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30 Professional Bio Examples and Templates to Showcase Your Expertise

30 professional bio examples and templates to help you craft a compelling and impactful bio that showcases your expertise and personal brand

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Your professional bio is more than just a few lines of text on a website or social media profile. It's your chance to make a strong first impression and tell your unique story to the world. Whether you're a job seeker, an entrepreneur, a freelancer, or a professional in any field, a well-crafted bio can make a significant impact on your personal brand.

But how to write a professional bio that stands out and accurately represents who you are and what you've accomplished? That's exactly what we'll explore in this blog post. We'll provide you with valuable tips and practical examples of professional bio to help you in writing a professional bio that captures attention, highlights your expertise, and leaves a lasting impression.

Let's get started.

How to write a professional bio

Writing a professional bio can be a valuable tool for various purposes, such as a website, social media profiles, speaking engagements, or professional networking. It provides a concise and compelling summary of your background, expertise, achievements, and aspirations.

Here are tips for writing a professional bio

1. Identify your purpose

Determine the specific purpose and target audience for your bio. Are you writing for a professional website, LinkedIn profile, or conference brochure? Understanding your audience and their expectations will shape the tone and content of your bio.

2. Start with a strong opening

Begin your bio with a captivating and attention-grabbing statement. This can be a notable achievement, an intriguing personal detail, or a unique selling point that sets you apart. It should quickly engage the reader and make them want to learn more.

3. Provide relevant background information

Offer a concise overview of your professional background and expertise. Highlight your educational qualifications, relevant work experience, and any specialized training or certifications you possess. Focus on the aspects most relevant to your target audience.

4. Highlight key achievements

Showcase your significant accomplishments and milestones. These could include notable projects, awards, publications, successful campaigns, or any other achievements that demonstrate your skills and expertise. Use quantifiable data whenever possible to provide tangible evidence of your success.

5. Showcase your skills and expertise

Discuss your areas of specialization, core skills, and unique abilities that make you stand out in your field. Emphasize how these skills align with the needs and interests of your target audience. Use specific examples or testimonials to illustrate your capabilities.

6. Demonstrate your value proposition

Clearly articulate the value you bring to your audience. Explain how your expertise, experience, or products/services can solve their problems, meet their needs, or provide valuable solutions. Focus on the benefits you offer rather than just listing features.

7. Incorporate personal elements

While your bio should primarily focus on your professional accomplishments, including some personal details can help humanize your profile. Mentioning relevant hobbies, interests, or volunteer work can create a connection with your audience and showcase your well-rounded personality.

8. Keep it concise and focused

Aim for a bio length of around 150-300 words, depending on the platform and purpose. Use clear and concise language, avoiding jargon or technical terms that might be unfamiliar to your audience. Make every sentence count and ensure that each piece of information is relevant and impactful.

9. Edit and proofread

After writing your bio, review it carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure that it flows smoothly and is easy to read. Consider seeking feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or friends to get a fresh perspective and make improvements if needed.

10. Update regularly

Your professional bio should be a living document that evolves as you progress in your career. Keep it up to date by revisiting and revising it periodically to reflect your latest achievements, skills, and goals.

19 Professional bio examples

Here are five professional bio examples for different fields and purposes

1. Business professional bio example

John Smith is an experienced business strategist and consultant with over 10 years of experience in helping companies drive growth and maximize profitability. As the founder and CEO of XYZ Consulting, John has advised numerous Fortune 500 companies on strategic planning, market expansion, and organizational development. His expertise lies in leveraging data-driven insights to identify opportunities, streamline operations, and deliver sustainable results.

John holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, playing the piano, and volunteering with local business mentoring programs.

2. Creative professional bio example of graphic designer

Sarah Thompson is a passionate graphic designer and visual storyteller known for her innovative and captivating designs. With a keen eye for aesthetics and a deep understanding of branding, Sarah has worked with leading global brands, creating impactful visual identities and marketing campaigns. Her work has been featured in several design publications and has earned her multiple awards, including the prestigious AIGA Design Excellence Award.

Sarah holds a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. When she's not immersed in design projects, she can be found exploring art galleries, experimenting with new art techniques, or traveling to gain inspiration from different cultures.

3. Medical professional bio example

Dr. Emily Davis is a board-certified cardiologist with a specialization in interventional cardiology. With over 15 years of clinical experience, Dr. Davis is dedicated to providing compassionate and personalized care to her patients. She is recognized for her expertise in complex coronary interventions and has performed hundreds of successful procedures, saving countless lives.

Dr. Davis completed her medical degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and pursued her fellowship training at the renowned Cleveland Clinic. She actively participates in medical research and has authored numerous publications in esteemed cardiology journals. Outside of her practice, Dr. Davis enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, and advocating for heart health awareness.

4. Tech professional bio example

Alex Johnson is a seasoned software engineer and technology leader with a passion for innovation and problem-solving. With over 12 years of experience in the tech industry, Alex has led cross-functional teams in developing cutting-edge software solutions for global enterprises. His expertise spans full-stack development, cloud architecture, and machine learning.

Alex holds a Master's degree in Computer Science from Stanford University and has been granted several patents for his groundbreaking work. He frequently shares his knowledge as a guest lecturer at tech conferences and mentors aspiring developers through coding bootcamps. In his free time, Alex enjoys hiking, playing guitar, and experimenting with new coding languages.

5. Academic professional bio example

Dr. Jessica Rodriguez is a renowned professor of sociology and social justice advocate. With a Ph.D. in Sociology from Yale University, Dr. Rodriguez has dedicated her career to advancing research on inequality, race relations, and social change. Her scholarly work has been published in leading academic journals and has been influential in shaping public policy.

Dr. Rodriguez is a sought-after speaker at conferences and has delivered TEDx talks on issues of social justice and equity. She is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars and serves as a faculty advisor for various student organizations. Outside of academia, Dr. Rodriguez enjoys exploring new cuisines, volunteering at local community centers, and practicing mindfulness meditation.

6. Legal professional bio example

Elizabeth Davis is a highly accomplished attorney specializing in intellectual property law. With a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, Elizabeth has successfully represented clients in high-profile copyright and trademark infringement cases. Her expertise also extends to licensing agreements and intellectual property portfolio management.

Elizabeth is a partner at ABC Law Firm, where she heads the Intellectual Property Practice Group. She is a frequent speaker at legal conferences and serves as a mentor to young lawyers. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and volunteering with organizations that promote access to justice.

7. Marketing professional bio example

Jennifer Lee is a results-driven marketing strategist with a track record of driving revenue growth through innovative digital campaigns. With a deep understanding of consumer behavior and market trends, Jennifer has helped numerous companies expand their online presence and optimize their marketing efforts. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from New York University and is certified in Google Analytics and Facebook Ads.

Jennifer is a regular contributor to marketing publications and is often invited as a guest speaker at industry events. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, and exploring new cuisines.

8. Education professional bio example

Dr. Michael Thompson is a dedicated educator and thought leader in the field of educational psychology. With a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Dr. Thompson has served as a professor at prestigious universities, where he specializes in child development, motivation, and educational policy. He is the author of several influential books on parenting and education, which have been featured on The New York Times Bestseller list.

Dr. Thompson is a sought-after keynote speaker at education conferences and has appeared as a guest expert on national television programs. In his spare time, he enjoys playing the guitar, hiking with his family, and volunteering with local literacy programs.

9. Finance professional bio example

Sarah Johnson is a seasoned financial advisor with over 15 years of experience in wealth management. As the founder and CEO of XYZ Financial Services, Sarah has helped countless individuals and families navigate complex financial landscapes and achieve their long-term financial goals. She holds an MBA in Finance from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).

Sarah is a regular contributor to financial publications and has been featured in Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. Outside of work, she enjoys playing golf, practicing yoga, and serving as a board member for local nonprofits.

10. Journalism professional bio example

Emily Wilson is an award-winning investigative journalist with a passion for uncovering the truth and holding those in power accountable. With a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University, Emily has worked for leading news organizations, where she has covered a wide range of topics, including politics, social justice, and environmental issues.

Her in-depth reporting has led to significant policy changes and has earned her recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists. Emily is a regular contributor to national newspapers and frequently appears as a guest commentator on news programs. In her downtime, she enjoys hiking, reading non-fiction, and mentoring aspiring journalists.

11. Human Resources professional bio example

Michael Anderson is a seasoned human resources executive with a proven track record in talent acquisition and organizational development. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Michael has led HR teams at global companies, developing effective recruitment strategies and fostering a positive work culture.

