Learning how to write a bio is not easy; defining yourself in a few words even less so. But never fear—you can do it! Taking a few minutes to think about what you’re about isn’t just a great writing exercise, it’s a clarifying moment of personal development.
There are stages in your life where you simply cannot get away with not writing. Writing your personal bio is one of them. This bio is all about you so you would want to make it stand out as uniquely as possible. Writing an engaging and concise personal bio can be made easier with a few simple tips.
In reading this, you would not only learn what a personal bio is, you would also learn to write one.
As a bonus, we have also added a few personal bio examples for you to go through and have the motivation to recreate yours. Keep reading.
Table of contents
What Is A Personal Bio For Your Resume?
A personal biography (bio) is a concise introduction that provides a summarized version of your professional accomplishments, your credentials and education, and other information that makes you who you are.
Personal bios are often used when seeking employment to provide hiring managers with a synopsis of why you are the ideal candidate for the job. They can also be used on networking platforms and professional websites.
Depending on how well your bio has been written, it has the power to impact on anyone who reads it and gives positive impressions that can impact your professional development and success.
Your bio is often the first (and perhaps only) thing a potential employer, client or contact will read before deciding to contact you, so it is important that your bio be accurate, informative and memorable.
How To Write A Great Personal Bio For Your Resume? Step By Step Guide.
Writing a great personal bio for your resume could seem like a lot, especially when there a lot of things about you and you have no idea what to include and what to leave out.
The steps you can take to successfully nice out a great personal bio for your resume are-
Step 1- Introduce Yourself
Of course, the best way to stay your bio is by introducing yourself. This introduction must be brief. Start your bio with a brief introduction that shows who you are.
The first sentence should include your name followed by a few important details you want to highlight, such as your education, certifications or achievements.
You should also briefly include your skills, personal values, professional values and other important details such as your current job title, the industry you work in and what your job duties cover.
Step 2- State your philosophy
After introducing yourself, you may want to relate your personal or professional mission statement. This should answer the question, “Why do you do what you do?”.
Your personal philosophy may involve serving others, providing for your family or making the most of your opportunities.
Also, your professional philosophy could relate to expanding your expertise, contributing to society or learning new skills. Your philosophy should give your reader an accurate idea of what matters the most to you.
Step 3- Keep it concise
Start with a word count in mind. It can vary depending on the purpose of the resume. However, having a word count in mind can help ensure that you keep it in check.
Mostly, personal biographies on a resume or a job-search site should be a single paragraph or a few short paragraphs that
describe who you are.
It is best to keep this type of personal bio between 300 and 500 words. Your personal bio in your resume should be intended towards
capturing your reader’s attention and getting them to have a general overview of who you are in a few sentences.
It would also encourage them to look at the rest of your resume so you would want to keep it simple and engaging.
Step 4- Use Third Person
It may feel strange or even challenging to write about yourself. Since it’s a biography and not an autobiography, it should be written as though someone else is writing about you.
While some first-person biographies can be effective, writing in the third person allows you to include your full name. This strategy is better for search engine optimization because it tells search engines that the piece is about you.
Step 5- Write Strategically
When writing a personal bio for your resume, be intentional. Include information that you are you’re your employer would like to hear.
Ask yourself who your target audience is, what you want them to learn from your bio, and life events that you can easily include to illustrate the points. Write in a way that would ensure the person wants to read more.
Include stories that inspired you to pursue your current career or shaped your professional goals.
In writing a personal bio for your resume, you want to ensure that you highlight your professional accomplishments. You will need to describe them in a way that any reader can understand.
You most likely will not have room to list all past accomplishments, so it is important to choose which ones which align with the job you are going for and also shows your level of competence.
Step 7- Include your Contact Information
Your biography is the first step in connecting you with others. In writing a great personal bio for your resume ensure you add your contact information like your email address, link to your contact page, links to your professional social media platforms.
Your contact information should be the end of your bio.
Step 8- Edit thoroughly
Your personal bio is the first thing your employers see. You do not want to have grammatical errors in your personal bio. Be sure to proofread your personal bio for grammatical and spelling errors before publishing it. Avoid editing as you go so you can focus on your writing, and then edit it as a whole once complete. You can also use online editing software to edit your work to look very professional before sending it.
