Katie Roberts Career Consulting

In today’s digital world, online is where many people will first meet you. They’ll form an opinion about you very quickly based on your digital profile and if you have a LinkedIn profile, that’s usually where people in business start. After seeing your photo and reading your headline, they will move onto your summary.

Your summary is probably THE most important part of your LinkedIn profile. Why? Because it’s one of the first things people read and if it doesn’t interest them they may choose not to read on and discover who you really are. Don’t just copy and paste the content from your Resume though. Instead, create a short, sharp summary of you – start from scratch and mention all the important points – and focus on the ones that matter most in helping you get to where you want to go.

Your LinkedIn profile is your opportunity to capture the reader’s attention and showcase who you are and why you’re good at what you do. Follow these tips to ensure your summary is compelling:

• Work out who your target market is: Ask yourself who you want to read your profile and what you want them to think or do? Once you’ve identified this you can start to think about the content.

• Identify your keywords: This task requires time and effort. Think about what skills you want to be known for but also consider job titles and location. Brainstorm ideas and then hone it down to the most important. Online job postings can help you understand how recruiters are describing the jobs that you are after. This is an important step in understanding what your keywords might need to be.

• Decide how you want it to sound: It’s your profile so own it. Think of your LinkedIn profile like a cover letter – you would usually open with a first person statement which is how we recommend LinkedIn is written. Writing in the third person can create less impact with the reader, whereas writing in the first person often evokes a stronger connection. Your summary doesn’t need to be as formal as a Resume and it should showcase some of your personality. If you’re funny you can inject some humour, but unless you’re a stand-up comic keep it professional.

• Break up the text: Online content needs to be easy to read so break it up – with bullet points, sub-headings and white space.

• Include ‘proof’: Information that validates who you are and why you’re good at what you do. This could include accomplishments, recommendations, awards, accolades, and/or testimonials. Anything that authenticates your expertise.

• Specify what you do best: We recommend including a sub-heading of ‘specialties’ or ‘areas of expertise’ – these are the things you do best and should provide the reader with a good sense of what you have to offer.

• Include a call to action: LinkedIn includes an area for contact details, however it can be hard to find. Include a way for people to contact you – personal email and / or phone details work best – and invite them to make contact.

• Write 2000 characters: The summary has a limit of 2,000 characters so take advantage of this space to showcase yourself. Don’t forget to follow all the previous tips – break up the text, include keywords and proof and make it sound like you.

Are you lacking a good quality LinkedIn profile summary that engages your audience and clearly articulates what you have to offer? If you would like assistance writing a professional, keyword optimised LinkedIn profile that highlights your strengths and achievements and sets you apart from your competitors, our Professional LinkedIn Writers can help! Please see our LinkedIn Profile Writing service.