He holds a Master's degree in Human Resources Management and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). Michael is a frequent speaker at HR conferences and is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Outside of work, he enjoys playing golf, cooking, and volunteering with local career development organizations.

12. Healthcare professional bio example

Dr. Sarah Mitchell is a dedicated pediatrician committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care to children of all ages. With a medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Mitchell has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of pediatric conditions. She is known for her warm bedside manner and ability to establish strong relationships with her young patients and their families.

Dr. Mitchell is actively involved in medical research and has published articles in renowned pediatric journals. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing the violin, and volunteering at children's hospitals.

13. Sales professional bio example

David Turner is a dynamic sales executive with a proven record of exceeding targets and driving revenue growth. With a background in business development and relationship management, David has successfully built strategic partnerships and closed multi-million dollar deals for global corporations. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Sales and Marketing and is certified in advanced sales techniques.

David is a sought-after speaker at sales conferences and has developed training programs to help sales teams improve their performance. Outside of work, he enjoys playing basketball, attending live music events, and mentoring young professionals interested in pursuing a career in sales.

14. Nonprofit professional bio example

Rebecca Nguyen is a passionate advocate for social change and the executive director of a prominent nonprofit organization focused on community development. With a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management, Rebecca has dedicated her career to addressing issues of poverty, education, and affordable housing. She has successfully led initiatives that have transformed the lives of vulnerable populations and empowered communities.

Rebecca is a sought-after speaker at nonprofit conferences and serves on the boards of several community-based organizations. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing mindfulness meditation, exploring nature trails, and supporting local artists.

15. Entrepreneur professional bio example

Mark Thompson is a visionary entrepreneur and the founder of a successful tech startup that specializes in artificial intelligence solutions. With a strong background in computer science and a passion for innovation, Mark has developed groundbreaking AI algorithms that have revolutionized industries such as healthcare and finance. His entrepreneurial journey has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Mark is an active mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs and frequently speaks at technology conferences. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess, attending hackathons, and supporting STEM education initiatives.

16. Real Estate professional bio example

Laura Johnson is a trusted real estate agent with extensive knowledge of the local market and a reputation for delivering exceptional service. With over a decade of experience in residential and commercial real estate, Laura has helped numerous clients navigate complex transactions and achieve their property goals. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Real Estate Management and is a certified Realtor®.

Laura's commitment to excellence has earned her recognition as a top producer in her agency. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, painting, and volunteering with organizations that promote affordable housing.

17. Fitness professional bio example

Daniel Ramirez is a dedicated fitness coach and personal trainer, committed to helping clients achieve their health and wellness goals. With a background in exercise science and multiple certifications in fitness training, Daniel has guided individuals of all fitness levels to success. He specializes in weight management, strength training, and functional fitness.

Daniel's personalized and motivating approach has garnered him a loyal following and positive testimonials. He regularly conducts fitness workshops and contributes articles to health and wellness publications. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys practicing yoga, hiking with his dog, and experimenting with new healthy recipes.

18. Public Relations professional bio example

Rachel Anderson is a seasoned public relations strategist with a passion for building strong brands and fostering positive media relationships. With a Master's degree in Strategic Communication, Rachel has led successful PR campaigns for global corporations and high-profile individuals. Her expertise lies in crafting compelling narratives, crisis management, and influencer partnerships.

Rachel's strategic approach and attention to detail have earned her recognition in the industry. She frequently shares her insights as a guest lecturer at communications conferences and mentors aspiring PR professionals. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys attending cultural events, exploring art museums, and volunteering with nonprofit organizations.

19. Culinary professional bio example

Chef Alex Torres is a highly acclaimed chef with a talent for creating culinary experiences that blend innovation and tradition. With formal training at prestigious culinary institutes and experience working in Michelin-starred restaurants, Chef Torres has elevated the dining scene with his exquisite dishes. He has been featured in prominent food publications and has received numerous accolades for his culinary prowess.

Chef Torres is dedicated to using locally sourced ingredients and promoting sustainable cooking practices. In addition to his culinary pursuits, he enjoys traveling, foraging for unique ingredients, and mentoring aspiring chefs.

Ensure to customize these examples to align with your own professional background, accomplishments, and aspirations. A professional bio should reflect your individuality and showcase your expertise and impact in your chosen field.

6 Short Professional Bio templates for experienced professionals

Here are 6 short professional bio example templates for experience professionals.

Professional bio template 1

With over 10 years of experience in the field, I am a seasoned marketing professional specializing in digital strategy and brand management. I have successfully executed numerous integrated marketing campaigns for both local and international clients, driving significant growth and revenue. I am highly skilled in market research, data analysis, and customer segmentation, enabling me to develop tailored marketing strategies that resonate with target audiences. Known for my creative thinking, strong leadership abilities, and excellent communication skills, I thrive in fast-paced environments and deliver results that exceed expectations.

Professional bio template 2

As a dedicated software engineer, I have a solid background in developing innovative solutions for complex business challenges. With expertise in multiple programming languages and frameworks, I have successfully delivered robust software applications for diverse industries, including finance, healthcare, and e-commerce. I am passionate about writing clean, efficient code and staying updated with the latest industry trends. With strong problem-solving skills and a keen eye for detail, I consistently deliver high-quality projects on time and within budget, earning the trust and satisfaction of clients and stakeholders.

Professional bio template 3

With a background in finance and accounting, I am a highly skilled professional with a proven track record in financial analysis and risk management. Over the years, I have successfully guided organizations through complex financial landscapes, analyzing market trends, and identifying opportunities for growth. My expertise lies in financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting, as well as in implementing robust internal controls. With a strong attention to detail and exceptional analytical abilities, I provide strategic insights that drive sound decision-making and contribute to long-term business success.

Professional bio template 4

With a background in human resources and talent management, I am a results-oriented professional specializing in recruitment and employee development. I have successfully sourced and placed top-tier candidates across various industries, utilizing innovative sourcing strategies and conducting comprehensive interviews. Additionally, I have designed and implemented training programs that enhance employee performance and engagement. Known for my strong interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport, I excel at fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Professional bio template 5

As a skilled project manager, I have a proven track record of delivering complex projects on time and within budget. I possess a strong understanding of project management methodologies and tools, allowing me to effectively plan, execute, and monitor projects from initiation to closure. With excellent communication and leadership abilities, I thrive in cross-functional teams, coordinating resources and ensuring seamless collaboration. Known for my problem-solving skills and ability to mitigate risks, I consistently drive successful project outcomes.

Professional bio template 6

With a background in sales and business development, I am a dynamic professional experienced in driving revenue growth and building strategic partnerships. I possess a deep understanding of market dynamics and customer needs, enabling me to identify new business opportunities and develop tailored sales strategies. I excel at building and maintaining long-term relationships with clients, utilizing strong negotiation and closing skills. With a passion for achieving sales targets and a proactive approach, I consistently exceed expectations and contribute to overall business success.

5 Short professional bio examples for freshers

Here are 5 short professional bio examples for freshers.

A results-oriented and enthusiastic entry-level professional seeking a challenging position in [industry/field]. With a strong educational background in [relevant degree/program], I possess a solid foundation in [key skills/competencies]. Eager to contribute my knowledge and learn from experienced professionals, I am a quick learner with excellent problem-solving abilities. I am committed to delivering high-quality work and thrive in collaborative environments that foster growth and innovation.

A proactive and detail-oriented recent graduate with a degree in [relevant field]. I am passionate about starting my career in [industry/field] and utilizing my strong analytical and communication skills to contribute to organizational success. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to continuous improvement, I am eager to learn from experienced professionals and adapt to new technologies. Seeking an entry-level position that provides opportunities for growth and development.

A highly motivated and adaptable professional with a degree in [relevant field] seeking an entry-level position in [industry/field]. Equipped with strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, I am eager to apply my knowledge and contribute to a dynamic organization. With a passion for innovation and a willingness to learn, I am committed to delivering results and exceeding expectations. I thrive in fast-paced environments and possess excellent teamwork and communication abilities.

A dedicated and proactive recent graduate with a degree in [relevant field]. I am eager to kickstart my career in [industry/field] and make a positive impact. With strong problem-solving abilities and a keen eye for detail, I am committed to delivering exceptional work. Seeking an entry-level position where I can contribute my skills in [specific area] and learn from experienced professionals in order to grow and excel in my field.

A detail-oriented and ambitious graduate with a strong academic background in [relevant field]. Equipped with a solid foundation in [key skills/competencies], I am ready to embark on a successful career in [industry/field]. With a proactive and result-driven approach, I am eager to contribute my abilities in [specific area] to an organization that values innovation and growth. Seeking an entry-level position where I can apply my knowledge, learn from experienced professionals, and make a meaningful contribution.

