Linkedin is a platform where you can not only connect with the professionals from almost every industry, but also boost your career prospects by showcasing your skills and experiences. But there are some people who think how to write linkedin summary for students properly. In the following section, you will learn about how to write linkedin profile summary.
The LinkedIn summary or “about” section is often under-utilized by LinkedIn users. Many leave it completely blank or type in a short tagline better suited for a LinkedIn headline or a resume summary. But whether you’re using LinkedIn to find a job, market your business, or build your professional brand, the summary section is important real estate.
Whereas the headline allows just 120 characters, there are 2,000 characters available in the LinkedIn profile summary. This “about” section could give you between 300-350 words to strengthen your profile by adding some personality, optimizing your search terms, telling your career story, and inspiring action from readers.
Table of Contents
Why a Good LinkedIn Summary is Important
Writing a LinkedIn summary may feel like an unnecessary step — especially if you keep your profile up to date. You might also see it as unnecessary if you don’t spend a lot of time on the platform or aren’t looking for a job.
But a good LinkedIn summary is crucial for career success. For salespeople, it can be a handy tool for social selling; for other professionals, it could be the gateway to a new career opportunity.
Let’s go over the reasons you should most definitely write a LinkedIn summary.
You get to introduce yourself in your own words.
You no longer have to let your latest role speak for you. A LinkedIn summary will allow you to make a personable first impression and highlight your accomplishments and expertise in a succinct way. While your prior roles may be notable, they’re not the only things people should know about you.
You get to show your personality.
Add a little flair and humor, or keep it super professional. Either way, your LinkedIn summary will give recruiters and other users a taste of what they can expect if they reach out to you. It can also help recruiters gauge culture fit and help prospects and potential clients get a sense of whether they’d like to work with you.
You can rank higher in LinkedIn search results.
When recruiters search for you on LinkedIn, summary content plays into the results. Your summary is not weighted as heavily as your headline or the job titles and descriptions in your work experience section, however, they can still strengthen your searchability and help you rise above similar candidates.
Using the LinkedIn summary to include terms that a recruiter might plug into a search bar — hard skills, job titles, or industry keywords — increases your visibility and reveals opportunities.
How to Write Linkedin Summary
LinkedIn differs from a resume because resumes are usually shared in job applications or interviews, but someone can review your LinkedIn profile at any time. For that reason, you want to make sure the summary is generally targeted: You don’t want to call out recruiters specifically, not unless you’re looking for a new role.
1. Create a quick outline prior to writing your About section.
While your LinkedIn profile isn’t an academic essay, you should still outline the things you want to say and the order in which you want to say them.
The last thing your audience needs is long, rambling paragraphs with no clear progression from sentence to sentence.
Sticking to a predetermined structure will help you communicate clearly and concisely.
Consider following a format similar to this:
- Hook: A sentence that makes the reader want to keep reading. Remember: only the first 3 lines are visible when a user enters your profile. With a hook, you ensure they click ‘See more.’
- Mission: Tell the reader why you do what you do.
- Expertise and Skills: Tell the reader what you’re good at.
- Accomplishments: Show the reader how your expertise delivered results in the past.
- Call to Action: Tell the reader what you want them to do after they’re done reading your summary.
If you’re not sure how to get started, use our free professional bio templates, which you can use to write your LinkedIn bio.
2. Hook readers with a strong opener.
The goal of the first sentence of your LinkedIn summary is to get your audience to continue reading. That’s why it’s important to pique their interest early and compel them to keep reading.
This tactic is called a hook.
You can hook readers with your LinkedIn summary by opening a loop that can only be closed with further explanation or making a claim so outlandish that it needs further justification.
Hook Example
“It took me more than X sales demos to learn the secret about Y, but since then, something unexpected has happened.”
3. Tell the reader why you do what you do.
People connect with stories and values more than the straightforward “what you do.” While the “what” is important, consider also including the “why.”
Understand what has attracted you to your profession and what your mission is in your role. These will make your LinkedIn profile more emotionally resonant.