How to make your personal bio for your resume stand out?
There are some little things you can do to make your
personal bio on your resume stand out. Some of them are-
- Be human. One of the most important roles that a short bio plays is humanizing you in the minds of your readers. A well-written short bio will give your reader an accurate impression of who you are, both professionally and personally. Including specific details like descriptions of your family, your hobbies or other passions can help your readers relate to you and understand your motivations.
- Add the link to your portfolio- Your personal bio is a marketing tool. If you are using your personal bio for an online networking profile or on your professional website, consider linking to any work or mention of your accomplishments available online. With this, your employer can easily check you out and see your previous works without even having to meet you physically.
- Use humor where appropriate. Yes, you are applying for a formal position and while you should keep your tone professional throughout, consider ending with an anecdotal story or some tasteful and fun humor. This element can personalize your bio and leave your audience with a good impression.
- Utilize SEO. In writing a personal bio for your resume, you should ensure that your bio is search engine friendly, and in terms of search results, longer biographies fare better. You should also include relevant keywords related to your industry or position when writing a personal bio for your resume.
- Include links to your social media sites. When writing a personal bio for your resume, try as much as you can to include your social media sites. This could include LinkedIn, Facebook and even Instagram. With this, your employer can go look at what you have been doing unofficially.
- Add a high-resolution professional photo. Ensure that the picture you add to your personal bio s not blurry. Also check the background to ensure that it looks professional. Your clothing should also not be too colorful. It has to be just right to give off the professional look.
- Be concise. You do not want your bio to take up most of the space you need for other things. A great personal bio, amongst other things, should be concise. To help you determine which facts are the most relevant, you will need to consider your audience and your primary purpose.
- Be authentic. It is important for your short bio to be an accurate representation of who you are. When writing your bio, be sure to describe your accomplishments honestly, without exaggerating. It is a good idea to highlight your professional strengths but you also want to be able to live up to your promises. Authenticity and sincerity is the best option when writing a short bio.
- Don’t overthink it. If you start to overthink the process of writing your personal bio for your resume, you would probably make a mess of it. You should just go with the flow and if you are a good writer, this should come more easily.
- Remember your worth. Keep in mind that your story is only yours to tell, and it has value. Focus on staying authentic to your truth, and don’t worry about others’.
- Get writing help. You’re not alone in your quest to create a bio that stands out. When you have tried and it’s not flowing, you can meet a writer who is a professional at this. Describe the job you are going for and what you want included in your bio, then watch the person make a personal bio for your resume that stands out.
Great personal bio examples for your resume
As promised, these are examples of personal bio’s that you can look through and get the idea of what your own bio should look like.
Example 1
“Mary Jones is an Administrative Assistant with eight years of experience working alongside the executive team of a Fortune 500 company. Mary specializes in administrative technology and is responsible for educating other employees on using progressive systems and applications, including accounting software, mass communication procedures and organizational apps. Mary is a powerful force in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Mary is inspired daily by her husband and their two daughters. In her free time, Mary likes to hike, crochet, and play video games with her grandson.”
Example 2
“My name is Alex Drysdale and I am a Junior Web Developer for Oswald Technologies. I am an accomplished coder and programmer, and I enjoy using my skills to contribute to the exciting technological advances that happen every day at Oswald Tech. I graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Development. While in school, I earned the 2015 Edmund Gains Award for my exemplary academic performance and leadership skills.
FAQs
This is doable, but it is usually not advisable. A bio gives your resume a professional look.
Most people get stuck at this stage. You could start by describing your past employments and what you are good at, or anything you find intriguing about yourself. You could ask your friends or family to help you with this.
Conclusion
A bio is a detailed description of your life, professional background, education history, achievements, and skill set.
Unlike a curriculum vita, a bio for your resume presents your life by highlighting important aspects such as their unique skill set, details of their professional experience, notable projects they are involved in, and an analysis of their personality.
You only get one shot at applying for this job. Ensure that you write a great personal bio for your resume that stands out.
References
- Grammarly.com – How to Write Bio
- interviewkickstart.com – How to Write a Personal Bio
- Wikihow.com – Write a Personal Bio
- Cvplaza.com – How to Write a Personal Profile Statement
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