Personal bios are an important piece of a cohesive personal brand. It’s a way for you to clarify your message and share information about yourself that helps paint a full picture of who you are both personally and in your career. Personal bios were once used mostly in corporate settings for high level executives, but as society has become more interested in people and their stories, personal bios are now used everywhere from LinkedIn profiles to company websites to networking events. Writing about yourself in any capacity can be a challenge, but there are a few guidelines unique to writing a personal bio. Here are three things to consider when you write your personal bio to help you create an engaging and illustrative statement.
Point of View/Perspective
The first thing to consider when you’re writing your personal bio, or more precisely before you begin writing, is what perspective or viewpoint you are going to use. This largely depends on any specific parameters you’ve been given, as well as where the bio will be used.
For LinkedIn profiles, first person (I, me, we) is the most engaging because it lets you speak directly to the reader and creates a connection with them. This perspective gives off a light, personal, sometimes less formal tone.
If you’ve been given specific directions to use third person, (she, he) it is always best to do so. Third person bios tend to be more formal, so if your bio will be used in a formal presentation or in a formal work setting, this perspective is the best to use.
Ultimately, which perspective you write your bio in is most often your choice. If you’re not sure which perspective is best for the context, just ask! If you’re writing a bio to be used in a specific place or to be turned into someone else, they will likely have an idea of what they’re looking for.
Target Audience
This is easily one of the most important parts of writing an effective and engaging personal bio. Who is your target audience? If you don’t speak directly to your target audience, (regardless of what perspective the bio is written in) your bio likely won’t make an impact.
Think about this for a moment: When you write a resume, a very important factor is showing what you’ve accomplished, but more importantly, how those accomplishments relate to the job you’re interested in applying to. When you write your bio, it’s important to highlight what you’ve achieved throughout your career and who you are as a person, however it is essential to tie these into the context of where the bio will appear.
If you’re writing a bio for LinkedIn, this is the time to talk about your career highlights, but also share more about who you are outside of work to illustrate a full picture of who you are as a candidate beyond your resume and job description. This bio will help industry connections and prospective employers get a better sense of who you are and how you will (or won’t) fit into company culture.
If you’re writing a bio to be used for a conference, (i.e. if you’re a presenter or even if you’re just an attendee) tie the event into your bio. How did you get to this point/what brought you to the conference? Are you particularly interested in the cause/mission? By tying the event into your personal bio, you’ll be able to create a connection to others at the event, and may even give yourself talking points when you’re networking!
What Image You Are Portraying
When you’re writing your personal bio, consider what image you’re portraying. Note that this does not mean that you should create some figment of your imagination and weave a fictional story about your life. This is simply meant to encourage you to take charge of how others see you, and paint the picture that you want them to see.
If you want the reader to think of you as a friend or personal connection, it will be a much different bio than if you want the reader to consider you to be a highly respected authority figure in the distance. On a smaller scale, consider what you want to highlight in your bio. Maybe you want to highlight your expertise in a specific area of your career, or perhaps you want to highlight your fresh take on something that’s been around for a while. Regardless, this is your opportunity to clarify the message you send to others and give a backbone to your personal brand.
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Writing about yourself is hard. Acknowledge that drafting a personal bio will often take time, and you’ll likely go through many iterations before you get to one that you’re confident in. With that said, if you take all of the necessary information into consideration, highlight your value, and put some effort into it, you’ll likely come out with a bio that you can adapt to meet various different needs. If you really get stuck, there are always professionals who can help!
About the Author
Michele Lando is a certified professional resume writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles provides resources to enhance your resume, professional appearance, and boost your confidence. Michele strives to help others gain the confidence to put their best foot forward in a personal and professional light.