A professional bio is a powerful tool for showcasing your skills, experience, and unique personality. By following the tips and examples we've provided in this blog post, you can create a compelling bio that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

Remember to keep your bio concise and focused, highlighting your most relevant achievements and qualifications. Use a professional tone and tailor your bio to suit your target audience. Don't be afraid to inject a bit of personality and showcase your passions and interests.

Lastly, don't forget to update your bio regularly as your career progresses and new accomplishments come your way. A well-maintained and thoughtfully written professional bio can open doors, create opportunities, and help you stand out in a competitive professional landscape.

So, take the time to craft a bio that truly represents who you are and what you bring to the table. Invest in your personal brand and watch as your professional bio becomes a powerful tool in your journey to success.

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How to write a professional bio (with examples and templates)

• Rebecca Strehlow
• 11 min read

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain →

Which three words would you use to describe yourself? Most of us have been asked this question, and many of us have fumbled through it awkwardly.

Coming up with a personal description can be daunting. But there are times when it’s essential - whether we’re updating our LinkedIn profiles, blogging for Medium or creating a business website of our own.

In this post, we’ll go over how to write a bio, step by step. To help guide you, we’ve also included a handy template, along with some professional bio examples for your inspiration. With these resources, you’ll find that writing a bio, as part of making a website , is much easier than you might think.

What is a bio?

Before you learn how to write a bio, you should have a clear understanding of what it is and why you need it.

In the world of literature, a personal biography can span the length of an entire novel, like Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom or Malala Yousafzai’s I Am Malala . In the online world, however, a bio is a short paragraph in which you introduce yourself. Typically, people place bios on the About Us page of their professional website, as well as on their social media pages and other networking platforms.

What to include in a bio

Depending on your audience and goals, your bio can highlight your personal interests, your professional achievements or a mix of both. Here are some of the elements a bio might include:

Job title or workplace

University degree and other qualifications

Hometown or city of residence

Personal or professional goals

Mission statement and values

Skills and expertise

Interests and hobbies

The goal of writing a bio is to provide people with a snapshot of who you are. This is important for a variety of reasons, whether it’s drawing people toward your personal website or promoting your blog, attracting clients and business partners to your brand, or highlighting your achievements for job interviews.

How to write a short bio

The most effective online bios are both professional and concise. Here’s how to write a short professional bio that suits your website or brand:

Introduce yourself

State your company or brand name

Explain your professional role

Include professional achievements

Discuss your passions and values

Mention your personal interests

01. Introduce yourself

Begin your bio by stating your first and last name. If you’re writing in the third person, these should be the first two words of the paragraph. This makes your name easy for your audience to identify and remember. Your bio is a huge part of your personal branding efforts, and should start with a strong intro to make a positive impact.

02. State your company or brand name

Think about whether you want your bio to represent yourself on a personal level, or whether you’d like it to come across as more professional. If you have a personal brand or business - for example, a blog, freelance business or eCommerce site - be sure to mention your brand name at the beginning of your bio. Don’t be afraid if the name sounds simple or redundant. It’s perfectly fine, for instance, to say Mary Smith is the founder and CEO of Smith Digital.

Likewise, feel free to mention the name of another company or brand that you work for if you’d like to associate it with your professional accomplishments - e.g., Mary Smith is a consultant at Google and the founder and CEO of Smith Digital.

03. Explain your professional role

Next, briefly explain your current position. This is relevant whether you’re the founder of a company, a high-level specialist or a beginner in your field, and it can be similar to the description you have on your resume. Your website visitors won’t necessarily know what your job involves, so elaborating on your primary responsibilities helps paint a picture of who you are and what you have to offer. This can also be used, if needed for employment and recruitment opportunities. If you're a freelancer a strong bio can make all the difference in how successful sourcing work can be.

04. Include professional achievements

In addition to explaining what your job entails, highlight milestones that make you stand out. Even if you haven’t won an award or gained external recognition, you can discuss ways in which you’ve contributed to your professional role and touch on new ideas or approaches that you bring to the table.

05. Discuss your passions and values

Once you describe what you do and how you contribute to your role, you’ll need to explain the why . This is one of the most important elements to focus on as you consider how to write a bio.

Think about the values and passions underlying your work, as well as your professional philosophy. What gets you up in the morning? What’s the driving force behind what you do?

You can also think of this part of your professional bio as a kind of mission statement. Perhaps your mission is to serve others, contribute to society, grow your expertise or learn new skills. Whatever your reasons, expanding upon these ideas can help your audience get a better understanding of what truly matters to you. Don't be afraid to deploy storytelling in this part of creating your bio. Explore your narrative and then convey it.

06. Mention your personal interests

The most effective short bios will not only focus on your professional experience, but will also touch on what you like to do in your spare time. Consider mentioning:

Your family

Your hometown

Your hobbies

Side projects you’re working on

Transitioning to a more casual discussion of who you are outside of work is a great way to conclude your bio. This will present you as a more well-rounded person while making you relatable for your audience.

Professional bio template

As you go through the steps on how to write a bio, this handy template will help you get started:

Sentence 1: [Name] is a [job title] who [job description].

E.g., Lisa Green is an English teacher who teaches beginning to advanced literature courses for 10th and 11th grade students at Bloomfield High School.

Sentence 2: [Name] believes that [why you do the work you do].

E.g., Lisa believes that written and analytical skills are not only a fundamental part of academic excellence, but are also the building blocks of critical thinking in high school and beyond.

Sentence 3: [Name/pronoun] has [mention your achievements].

E.g., In addition to managing the English curriculum for the school, she runs an after school program where she works one-on-one with students.

Sentence 4: [Name/pronoun] is a [mention any relevant awards, training or honors].

E.g., She has also been nominated Teacher of the Year for two consecutive years.

Sentence 5: [Name/pronoun] holds a [insert degree] in [field of study] from [university].

E.g., Lisa holds a BA in Creative Writing and a Master’s Degree in Teaching from the University of Michigan.

Once you’ve filled in this template, put it all together into a single paragraph to create an initial framework for your professional biography. Note that you can shorten or expand upon this bio according to your unique needs.

Professional bio examples

Now that you know the basics of writing a professional bio, here are some short bio examples to inspire you. You can use these examples as additional templates for guidance as you craft your own personal biography.

Like the creators of these examples, you can place your bio on your personal or professional website and, later, revise the structure for other online platforms.

01. Bristol Guitar Making School

Of all the professional bio examples, Alex Bishop’s content exudes passion. Strategically placing the bio on the About page of his small business website , he highlights his skills and explains why he finds his work meaningful. In particular, we love his description of why he chose to pursue guitar making:

“​My passion as a guitar maker comes from a life-long obsession with making things. From a young age I have always tried to manipulate objects and materials in order to create something entirely different. I find that working with wood is a way for me to connect with nature. The simple act of shaping wood to make something functional or beautiful brings me endless satisfaction.”

He also lists his accomplishments and awards, adding credibility to his business and building trust among prospective clients.

02. Alexandra Zsigmond

As someone who has served as art director for both The New York Times' opinion section and The New Yorker , it's no surprise that Alexandra Zsigmond's bio is thorough and detailed. Providing statistics or reflections on the things she achieved in her career is a clever way to demonstrate her value without saying so directly. As she explains:

"She has collaborated with a roster of over 1000 artists worldwide and art directed over 4000 editorial illustrations. She is known for greatly expanding the range of visual contributors to the Times, drawing equally from the worlds of contemporary illustration, fine art, animation, and comics."

03. Amanda Shields Interiors

Amanda Shields provides us with another effective bio example on her interior design website. Importantly, she spices up her bio by explaining how home decor aligns with her personal life and why it’s so close to her heart as a mother and entrepreneur:

"After working as a product designer for numerous retailers over the years, and after I had my first child, I decided to take the plunge and start my own home staging business…. Coincidentally, a month later I discovered I was pregnant with my second child. I loved the new challenges I faced as a new entrepreneur and mom and it didn't take long for me to discover that this was my calling…. I felt the need to expand my business and launch Amanda Shields Interiors as its own entity to focus specifically on residential interiors and design."

By placing this content on her website’s About page, she provides potential clients with insights into her expertise and professional experience. She expands upon the choices she made along her career path, strategically making note of her achievements and acquired skills along the way.

Tips for writing a bio

As you write your bio using the professional template above, make sure to keep the following tips in mind:

Keep it concise: Your bio should be sufficiently explanatory, but it should also be short and to the point. A good rule of thumb is to keep each element of your bio - from your job description to your mission statement and hobbies - to about 1-2 sentences. That way, you’ll end up with a brief paragraph that holds your readers’ attention without rambling on.