Mission Example
“I grew up on the Mississippi River and watched it get clearer over time as manufacturing standards improved. Since then, I knew I wanted to spread the word about sustainability in business environments.”
4. Speak to your industry expertise.
Next, it’s time to bolster your mission with your industry expertise. Describe your background and qualifications in two-to-three sentences.
For example, are you a salesperson using LinkedIn to connect with prospects? Your summary should speak to your expertise in your industry, and your interest in helping people achieve results. Maybe you’re a customer success manager using LinkedIn to connect with customers. Your summary should speak to your expertise in your industry and your availability for consulting.
Industry Expertise Example
“I have 7+ years of sales experience in both SDR and account manager roles.”
5. Call out your specialties and skills.
After highlighting your expertise, tell us what you focus on in 1-2 sentences. For instance, if you’re a digital marketer, do you focus on SEO or social media?
If you recently graduated from college, did you study something specifically within your field?
Calling out your specialties is especially critical in sales. There are many types of sales jobs out there in a vast number of industries with an infinite number of buyer personas and markets. Whether your goal is to appeal to employers or prospects, be sure to call out the things you do well to attract the opportunities best aligned with your goals.
Specialties and Skills Example
“I’m a mid-market sales executive with experience in direct sales and SAAS product demonstrations.”
6. Provide data to back up your results and prove your expertise.
It’s time to prove that you’re actually an expert by sharing important data points. No need to give prospective employers a laundry list of your accomplishments — that’s what the section below is for — but it can be impactful to weave a few of your most impressive data points into your summary paragraph.
Proof Example
“Over the past five years, I’ve made it into the President’s Club three times and my closed-won business has seen less than 10% churn during the first 12 months.”
7. Mention if your team is currently hiring and invite people to apply.
This is optional, but it will serve you in several ways. First, it will show that you’re a team player, and second, it will show that you’re committed to both your professional growth and your current company’s growth.
It’s a must-have if you’re in the business of recruiting, as this can serve as an excellent recruiting tool. For example, are you a team manager using LinkedIn to recruit for job openings? Your summary should speak to the fact that you have openings, the type of work you do, and why a candidate would want to work at your company.
Team is Hiring Example
“We’re currently hiring account managers for our Pacific Northwest territory. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of sales experience and a demonstrated familiarity with the region. We’re a fast-growing team with no cap on commission. Click here to learn more and apply.”
8. Highlight your professional interests.
Next, it’s time to highlight your professional interests. What do you help others do? What’s your goal in doing so? This is different from your skills in that it’s not necessarily as quantifiable or fact-driven. Because these are your interests, you don’t have to provide data to prove them.
Show that you’re committed to pursuing them and be sure to sound passionate about them.
Professional Interests Example
“I’m a sales coach that’s interested in assisting small teams (five-10 people) optimize their time and workflows so businesses can grow without adding more headcount and reps can advance their careers.”
9. Include a call-to-action with your contact information.
Last but certainly not least, include a call-to-action and potentially share your contact information. Are you a freelance or contract worker hoping to find more work on LinkedIn? Your summary should end with how to get in contact with you. If you want to seal the deal, include a list of your most impressive clients.
CTA Example
“Reach me at [email protected] or book time on my calendar here: [Calendar link]. Previous clients include [Your most impressive client], [Your second most impressive client], and [Your third most impressive client].”
If you’re not looking for more work, you can also simply end with, “Feel free to message me — I’d love to chat.”
10. Tip: Break up large blocks of text.
If you find your summary is on the longer side (which isn’t a problem as long as it’s compelling), try breaking up large blocks of text to make it easier to read. When initially viewing a profile, many people are scanning for high-level context. If you are posting long paragraphs, some of your notable highlights can get lost.
Try keeping your text blocks to two or three sentences max, making your summary easier to read and digest.
Conclusion
As a student you need to add Linkedin on your CV and on your resume. It is not easy to add this profile on resume or CV, because the linkedin profile summary is shorter than other social network. But you should still add it on your resumes and on your CVs to improve your visibility on internet. Writing the professional Summary about yourself in LinkedIn is a crucial step in maximizing your profile’s potential.