Writing A Killer Bio
Every executive, entrepreneur and up-and-coming professional needs to have a professional bio.
Whether this will be used on the company’s website, personal LinkedIn account or an individual portfolio, this document is important to highlight experience, skills and education.
What should be included in a bio, and what should be excluded?
Read this article on tips on writing the business bio.
Include A Header
A bio should be eye-catching and lure people into wanting to read it.
Instead of writing up one or several paragraphs, start it off with a catchy header.
For example, a content editor’s header can say: “Proofreading and editing content to create the most unique, relevant and meaningful articles and blogs.”
Narrowing down on your core competencies and the advantage you offer your current company, as well as what you can offer a prospective client or a new boss, can play a big significance in your career.
Allow The Reader To Access More Information
Some corporate bios, such as those on company websites, allow for more space, and professionals can include as much information as they see fit.
However, most bios, especially footnotes on guest writer blogs and such, don’t permit much more than a short paragraph in which to outline accomplishments and credentials.
It can be very difficult to decide what information to pick and what to leave out, which is why it is a great idea to allow the readers to access more information should they want to.
Include a link to a personal website or a LinkedIn account for those that are interested.
Include Personal Information
While the main purpose of a bio is to list your professional milestones and experience, don’t completely leave out your personal life out of the mix.
It is important to let people see the complete you, not just your business side.
While you don’t need to focus too much on this topic, ending your bio on a personal note, such as “In his free time, Ronald enjoys playing polo and spending time with his wife, two sons and Cocker Spaniel, Milly.”
Tailor The Bio For The Audience
Although you may have one CV, you don’t have to settle for one corporate bio.
Instead of copying the same text on different websites and platforms, tailor the bio to the audience of each platform.
If you work in a technical start up that doesn’t take itself too seriously, reflect that viewpoint in your bio.
Don’t be afraid to incorporate humour, poking fun at yourself or at the industry.
This will simply make your bio more appealing to the younger readers that will likely be interested in reading it.
If you work in a corporate accounting firm, you will need to create a serious, formal bio that expressly follows a specific format.
However, if you are creating a Twitter bio, you can freshen that content up with puns that wouldn’t be appropriate on your company’s site.
courtesy - MTP Tips
