Most transitioning service members treat LinkedIn like a second resume: Upload a headshot, job title, rating, MOS, AFSC, or designator, write the About section, copy-paste the Experience section. Done.
Except that’s not how LinkedIn was designed to be used. It’s not a copy of your resume or a billboard for your certifications and credentials. More so than you might expect, it’s a knowledge-sharing platform that can serve as an informational website about you and your talents.
Take the “About” section, for example. This is by far my favorite part of someone’s online profile. Here, you get to tell me your story, unpack your background, and highlight the skills and talents and accomplishments that make you someone I want to know.
The About section (formerly called the Summary) offers you 2,600 characters (approximately 350-370 words) to:
- Write in more prose and narrative than a resume ever could
- Translate your military experience for a civilian hiring manage
- Communicate in first person, speaking as one individual to another
- Call out the areas, successes and milestones that are meaningful to you
- Get indexed by search engines — so keywords matter
- Help others learn about you as a person, not just a job candidate
5 Steps to Write a Successful LinkedIn ‘About’ Section
To write an impactful About section on LinkedIn, follow these steps:
1.Get Clear on Your Personal Brand
Know your values, the way you want to be perceived and who your profile is targeting. What do you want your name attached to? What did people count on you for? You might desire to be known as someone who leads by empowering others, building great teams, and showing up authentically. And, if you’re in a job search, your audience might include recruiters at your dream companies, networking contacts who share similar values and goals, and influencers who could introduce you to key decision makers in your field.
Read More: Why You Didn’t Get the Job: Understanding How Companies Hire
2. Understand Your Target
The audience you’re trying to reach, in the industry you’re pursuing, must be front and center as you write your About section. Pay attention to the language they use, the terminology that’ll show them you’re relatable and aligned. What does your audience care about? What keeps them up at night? As you write your narrative, dial into those points to get their attention and keep it. For example, instead of writing, “Managed logistics operations for a 40-person unit,” offer, “Led supply chain operations for a 40-person team under high-stakes, zero-fail conditions.”
3. Write in Your Natural Voice
If you’re normally a casual, funny person, then it’s OK to write in a more relaxed tone. If you try to write more formally, it won’t sound authentic and real. This will turn off readers.
4. Highlight Key Milestones, Metrics and Accomplishments
Wherever you can, bring attention to the results and outcomes you’re most proud of. Quantify anything you can while keeping the flow readable. Bulleted lists are fine but ensure the text above compliments the nature of the supporting information listed.
5. Weave Your Personal Brand Through the Entire Section
Look for opportunities to bring the reader back to your brand, your value proposition, the offer you’re making. Don’t expect they’ll be able to figure it out on their own. Make it crystal clear who you are and what you stand for. In each accomplishment you list, highlight how your brand led you toward the desired outcome.
Read More: Leave Your Rank at the Gate to Build Influence in the Civilian Sector
Should you use AI to help?
In my opinion, it’s perfectly fine to use AI to help you with the About section. Sometimes it’s very difficult to write about ourselves in prose form, where we’re afraid of bragging or boasting.
If you use an AI tool to help you, be sure to feed it a prompt with all the context: your personal brand assets, your career goals and aspirations, attributes of your past that made you successful (as a leader or technically), deep information about the needs and wants of your target audience, and so on. AI cannot know you as well as you do, so ensure that what it produces not only sounds smart but also aligns with what’s listed on your resume; and that it’s written in a voice that sounds naturally like you.
The About section on your LinkedIn profile is your story. It’s more than a list of what you’ve done before because it indicates what you can do and want to do. How powerful is that? Take the time crafting your About, then ask people who know you well to read it. Does it sound like you? Is it clear who you are, what you care about, who you’re looking to attract and the opportunities you desire? If it is, you’re good to go.
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