Consider your audience: The voice and tone you choose for your biography largely depends on your audience and personal goals. If you’re looking for a job and are writing primarily for recruiters, you’ll want to use a serious, professional tone. On the other hand, if you’re creating an Instagram bio , consider using more casual, conversational language that reflects your personality.

Add humor: Relatedly, consider adding humor when appropriate. This is especially valuable if you’ve founded your own business or created your own website , as it can give you a distinct brand identity while helping your audience build a stronger sense of connection with your brand.

Link to your website: When writing a bio for a platform other than your own website - a social media page, another company page, or a guest blog or publication - remember to include a link to your website. This will help you promote your website while highlighting your professionalism and authority.

Adapt for different platforms: You’ll most likely need to adapt the length and writing style of your biography to suit different platforms. For example, you may place a longer bio on your website’s About page and a shorter one on your LinkedIn page. In these cases, use the same main principles for writing a bio while scaling down the most important elements.

By following these tips, you can create a powerful bio that helps you stand out in your field and allows your audience to get to know you better.

How to write a bio in four sentences or less

Really need to create a super short bio? We'd suggest following some of the tips above, just condensing them into less word for a short bio that still makes impact.

But if we really had to choose we'd say focus on - you, your professional role and company. That condenses everything that matters for bio into three sentences. Humor, creativity and uniqueness still all matter - just use fewer words to convey them.

Creating a bio for your website

As we’ve noted in the examples above, one of the most strategic places to put your bio is on your website - so be sure to consider it within your web design plans. Whether the goal of your site is to start and promote your business , showcase your design portfolio or display your resume, including a bio gives your audience a glimpse into the person behind your content. It can also kickstart your professional growth . Show the world what you do, how you do it and why it matters, and people will be drawn to your passion and inspired by your experience.

Pro tip: You can add a bio to many different types of websites, so using templates can help you create yours faster. For example, if you're creating a portfolio website , explore portfolio website templates to help you get started.

Creating a bio for social media

Crafting a professional bio for social media is vital as it introduces you or your brand, and it builds credibility and trust. A well-written bio establishes your expertise, attracts the right audience, and fosters engagement. It helps maintain a consistent brand image, optimizes search and discovery, and opens doors to networking and career opportunities. A compelling bio delivers a concise, informative snapshot of who you are, what you do, and the value you bring, leaving a lasting impression on visitors and potential collaborators alike.

You may need to edit your bio depending on which social media platform you plan to use it on. Some of the most popular ones include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Focus on getting your bio right on the platforms you plan to focus your personal or brand social media marketing efforts on.

Writing a bio with AI

If you're looking to write your bio fast while creating your website, consider using an AI text generator to build your draft. You'll still need to make sure it goes through. an intensive editing process, so that it really captures the essence of who you are and your professional skills. A bio is about much more than just basic information, so don't forget to include the storytelling too. Build a website with Wix and you can make use of the in-built AI text generator within its Editor .

Why good bios are important for a professional

In a world where first impressions matter, a well-crafted bio can make a significant impact in establishing trust and credibility with potential clients, employers or collaborators. It also offers insight into your personality and values, helping to forge authentic connections with your audience. It acts as a powerful tool for personal branding, allowing you to differentiate yourself in a competitive landscape and leave a memorable impression.

A strong bio also serves as a gateway to opportunities, whether it's securing new clients, landing job interviews or establishing partnerships. It acts as a professional introduction, allowing you to showcase your expertise. A polished and impactful bio is essential for you to effectively communicate your professional identity and stand out in your field.

Writing a bio without experience

Writing a bio when you don't yet have experience can be challenging, but it's an opportunity to showcase your potential and aspirations.

Begin by highlighting your educational background, skills and any relevant coursework or projects you've completed. Focus on your passions, interests and personal qualities that make you unique. Consider including volunteer work, internships or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your commitment and initiative. Emphasize your eagerness to learn and grow in your chosen field and express your future goals and aspirations. Don't be afraid to be honest about your current stage and your willingness to gain experience and develop professionally.

If you don't know what to write in your bio, start by brainstorming your key experiences, achievements, skills and personal attributes. Consider what sets you apart and what you want others to know about you. Look for inspiration from other bios or profiles in your field, and consider seeking feedback from friends, mentors or colleagues. Don't hesitate to highlight your passions, interests and goals, as well as any unique experiences or perspectives you bring to the table. Remember to keep it concise and engaging, and don't be afraid to revise and refine your bio until it accurately represents you.

How to write a bio FAQ

What is a short bio.

A short bio, short for biography, is a concise summary of a your life or professional background. It provides a brief overview of your key achievements, qualifications, experiences, and relevant details. Typically written in the third person, a short bio is often used in various contexts, such as professional profiles, social media accounts, introductions for speaking engagements, author descriptions, and other situations where a brief introduction is required. The length of a short bio can vary, but it's generally kept to a few sentences or a short paragraph to provide a snapshot of the person's background and expertise.

How do I write a bio about myself?

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Standout Professional Bio Examples (And Why You Need One)

• Compelling examples of bios in multiple contexts

The difference between a resume and a professional bio

Who needs a professional bio.

A professional bio is one of the most important pieces of writing you have in your toolkit.

What career and business opportunities will yours open up?

Effective examples of bios in multiple contexts

When crafting a professional bio, be intentional about the content you include and tailor it according to your objectives.

You want to adjust it accordingly based on where it appears and what type of organization and industry you work for.

The purpose of a professional bio is generally to:

• State who you are and what you do
• Provide examples of your work experience that bolster your credibility
• Tell your story

How you go about accomplishing these three goals, however, will vary.

We compiled a variety of professional biographies and explain why they are effective to give you an idea of how to structure yours.

Company Website

If you are a senior executive, you may have a professional bio on your company’s website: this is the most common request we receive.

John Hartman | Equifax

John Hartman put together a classic example of an executive bio for the Equifax website.

His writing is clear, concise, and follows the standard structure for an effective bio by providing:

• Name and current role at Equifax
• Previous experience at Equifax
• Early career history
• Education summary

If you’re looking for a conventional executive bio, you’ll want to follow this format.

It’s perfectly acceptable to use the bio you have on your company’s website for LinkedIn.

However, don’t forget that LinkedIn is still a social media platform, so it’s okay to infuse a bit more personality into it !

Jay Shetty | Personal Brand

Jay Shetty's profile headline and introduction quickly grab the reader's attention: “Meet the former monk who is making wisdom go viral.”

He further builds his credibility by explaining that he has 200 million views on social media, over one million followers, and was selected for Forbes 30 Under 30.

His bio also includes information about his education and career history while infusing elements of his story (we’ll forgive him for grammar errors and focus on content – because it is quite strong).

At the end, he also provides a preferred method of contact.

You should consider including your email address or a link to your LinkedIn profile as well – especially if your bio doubles as a marketing tool.

Need help crafting a compelling executive bio? Learn more  about our professional bio writing service!

Personal Website

We’re increasingly seeing freelancers and even professionals in the corporate sector building personal websites that serve as an online resume, so to speak.

If you are a freelancer or run your own business, think carefully about your copy and what kind of message you are sending to your readers.

• What kind of impression will they have of you and your business after reading your bio?
• Does your bio leave them inspired and wanting to talk to you further?
• What is the image you are trying to convey? Do you want to come off as polished and professional, engaging, fun, or simply vanilla? 

Melanie Everett | melanieeverettco.com

Melanie Everett runs an independent real estate firm in Chicago.

Coming from a journalism background, she has leveraged her writing skills to drive her real estate business. She currently ranks in the top 1% of real estate agents in Chicago.

Conference or Event Pamphlet

If you are speaking on a panel or delivering a keynote speech, you may have the opportunity to provide a bio to be featured in the event’s print materials.

For these types of communications, you’ll want your bio to be shorter than what you might include on a company page or LinkedIn summary.

These executive bios build credibility for you and your company while positioning you as an expert on the topic you will be speaking about.

Vera Manoukian | Hilton

Hilton’s Vera Manoukian provided this bio when she spoke on a panel titled “The Rebirth of Full-Service Hotels,” effectively demonstrating her leadership experience in the hospitality sector.

Nonprofit Bio

Executive bios for nonprofit organizations often employ a storytelling approach to introduce readers to the organization’s mission and impact.

Ben Justus | EGBOK Mission

In his bio, Ben explains why he started EGBOK, the work his organization does, and how it has grown.

