Career biography

A short bio is a concise and informative summary of your professional background, accomplishments, and personal interests.

Small details like “eye for accessibility” and “natural curiosity” show personality and professional values, illustrating what they’ll be like to work with. 

Long bio example

Here’s a freelance writer example for their portfolio website: 

I’m a Mexico City-based freelance writer by way of Louisville, Kentucky.

Your bio includes additional information and personal touches to create a fuller picture of your professional accomplishments and future aspirations. 

You never know who scans your social media profiles, company website, or resume. Co-founder of Neil Patel Digital, Patel is a well-known marketing strategist whose website can be found on the first page of practically any major industry keyword.

Source

Here’s what I like about this professional bio:

What immediately stands out about Patel’s bio is that he offers a video version.

While this article is about writing a good professional bio, in today’s TikTok and YouTube world, supplementing with a video a great way to make an even deeper connection and also make your bio engaging to those who may not be readers.

From there, he leads with his accolades including praise from beloved business publications and even government organizations.

For editorial inquiries and media work, please contact my agent at [name]@talentcorp.com. 

Why it works: This bio is comprehensive and focused on professional goals while listing key achievements, recognitions, and core principles to establish credibility and align the reader with her values.

And personal details and a touch of humor add warmth and authenticity that resonate and illustrate a well-rounded individual. 

Promote with pride

A successful professional bio covers all the bases, letting your reader know what you’re about and what it’d be like to work with you.

With over 10 years of experience, Jeremiah has led branding projects for major corporations and small businesses alike, receiving accolades for his innovative design solutions. In [his/her/their] free time, [your name] enjoys [hobbies or activities]. While it’s easy to fall into the trap of self-indulgence when it comes to writing your bio, he maintains a great balance of sharing candid details about his motivation, successes, and demeanor and his credentials.

Guy Kawasaki, Author, Evangelist, and Speaker

Bio Example: Personal Website

Category: Third Person

Guy Kawasaki is a well-respected voice in the business and tech world that is on a mission to “murder mediocreity” and his bio certainly does that.

Here’s what I like about this professional bio:

Kawasaki's personal website has both a long and short bio, but it’s the long one that caught my eye.

I like how he takes audiences on a narrative journey through his life, beginning with his humble upbringing in Honolulu.

He doesn’t overshare in either arena.

He also skillfully incorporates social proof via subscription numbers, publication names, and peet quotes without coming off as arrogant — a difficult thing to accomplish.

Best for you if: Show accomplishment, but humility.

6. Remember that LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, so maintaining a professional tone is crucial.

For a resume, your bio should be concise and focus on summarizing your career history and specific expertise.

That’s marketing 101 (and now, it’s also professional bio writing 101).

Franklin Buchanan, Career Coach at Post Up Careers, agrees that the most important part of writing or updating your professional bio is understanding your audience and the message you want to convey to them.

Buchanan suggests, “Try to tell a story of yourself and think about who is going to be digesting the content.”

Note: For this walkthrough, I’ll be using my HubSpot Blog author bio as an example.

She has created copy for a wide range of marketing and business topic, including social media, email marketing, and career development.

Professional Bio Templates

I’m sharing these professional bio templates with you ahead of time so you can use them as a reference as I walk through my steps for writing a good professional bio. third-person) and considered where your professional bio will live before you start writing.

Instagram, for example, allows only 150 characters of bio space, whereas you can write as much as you want on your website or Facebook Business page.

Oh, and one more thing.

If you are a student or a working professional, add details about your university, current position, or professional experiences that give readers an insight into your capabilities.