How to Write a Personal Description that Gets You Noticed
Your personal Description is the text field that sits beneath your name and profile picture. Besides your profile picture, it’s the first thing that recruiters or companies will see when they view your profile. Your Description allows you the opportunity to stand out by showing what you have to offer. Here are some tips that can help you write a Description that gets you noticed.
How long should my personal Description be?
While you are able to write as much as you want in your Description, it doesn’t mean you should. Recruiters might view many profiles a day. While they’ll likely pass by profiles that are incomplete or don’t give them enough reason to reach out to you, you don’t want to turn them off with huge blocks of text. Your goal is to catch their attention and make their job easier.
Think of your Description as sort of like your objective on your resume — but with more flexibility. A good length for your Description is roughly 250 words. Use short blocks of text with paragraph breaks to make it easier to read — recruiters may be viewing your profile on their mobile phone.
What should I write in my personal Description?
Prepare for writing your Description by brainstorming what your goals are. Create a personal mission statement for yourself that reflects your values and ambitions. Think about your skill sets and what you’ve accomplished — come up with examples that can bring them to life.Write in the first person to make your Description more personable.
Remember that your work history and education are already listed below your Description. You don’t want to repeat what is already there.Your Description isn’t a place for dates and timelines. It’s where you can express your personality, highlight your skills and strengths, and describe how you want to use them next. Instead of listing everything you’ve already done, try to frame your Description in a way that expresses what you have to offer.
Your Description can also be used to explain any career gaps you may have in your resume. Or if you are interested in changing industries, you can explain how the skills and assets you’ve gained can be utilized in the industry you’re seeking to enter. If you're fresh out of college with no professional experience, you can use your Description to highlight any successes and accomplishments you’ve had during university, through volunteer work, or interesting experiences through which you’ve gained insights.
Consider leading with a strong headline
What stands out to you when you view your profile? Try to look through the lens of a recruiter. For example, leading off with a headline — one strong sentence as your mission statement about who you are that stands as it’s own paragraph — is an eye-catching way to grab someone’s attention quickly and persuade them to continue reading. Think of a short, creative way to describe who you are and what you’re looking for.
Summarize your successes or skill sets
There isn’t one way to summarize your skills and strengths. Some people like to tell a short positive story of how they’ve solved a problem or created value in their previous positions. Others may be more comfortable listing areas where they particularly excel. Just remember this isn’t a personal essay. It’s more like an advertisement. Keep your sentences short and easy to digest and be sure to incorporate relevant industry keywords for quick recognition.
End strong
Instead of stating what you want from a company, try to frame your ending statement by expressing what you want to do for a company. If you can express your desire to provide value in an industry rather than state what you expect it conveys an excitement and willingness that’s attractive to both recruiters and companies.
Take a look at other profile Descriptions
Many people find writing a personal summary difficult. It simply isn’t easy to advertise yourself. If you hit a wall, do a little research. Feel free to check out other profiles. Note what’s memorable and what just takes up space. Try to view other profiles as if you were a recruiter or a company seeking the perfect candidate. Consider your target audience. What stands out to you?