When you contribute to an industry blog, you may have the opportunity to include additional information that showcases why you are an authority on the topic.

In this context, your bio can also serve as publicity for your company.

Arianna Huffington | THRIVE Global

Brian X. Chen | The New York Times

Other times, you may have very limited space to work with, making it especially important to consider how each word is adding value.

A resume and professional bio are both personal marketing documents, but they are used in different contexts.

Resumes are generally used to apply for a job. They are written in third person, follow a conventional structure, and are predominantly based on facts and achievements .

Professional bios , on the other hand, provide a more informal narrative that serves as a compelling elevator pitch.

Professionals of all experience levels can benefit from a bio.

As an executive, you should have a long and short version of a professional bio to use on:

• Corporate or personal websites
• Company marketing brochures
• Conference materials

If you are a student , you can use yours as a LinkedIn summary or on the webpage of a campus organization you are a part of. You never know who might come across it!

We hope these examples have given you inspiration and an understanding of what to include in your bio.

When writing yours, remember to keep the following in mind:

The best bios are written thoughtfully and intentionally, so it’s not something you want to leave to the last minute!

Need a compelling executive bio? You can order our professional bio writing service here !

About resume pilots.

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here's how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services : If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.

Executive Resume Template Downloads : If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email [email protected] .

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About the Author Matt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents. At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.

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How To Write a Professional Bio (With Templates & Examples)

So, you’ve been asked for your biography. As a professional, you almost surely recognize the need for a resume , and maybe you even have an up-to-date resume ready to be used with very little notice (if you don’t, you should!). But a biography ? If you are like most of the professionals we work with at Distinctive Career Services , you didn’t even know you needed one until you were asked for it.

While C-suite executives and board candidates might be called on to provide a biography more frequently, even new college graduates can benefit from a professional biography. Just some of the situations in which a bio might be needed include the following:

If you are a public speaker or presenting in any capacity, you may be asked for a bio

If you are an author, you will often need a bio

Entrepreneurs and business owners will often need a bio for bid packages, proposals, and when seeking investors or other funding

Independent consultants and freelancers can stand out to prospective clients with a well-crafted bio

Consultants working in a larger professional services firm will often be asked for a bio

Any professional service provider such as lawyers and financial advisors

People seeking a seat on a board of directors (both for-profit and nonprofit boards)

Executives and other business leaders will often be asked for a bio

Really, when you consider that biographies can be used for networking purposes , as an interview leave-behind , when you publish anything, when you are speaking or presenting, on a website (for example, an “About Me” page or a business page introducing key employees of your employer), as part of a conference program (as a presenter or attendee), as a download from social media accounts , and much more, you begin to realize that almost any professional will benefit from having a well-written biography as part of their career marketing portfolio.

What Is a Professional Bio & How Is It Different From Your Resume?

Simply put, a biography is a narrative document, almost never longer than one page, that is written in the third-person perspective.

A well-written biography provides an attention-grabbing and meaningful introduction to you by telling your story in a way that illustrates your professional value.

But, isn’t that what a resume does ? And your LinkedIn profile?

The answer is yes. Your biography, your resume , and your LinkedIn profile are all marketing pieces intended to sell you as THE person capable of meeting the needs of your target audience. They all should articulate your personal brand and tell your career story .

Still, there are significant differences and each serves its own purpose (although there is overlap and all complement the other). For a detailed comparison, see the infographic on this page.

The Best Biography is a Focused Biography

Your biography is not meant to be everything to all people. Consider it more of a living document that can be customized and edited for various situations .

Many people mistakenly refer to executive biographies, board biographies , and professional biographies as if they are three different documents. They are not.

Sure, they are different in wording, but that difference has to do with the way they are focused and the audience to whom they are written to appeal. Regardless of whether you are writing your resume , your LinkedIn profile, or any type of professional biography, it is essential that you know your audience and what will interest them and engage them.

For example, the biography of a CEO seeking a public company board position is going to be different than the bio of a sales executive who is speaking at an industry association’s annual conference. The bio that an independent consultant provides to prospective clients will be different as well. Consider even that the biography of a consultant who is targeting engagements with startup companies will be very different than the biography of a consultant targeting engagements with Fortune 500 companies. The reason? Simple. The CEO of a startup is facing very different challenges than the CEO of a Fortune 500. Your biography should be written to speak to the needs of the audience you are targeting .

The bottom line: know your focus, know what your audience is looking for, and then craft the story conveyed in your bio to speak to those needs. The value that your audience perceives in you is directly tied to your story and your story is one of the most important factors in getting people to know you, like you, and trust you.

7 Expert Tips For How to Write Your Professional Bio

First, think about the purpose for which you are writing your biography. Who will be reading it? What are your target audience’s challenges, problems, goals, and/or needs? What type of information will likely appeal to them?

Take a look at your entire career from a holistic perspective and mine for the stories. Think about each of your employers and how you added value. What are the common threads or “themes”? These themes will often help you pinpoint your  unique value proposition . How will your unique value proposition be meaningful and  solve the problems /meet the needs of your target audience? You must know the answer to this question before sitting down to write your biography.

Don’t just repeat the details in your resume . Facts are stepping stones to your personal story, they are not the end goal. It is okay to leave out your early career details or other roles that don’t help you tell your story. It is okay to structure and order your biography in whatever order makes the most sense for your story. While the overall message and branding should match, your biography should be written to tell a more personally revealing and narrative story in which your unique style shines through, and your voice is heard.

You need to hook the reader right from the beginning. There are a variety of writing strategies that you can experiment with in your own bio to capture the readers’ attention immediately. Here are a few ideas:

Try leading with a sentence that makes it immediately clear to the reader that you understand their problems, challenges, and needs and are the ideal person to solve them . Here is an example from the bio of an executive who was targeting leadership roles with small and mid-size companies:

“Leading small-to-mid-size companies to a better tomorrow than today. That is the motivating goal that drives Nelson Turner’s executive leadership. Combined with his overarching belief that so-called business problems and challenges are just opportunities in disguise, requiring strategic and visionary leadership to recognize and capitalize on those opportunities, his career record is one of repeated and continuous success…”

Other techniques might include leading with a quote of something you have said that reflects your value proposition. Here is another professional bio example from the opening of a healthcare industry executive  biography:

“With more than 20 years of executive leadership in healthcare, Leslie Blanco offers a time-tested and proven record of innovation, inspirational leadership, and growth. Recognized as a visionary strategist who passionately energizes the organizations she leads, Leslie has a special talent for engaging stakeholders at all levels and driving through internal and external barriers to exceed corporate objectives where others have failed before. “My definition of ‘No’ is different,” she explains. “No is just an opportunity to invite more people into the conversation, to find your way to Yes.”…”

A quote that another person has said or written about you can sometimes be an attention grabber. Here is an example of this strategy in action (this was the opening of a biography professionally written for a hospitality industry executive ):

“Often referred to as a hospitality “Renaissance Woman” by her friends and colleagues, Janice Griffin has dedicated her life to the craft of developing and managing top-rated boutique resort and hotel developments in business, vacation, and experiential destinations….”

If you have an especially compelling “origin” story that explains what has shaped you into the leader you are today, you could try leading with that, as in this example executive’s professionally written biography :

“A first-generation American of immigrant parents, Omar Khalil grew up believing that with hard work and perseverance, no dream was beyond reach. His father came to America with just $50 borrowed dollars and a desire to pursue the American Dream. Working two full time jobs while he took classes and earned his master’s degree, Omar’s father became a pharmacist and a real estate investor. Omar explains that it was from watching this journey that he was inspired to pursue his own career with such fervor, a career that has taken him in even more uncommon directions than his father’s mix of the pharmaceutical industry and real estate….”

Avoid using jargon ; especially unsubstantiated jargon. Tell a story that shows you are an “outside the box” thinker rather than stating it. The same is true of words and phrases such as results-driven, go-to person, innovative, team player, proactive, etc. It isn’t that you should  never  use these words if you believe they best convey the message that will appeal to your audience. Rather, you should not use them without using a story to  demonstrate  how these are true of you and how they will benefit the reader.

For example, you can state that you are a change agent, or you can show it through the stories of your career . Imagine how much less credibility this example executive biography for a financial services industry executive  (this is an excerpt from the middle) would be without the stories demonstrating HOW she is a “change agent”:

“Recognized as a high-energy, dedicated change agent, most recently as the COO of Xxxxx Advisors, Joan is credited with transforming the established $1.4B AUM wealth management firm, significantly raising the firm’s valuation and positioning it for acquisition by Xxxxxx Group. After pinpointing considerable cultural and process barriers to achieving strategic goals, Joan took over the operational reins of the firm and led development and implementation of a turnaround plan that included a substantive talent refresh, deep cultural change, and process re-engineering, while simultaneously scaling Xxxxxx’s primary differentiator—behavioral wealth management—a holistic offering that combines wealth and investment management with human behavior science. As results, Xxxxx’s operations were completely streamlined and empowered to do much more with less while cementing an edge within the competitive wealth management market….”

