Tell me if you know this guy. His name’s Bob Loblaw and he’s a partner in a firm, Loblaw Law. He graduated from Boblob Law School in ’78, and joined McBoyle and Fish LLC as an associate, where he earned the Goober Prize for Justice. And then Bob founded Loblaw Law, and in 2008, launched the Loblaw Law Blog, for all things Bob Loblaw.
And blah, blah, blah.
Arrested Development jokes aside, so many bios and LinkedIn profiles read like this—stiff, self-important, and frankly, boring. A whole lot of talk and very little action. Or, if they have action, it’s undirected and meandering, unsure of its purpose.
Last week, we discussed the merits of a powerful, engaging resume. This week, we give you part two of our personal marketing one-two punch: how your bio and LinkedIn profile can take charge and compel readers—portraying you as a person rather than a commoditized “service provider.”
At MarketSmiths, we see bios and LinkedIn profiles as a chance to highlight your personal mission. Why do you do what you do? And how did you get to your current career point? If you work for a company (your own or another’s), a well-written bio reinforces branding. If you’re a freelancer or consultant, it gives you a sense of personal branding…and maybe another reason to get up in the morning.
So instead of writing a bulleted list of everything you’ve done since graduation, think about the experiences that challenged you, influenced your goals, or introduced you to something new. Craft your story with a trajectory into the future, rather than simply recapping the past.
Trust us—your readers will want to know what happens next.
