADD-ON FOR ENTREPRENEURS
#opentobusiness #openforbusiness (put under your contact info)
Are you looking to build your personal brand, whether you’re a job seeker, self-employed, or an employed professional? I specialize in personal brand development. We will work collaboratively one-on-one via Zoom, allowing you to see the transformation of your content in real time on a Google Doc. If you’re ready to start your journey towards a new you and don’t want to do it alone, contact me!
NEXT STEPS
- Subscribe to my newsletter on LinkedIn™ for bright ideas on how to manage your career.
- If you need a resume or LinkedIn™ profile to get you to your next step, book a call to chat!
- Join as a member at https://greatcareers.org/membership of the #1 business networking association on the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Book of Lists four years in a row!
- To support our charity at KeepOnSharing.com and use the referral code Career
- Follow #GreatCareersPHL
AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Groups, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn profiles, Lynne is writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