Sharing a little bit of personal information that shows who you are outside of work can help infuse your biography with personality, making the content seem more authentic, genuine, and uniquely yours. Unless it relates to your target in a direct way, it is a good idea to steer away from information that reveals religion, politics, or other associations that might be the cause of conscious or unconscious bias. However, including some information about your interests, hobbies, travels, charities you support, brand values, personal vision, and sometimes even your family can be conversation starters and help make you more relatable to the reader, establishing connections.

Here is an example of this from the board biography of an executive in an  investment firm :

“Aligned with her recent leadership in the socially responsible investing (SRI) space, Kathy is a dedicated and passionate advocate for sustainability, environmental, and social justice causes. In recent years, this has included traveling to North Dakota with a coalition of EMA, First Peoples, Oneida Foundation, and members of the press to raise awareness for the Standing Rock cause, and Kathy authored the Xxxxxxx corporate resolution regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline. In 2016, Kathy spoke at the Environmental Media Awards in Los Angeles, and in 2015, at the High-Water Women conference. Through her work at Xxxxx, Kathy had the chance to partner with activist nonprofit organizations such as Xxxxxx Foundation, Environmental Xxxxxx Association, Xxxxxxx Foundation, Xxxx Affirmative, and others. Kathy presently lives in City, State and can be reached at 000.000.0000.”

Here is another very different example from another executive board biography:

“Martina Hartford currently resides in Xxxxxxxxx. She is an avid world traveler and in her personal time she enjoys seeking out new adventures internationally. Her charitable interests center primarily on international humanitarian efforts that benefit impoverished people around the world, particularly those that seek to better the lives and education of children.”

Edit, edit, and then edit again. When you think your biography is perfect, set it down overnight and then read it again.

Edit some more.

Your goal is to be as succinct as possible; to tell your story and get your message across with as few words as necessary.

Don’t try to “wow” your reader with fancy language and obscure words that will require them to read with a dictionary. Use clear language that is formal yet conversational. Break up long sentences into shorter sentences. Break long, dense paragraphs into multiple shorter, easier-to-read paragraphs.

What Should Your Professional Bio Look Like?

As explained earlier in this article, biographies can take many forms and be used in many different ways. The recommendations here apply to more traditional, one-page narrative biographies.

Do include a professional headshot photograph of yourself. While you should never include a photograph of yourself on your resume , it is expected that you will do so on your biography. For consistency and branding, it is a good idea to use the same photo (or a slight variation of the same photo) that you are using on your LinkedIn profile.

Do create a professional-looking letterhead and document design that matches the style and branding of your resume, cover letters, references, and any other career marketing documents you use. Modern resumes are often eye-catching and use color and design element s to make them stand out. Your biography should be designed similarly. The template collections shown below from Distinctive Resume Templates illustrate how this can be done. Use a coordinating design for each document you include as part of your career marketing portfolio.

It isn’t necessary, but it has become common to include some sort of sidebar or other callout box to bring attention to key highlights. These sidebars and callout boxes can be used in a variety of ways, such as:

• To list the industries you have experience in
• To list key qualifications that you bring to the table
• To highlight 3-5 major career achievements
• To provide a brief chronology of employment
• To include a “testimonial” quote of something nice someone has said about you
• To list board positions you have held
• To list educational credentials
• To list technical skills

If you don’t have the design skills to create a professional document, there are professional bio templates available at a very low cost. If you do decide to use a template for your bio, make sure you redesign your resume to match the design. Distinctive Resume Templates are arranged in collections that make this easy. Choose the design that catches your eye and purchase the entire collection with templates designed to make it easy for you to give your bio, resume, and other career marketing documents a modern facelift. The biography templates shown below are just a sampling of what is available.

Of course, if you hire Distinctive Career Services to help you with your biography and other career marketing documents, in addition to writing the content, we will also create attractive, on-brand designs for all your documents.

Ready To Get Started?

Your biography tells your personal story and promotes your personal brand in a way that no other document can do. It provides the chance for you to introduce yourself and make a polished first impression , using stories to create chemistry and connection with the reader.

An up-to-date biography is an important tool to add to your career marketing portfolio, no matter whether you are an executive or a new graduate fresh out of college . To get professional help writing your biography or any other career document, reach out today . Distinctive Career Services is here to help!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a professional bio.

A professional bio is a narrative document, usually no longer than one page, written in the third-person perspective. It provides a meaningful introduction to you by telling your story in a way that illustrates your professional value.

How is a professional bio different from a resume?

While both a professional bio and a resume are marketing pieces intended to sell you as the ideal person for your target audience, they serve different purposes. A resume typically lists your work experience and skills, while a professional bio tells your story in a more narrative and personally revealing way.

Who needs a professional bio?

Almost any professional can benefit from having a well-written biography. This includes public speakers, authors, consultants, executives, and business leaders. A professional bio can be used for networking purposes, as an interview leave-behind, when you publish anything, when you are speaking or presenting, on a website, as part of a conference program, and much more.

How should I start writing my professional bio?

Begin by thinking about the purpose of your biography and who will be reading it. Consider the challenges, problems, goals, and needs of your target audience. Look at your entire career from a holistic perspective and identify the common threads or “themes” that highlight your unique value proposition.

What should I avoid when writing my professional bio?

Avoid using jargon and unsubstantiated claims. Instead, tell a story that shows your unique qualities and skills. Also, avoid trying to “wow” your reader with fancy language and obscure words. Use clear, formal yet conversational language.

Can I include personal information in my professional bio?

Yes, sharing a bit of personal information can help infuse your biography with personality. This can include information about your interests, hobbies, travels, charities you support, and sometimes even your family. However, it’s best to steer away from information that reveals religion, politics, or other associations that might cause bias.

How should my professional bio look like?

Your professional bio should include a professional headshot photograph of yourself and should have a professional-looking letterhead and document design that matches the style and branding of your resume and other career marketing documents. It’s also common to include a sidebar or other callout box to highlight key points.

Do I need professional help to write my professional bio?

While it’s possible to write your professional bio on your own, getting professional help can ensure that your bio is well-written, engaging, and effectively communicates your professional value. Professional services can also help with creating attractive, on-brand designs for your bio and other career marketing documents.

About the Author: Michelle Dumas

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How to Write About Your Professional Background

Published: July 12, 2023

A great way to share more about your background is to have a prepared document, like a professional bio .

A professional bio can be shared with prospective employers, shared with your colleagues, included in your social media profiles, used for speaking engagement announcements, or used as an author bio on a blog.

Here, we'll explore some tips to help you feel more comfortable when writing your own professional background.

Let's dive in.

• What's a Professional Background?
• How to Write One

Professional Background Examples

What is a professional background.

A professional background is a summary of your professional experiences — coupled with any relevant personal information, including interests or passions — that you'll use throughout your career as you network with industry peers, apply for new roles, or seek thought leadership opportunities.

Your professional background includes previous jobs you've had, successful projects you've worked on, significant accomplishments like promotions or awards, professional networking organizations you belong to, and anything else you'd share with someone who wants to know more about you professionally.

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Not only is sharing more about your background a great way to tell more about yourself to others, it's also an opportunity to wholly reflect on your professional journey and the goals you've achieved — plus, what you hope to achieve in the future.

Writing about your professional background for the first time may feel challenging or awkward, but it doesn't have to be. Next, let's dive into how you can get started.

How to Write A Professional Background

• Don't start from scratch.
• Know your audience.
• Choose first or third-person.
• Show professional progression.
• Highlight your accomplishments.
• Be personable.
• Ask for feedback.

1. Don't start from scratch.

If you're having trouble figuring out where to start, try using a professional bio template to guide you. Templates, like the ones featured below, make it easier for you to focus on your personal information and accomplishments, without having to worry as much about the structure.

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2. Know your audience.

Take into consideration who will be reading your professional bio and cater to your reader.

You may also want to draft different versions of your document to best fit specific audiences. For example, the version you post on your LinkedIn may not be as detailed as the version you post on your personal website, and if your reader is a potential employer, it would help to include details that specifically highlight why you're the best candidate for the role for which you're applying.

HubSpot Founder Dharmesh Shah uses different bios for different platforms. On Twitter , for instance, Dharmesh's bio is short and sweet, which is perfect for Twitter's character limit.

