Since its launch in 2003, LinkedIn has become an increasingly important tool for professionals looking to advance their careers, acquire new business opportunities, and develop meaningful and lasting relationships. With more than 600 million registered users, the platform provides an unparalleled opportunity to connect with future employers, recruiters, and potential business partners.
Given the potential opportunities that the platform can provide, crafting an effective summary is a key factor to maximize your professional presence on the platform. A captivating and well-written summary on your profile can help you stand out from the other candidates vying for the same role or applying to a new job.
This article provides guidance on how to write a winning LinkedIn summary that makes your profile stand out from the crowd and increases your chances of career success.
What is a LinkedIn Summary?
Your LinkedIn summary is the section where you get to tell a personal story about who you are, your professional accomplishments and goals, and why potential employers and recruiters should take notice. The goal is to make a strong and lasting impression that conveys your brand, competencies, and potential.
Unlike a resume, the LinkedIn summary is an opportunity to showcase your personality and accomplishments in a heartfelt and impactful manner. It is your chance to present yourself in a way that cannot be done by just listing job responsibilities and previous experiences.
Tips to Craft a Winning LinkedIn Summary
Creating an effective, winning summary doesn’t need to be a daunting task. This section provides some tips and strategies to make the process easier:
- Keep it Professional
While it is a great opportunity for you to showcase yourself, be sure to maintain a professional tone throughout your summary. Remember that many potential employers and recruiters may be taking a look at your profile so avoid stories and anecdotes that can make you appear unprofessional.
- Focus on the Benefits to Others
When writing your summary, focus on the value that you can bring to potential clients and employers. Think about what skills and knowledge you possess that would be attractive to potential employers or recruiters. Explain to potential employers or clients how you can increase their profitability, productivity, or successful outcomes.
- Grab the Reader’s Attention with a Strong Introduction
Just like any other writing piece, the introduction to your summary needs to be attention-grabbing if you want to keep readers engaged. In the introduction, provide a brief overview of your strengths, such as core competency areas and areas of expertise. You can provide some background information as well to give a more comprehensive understanding of how you can benefit potential employers and clients.
- Define Your Career Goal
Be sure to articulate your immediate and long-term career goals. Defining these goals can provide direction in the content of your summary and connect your career paths to where you want to be in the future.
- Diversify Your Experience
Include relevant experiences from different stages of your career. This may include internships, courses, and part-time jobs. Diversifying your experiences provides a more comprehensive understanding of your ability and skills for potential employers.
- Include Testimonials and Accolades
Inserting testimonials that highlight your accomplishments and accolades provide further lift and recognition to your profile. Try to include a few lines from respected colleagues, managers, and clients that emphasize your strengths and accomplishments.
- Use a Variety of Formats
Using a variety of formats can help your summary stand out even further. This may include bullet points, numbered lists, and other optimizations such as keywords and hashtags. The use of different formats can help make the summary easier to skim and read.
Best Practices for Creating a Winning LinkedIn Summary
Writing an effective summary does not need to be a challenge if you focus on the following best practices:
- Be Concise and Succinct
Long summaries can easily turn away potential employers or clients. To maximize attention, keep your summary between 150 to 300 words so that recruiters don’t have to spend too much time understanding your profile.
- Highlight Special Accomplishments
What are your unique and individual accomplishments? Whether it is your career milestones, articles you wrote, or awards you won, be sure to include these in your summary to demonstrate the value you can bring.
- Use Strong Action Verbs
Action verbs can be powerful tools that demonstrate a track record of success and drive. Pairing strong words with meaningful sentences provides further lift and recognition. You can find a comprehensive list of action verbs you can use to describe your skills and experiences.
- Leverage Keywords
Including relevant keywords in your summary increases its visibility when recruiters or employers look for specific skills or titles. Doing some research on the most relevant keywords and titles in your industry and inserting those in your summary can give you an edge over other candidates.
- Edit and Proofread
Regardless of how great your profile summary is, you’ll never make a great impression if your summary contains typos or other errors. Take your time to review your summary and make sure it is free of any glitches. Consider hiring a copy-editor if needed, as a second pair of eyes to review your profile.
LinkedIn summaries are an important component of a professional profile, as they provide potential employers or clients a brief overview of your accomplishments, strengths, and capabilities. Writing a winning summary can feel daunting, but by following the tips and best practices mentioned above you can craft a captivating summary and get yourself noticed.
Take the time to review and optimize your profile, and soon you will be making an impact and gaining the attention you deserve.