Published By: Sakshi Agrawal

Tips on writing the perfect LinkedIn summary

Even though your LinkedIn profile may seem complete, writing a summary is crucial.

Since LinkedIn is the top professional networking site, it is important to make a captivating profile that will help in advancing your career. And the first and foremost step towards it is by ensuring your profile is complete, including a summary.

A LinkedIn summary is a career snapshot that you use to make a first impression on your visitors. The summary is your chance to put your best self out by highlighting your career choices, achievements and personality.

While it may be daunting to write one, we are here to help by giving you some tips for writing a LinkedIn summary that will blow their minds.

  • First words matter
While every word matters in your LinkedIn summary, the first words or the first sentence holds greater importance. Pull the audience in and hook them by using compelling first words.
  • Leave the cliché words out
Do not use the cliché and overused words like ‘motivated’ or ‘creative’. Use a thesaurus and look for alternatives or better yet use examples to highlight these qualities.
  • Use stories
Instead of saying “My passion is (fill in the blank)”, use stories to make your summaries memorable. Lead with lines like “When I was 15 years old…..” or “My mentor sat me down…..”. Remember to make them compelling.
  • Break up the text
People tend to skim through your summaries and profile. Therefore, it is important to create white space and make your summary easy-to-read. Use bullets, lists, numbers and shorter paragraphs and sentences.
  • Highlight life outside your career
It is equally important to highlight that you have an identity outside of your work. Share hobbies, interests or volunteer work that you have done. But also remember to ensure that all the stories round back up to your professional strengths.
  • Describe your passion
The heart of the best summaries is passion. Open up about what makes you tick and how it adds context to your career. Think about what makes you want to get up and go to work every day and write that.
  • Show your successes
Have you won an award? Did you lead a project? Add all your most notable successes in your summary. Irrespective of where you are in your career, it is always good to show that you are proud of your successes.

The LinkedIn summary is a strategic content piece. Even though it might not be your best, write something rather than leaving it blank.