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Alternatively, on INBOUND's website , Dharmesh's bio is written in third-person for attendees. This bio makes Dharmesh's current role clear while providing some key background information.

The best part about this approach is that you can create as many versions of your bio as you'd like, or simply recycle a general version whenever you need it.

3. Choose first or third-person.

Knowing your audience will help you determine the best tone for your background. For instance, first-person is more casual and personable — great for social media and anytime you want to convey that you are speaking directly to the reader.

However, depending on your profession or who the document is being sent to, it may be better to go with writing in the third person. If you’re working in a more formal industry or applying for grants using the third person will give a more authoritative tone that emphasizes your expertise.

As mentioned before, it’s great to have multiple versions of your professional background so you can swap tones as needed.

4. Show professional progression.

As you're writing, think about structuring your professional bio in a way that creates a timeline to show your progression. Explain what your different roles were like, and emphasize responsibilities that set you up for success in your latter roles.

It's important to note that your timeline doesn't have to be linear. As Forbes notes, non-linear career paths are quickly becoming the new normal. The goal is to create a narrative that sums up your strengths and ties them all together.

"Look for a theme that runs throughout several of the jobs you've held, and present your choices in a way that shows common threads running through each of your career decisions," explains career strategist Jenny Foss.

The goal is to clearly show your audience the different roles you've had, and how all of your experiences have contributed to your overall professional development.

5. Highlight your accomplishments.

One of the best things about writing your professional background is that it's the perfect opportunity to brag about yourself — and I don't mean humble brag.

Think of the most successful projects you've been part of, the strategies you've helped develop and execute, the deals you've closed, the revenue you've generated, and anything else that stands out as a major accomplishment.

"A former manager once told me to keep a 'brag sheet' in a document on my computer. The idea was to create a running list of noteworthy accomplishments, media mentions, awards, and letters of recommendation that I could reference to make it easier to write about myself. It also doesn't hurt to open up this document whenever you're having a tough day to remind yourself what you're capable of,” Carly Stec, HubSpot's Team Manager of Content Conversion, told me.

It's also important to consider how success was measured in your previous roles — and how that might shape the way you write about it.

If success for you tends to be measured in quantifiable metrics, include strong statistics. It might look something like this:

• "In my first six months, I was able to sign up X amount of customers that generated an average monthly recurring revenue of $X."
• "I helped boost customer retention by X percentage."
• "With the strategy I developed, my team was able to lower customer acquisition costs by X percentage."

If your role is primarily measured through qualitative goals, share a highlight that speaks to skills you excel at. For example:

• "I successfully executed a major project using strong time management skills and communicated the results to C-suite stakeholders."
• "I was able to complete a project that was projected to take an entire quarter in half the time because of my organizational skills."
• "I was selected to lead a database cleanup project due to my attention to detail and strong team collaboration skills."

6. Be personable.

Timelines and accomplishments are great, but being personable is even better.

Readers should feel like they're getting some sense of who you are from your professional background. This gives readers the opportunity to know more about you beyond a professional scope. If you have any cool niche hobbies that you enjoy outside of work, this would be the time to share.

Here's a list of prompts to help you brainstorm the right "fun facts" to highlight:

• What TV show are you currently binging?
• Do you have any pets?
• What's something most people don't know about you?
• What languages do you speak?
• What are you most proud of yourself for?
• What’s something you've done that’s bucket-list worthy?
• What do you do to relax?
• What are three of your must-have apps?
• What would your favorite colleague say about you?
• What's the best advice you've ever received and how do you apply it to your life?

Being personable is also a great opportunity to address any unconventional moments in your professional background. For example, maybe you've made a drastic shift in your career path, or you took a sabbatical at some point.

These types of stories can make you more relatable to your audience, and you never know who you may end up connecting with over one of your hobbies or more personal moments.

7. Ask for feedback.

Constructive feedback is key when you're writing about yourself. While many choose to source feedback after completing a draft of their bio, it's just as beneficial to get feedback from your peers at earlier stages of your drafting process.

Oftentimes, our peers can help identify our strengths and where we have opportunities to improve. If you're having trouble developing a clear timeline or pinpointing which highlights you should mention, get together with a peer to brainstorm ideas.

Reflect on successful assignments that you've collaborated on and ask your peer to provide honest feedback about what you did best — and include that feedback in your bio.

If you need help getting started, here's a list of discussion questions to use with your peers to uncover professional strengths you might be overlooking in your own self-assessment:

• What role do you think I tend to play in group work?
• How have I helped you be more successful?
• What do you think my most impressive project has been?
• What was your first impression of me?
• What do you think my strengths are?

If you're feeling stuck, don't be afraid to leverage our free professional bio templates to help you get started.

Next, let’s go over professional background examples from both tenured and early-career professionals.

1. Bozoma Saint John

Bozoma Saint John opens her biography by covering her most recent role at Netflix, then goes all the way back to the beginning of her career. From there, she provides a detailed overview of her accomplishments, inserting the names of the most notable organizations she has worked with.

Notice how she familiarizes us with her by using her nickname, “Boz,” throughout her professional background. In the same way, you can use your nickname throughout your bio (if you’re writing it in third-person).

We’d recommend writing a background like Saint John’s if you’re seeking speaking or presenting opportunities.

2. Jim Kowalski

Jim Kowalski walks us through his passions before describing his work experience and accomplishments. He makes it a point to connect his love of the automotive industry to his ethos in his work. Another notable feature of his professional background is that he mentions a brand he invigorated (it was “almost dead,” he asserts). He closes with his fascinating adventures around the world, including building a home in Thailand.

Mention ways that you’ve prevented clients and other companies from failing. If you’ve had noteworthy adventures, consider bringing them into your professional background as well. A background bio doesn’t have to be wooden; it can be fun, too, as long as you remain within reason. Plus, it gives the reader a chance to connect with you.

3. Katherine Gundlach

If you’re a college student, you might not have a long list of professional accomplishments, but you can take note from Katherine Gundlach’s example and write about what you love to do — and why you love to do it.

Katherine Gundlach opens her professional background with her current status as a college student, then goes into an anecdote that describes why she became a photographer. In the latter half of the bio, she describes her mission when photographing others. In your own bio, describe the purpose of what you do (or the reason why you want to pursue a certain field).

She also says where she’s from. Mentioning personal information in your professional bio can be a way for readers, hiring managers, and colleagues to relate to you.

4. Erick Rheam

Erick Rheam’s professional background effectively outlines his path to becoming a motivational speaker. He also cements his expertise by stating that he speaks regularly across the U.S. After, he outlines his vision and purpose for doing what he does. Like some of the other examples on this list, he includes personal information about himself: that he’s a runner.

This professional background is done well because it’s succinct and balances professionalism, expertise, and personality. Consider achieving a similar balance in your own background document by dedicating 1-2 sentences to each aspect of your professional and personal life.

5. Dr. Houyuan Luo

Dr. Houyuan Luo’s professional background is a classic example of a bio that’s inspirational, professional, and persuasive.

In the medical industry, education is immensely important — how long you studied can determine your level of expertise. Dr. Luo immediately lists his academic background, then details how passionate he is for his field. He emphasizes his humanitarian values most, cementing him as an excellent candidate for clinical training and speaking opportunities.

If you work in the healthcare, non-profit, legal, educational, or environmental industries, consider emphasizing your values and ethos in your professional background. Like Dr. Luo, you can leave a mention of your current position for the last sentence.

6. Claire Buswell

Claire Buswell immediately establishes herself as a relatable persona by going over her personal history first — then connecting that to her role today. Because she was once in the same position as her clients, Buswell is better prepared to help them professionally. She makes that clear in her professional background and is vulnerable about how hard it was to find a job.

If you’ve created a business that solves a problem that you experienced, consider bringing that into your professional background. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. In fact, being vulnerable can make you more relatable, and your level of success now will be a testament to your methods’ effectiveness.

Ready to start writing?

Keep these tips and examples in mind as you're writing about your professional bio. Your final product should be a written statement that boasts your most notable skills and achievements. As you continue to progress in your career, take time to update your bio like you would your resume, and continue to impress your readers.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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How to Write Short Professional Bios with Examples

• What is a Short Professional Bio

Preparing to Write Your Professional Bio

Crafting your professional bio, examples of short professional bios, short professional bio faqs.

A key aspect of growing your career is knowing how to showcase your strengths, experiences, and the value you offer a company. That includes using resume checkers , resume builders , and cover letter generators to write a top-notch professional bio and stand out in the hiring process.

The bio can be tricky when you’re only given a short space to work with and feel the need to stand out amongst others in your industry. So, where do you begin, and how do you optimize it?

We’ll guide you through the whole process in this article, covering the purpose of a professional bio, do’s and don’ts in the process, and short professional bio examples you can use as templates.

What Is a Short Professional Bio ?

Before you start writing, it’s important to understand what a short professional bio is and its purpose. If you’re wondering, “What is a bio?” or “What should a bio include?” here’s a quick breakdown of the key components and objectives.

Definition and objectives

A professional bio briefly describes your skills, education, and accomplishments. It shows your value as an employee, professional, or businessperson.

A bio’s overall intent and structure can vary depending on where it’s going. For example, a professional social media bio may need to be more compact, whereas something on a company website may provide a slightly longer description of your professional experience.

Some of the most common places to put a short professional bio will be:

• Social media: There’s a growing need for professionals to have a presence on platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter. Due to the fast-paced nature of these platforms, bios are usually pretty short and to the point, and you’ll typically be given a character limit for how long they can be.
• Company “About” or “Meet the Team” pages: If you’re employed at a company that wants to have an online presence, they may need a bio for you on their About or Meet the Team page. These bios may be a bit longer than those on social media and would be focused on the value you’ll bring while assisting the company’s clients or customers.
• Resume bio: This is similar to a resume summary but will focus more on your top accomplishments and accolades. It’ll typically be a short two to three sentence description of your professional skills, achievements, and career goals.
• Professional website: Those who are self-employed or business owners may have their portfolio or services posted on a professional website. You’d want to have a brief bio explaining your skills, experiences, and the products or services you offer.

Key components

Now that you have the use cases down let’s look at the primary components that every professional biography should have.

• Your job title or the title you’re seeking: Your listed job title is a key indicator that your skills are right for a company or client’s needs. You’ll want to list your current job title to show your primary abilities. Additionally, entry-level job seekers or those wanting to advance their careers may also want to add a goal job title.
• Top skills: Listing some top industry skills is a great way to make your bio stand out. For example, accountants may want to list skills in software like QuickBooks and Excel and essential tasks like expense reporting. Or, if you lack experience, your bio could focus on transferable skills like customer service or inventory management.
• Accomplishments: Your notable accomplishments show what you’re capable of on the job. For instance, you could include some great sales numbers you achieved or how you helped boost client retention rates. Inexperienced applicants could also write about educational achievements or non-traditional work experience , such as attaining funding goals while volunteering with a non-profit.
• Your passion: What makes you passionate about your job or the industry you want to work in? Sharing aspects like how your desire to help people made you want to become a nurse will help you connect with organizations and hiring managers when they see your bio.

Before writing a bio, you’ll want to gather the correct information to present a well-rounded overview of your skills. Determining the appropriate tone and style to satisfy your intent will also be essential.

Information gathering

So, what information do you need for a top-notch professional bio?

First, you’ll want to understand your target audience and the purpose of your bio.

For example, if you’ve recently re-entered the job market and are trying to craft a great LinkedIn bio that could grab a hiring manager’s attention, you’ll want to understand the characteristics of your ideal employer and how you can show you’re a match for their needs.

It’s often helpful to research companies hiring for your job title and write down some common characteristics you notice in job posts.

Someone looking for a role as a social media manager may notice many companies want to develop a more customer-focused approach. You could tailor your bio to emphasize how your social strategy and posting style help companies connect with their customers and make them feel valued.

The next step is determining the right skills to include. In many ways, this will be similar to selecting the right resume skills . Again, looking at job descriptions for your title will be helpful. When you see trends like many companies requiring social media manager skills in Sprout Social and the Adobe Suite, take note of that to reference those abilities in your bio.

Lastly, you’ll want to find numbers you can include to specify your accomplishments. In the example of a social media manager, that could be things like how your user-generated content strategies boosted follower counts by 32% and average click-through rates by 43%.

You can tailor this process to different use cases. For instance, if you’re writing a bio for an about page on a professional website, you could tailor it to how your skills will fit your prospective customer’s primary pain points. Or, if you’re trying to gain more followers on social media, you could detail why your professional expertise makes your posts valuable for a specific audience.

Selecting tone and style

The tone of your bio will depend on its purpose and the platform you’re posting it to.

For work or resume bios, you’d often want to tailor your tone to the company. If you’re crafting a work bio for a company website where the tone is lighthearted and fun, you’d likely want to match that. The same goes if you’re crafting a resume bio for a company that uses a very formal tone in the job description. It’s a good idea to match that to show how you’ll fit their professional workplace culture.

When your bio is more personal, such as on social media or a professional website that hosts your portfolio, you can use a tone that reflects your personality while still keeping it professional or aim for a tone that you believe would connect with your target audience.

You’ll also want to consider whether you should write your bio in first-person or third-person.

Generally, the best practice is to write your bio in the third person if it’s in a more formal context or where you wouldn’t be introducing yourself. That would be when it’s for a website you don’t own (such as the company you work for), when you’ll be a speaker at a conference, or for a book or other literature.

Using the first person will be a better fit when the context is more personal or when you’re introducing yourself, such as on social media or a professional website that you own.

Now that you know the information you’ll need, let’s get into the essentials of how to write a bio and structure it appropriately. We’ll go over the introduction, how to highlight your achievements, and ways you can personalize so it stands out.

Introduction techniques

When introducing yourself in a bio, you should know if you’ll write in the first or third person since how you start will differ slightly between the two.

When writing in the third person, you should lead with your first and last name, such as “Denise Sampson is a graphic designer with over seven years of experience crafting engaging visuals for social media content.”

On the other hand, a first-person introduction would be a little different. If your name is displayed prominently elsewhere on the website or profile where your bio is hosted, you could begin it with words like “I” or “my,” such as “I’m a software developer who is passionate about helping others learn Python.”

Otherwise, if you still need to introduce your name, you could begin with something like, “My name is Todd Labowski. I’m an architect who has been leveraging 3D-printed materials in my commercial building designs for the last five years.”

As you introduce yourself, it’ll be important to emphasize your role and professional identity right away so others know what you do. This should include your current job title, any education that makes you stand out, and potentially your current employer.

Entry-level professionals like recent college graduates may also want to include a goal job title here. For example, you could say, “I’m a recent graduate from Oklahoma University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, aiming to get into a role as a sports trainer to help athletes improve their performance.”

Highlighting achievements

Once you’ve effectively introduced your name and professional identity, it’ll be time to highlight achievements that grab a reader’s attention.

Remember who your target audience is when thinking about the accomplishments you want to highlight. You’ll likely want to choose things that are as relevant as possible to your job title, industry, or the career you’re striving to get into. For example, a teacher may want to highlight how their project-focused lesson plans led to higher test scores from students.

As you’ll notice in our resume templates and resume examples , we always recommend using numbers to describe your work experience . It’s a good idea to do so here as well to showcase the exact impact you had. In the example of a teacher, you could say, “I’ve always been a big advocate of using projects to reinforce learning since I’ve seen great results from project-focused lesson plans where they increased my students’ test scores by an average of 33%.”

Also, make sure these accomplishments tie into the overall message you want your bio to convey. If this were on a school’s website introducing staff members, the goal might be to reassure parents that your teaching skills will help their children get the best possible education. So, providing results like test scores or learning retention would be ideal for that purpose.

When you don’t have as much experience, you may need to get creative with the achievements you reference. However, you’ll still have many things to choose from, like educational accomplishments, volunteer work, or relevant hobbies and interests .

For instance, you could reference time volunteering as a youth baseball coach, where you used visual learning techniques to help players improve their batting percentages by 28%. Using an achievement like that would still showcase abilities that would make you an effective teacher.

Personalizing your bio

Just like in cover letters or letters of interest where you’d want to personalize your message to better connect with a hiring manager, you should take a similar approach when writing a professional bio.

Consider why you’re passionate about your job or the field you want to get into, and try to tie that into your overall message.

For example, let’s say you’re a personal trainer. A big part of your story and why you pursued that career path is that when you started working out, you lost 30 pounds, which helped you gain confidence and a better outlook on life. So, you want to do the same for your clients.

You could phrase that in your bio by saying, “Jack’s passion for the gym started after he lost 30 pounds and noticed himself having more energy and confidence in his daily life. When he sees clients smile after beating a personal best on an exercise or start walking into the gym with more confidence, it reinforces why he works hard to set up proper programming and diet plans to help others achieve the same results he did.”

Some other ways you could personalize a professional bio are:

• Sharing your values and how they impact your career. For example, your desire for accountability in business could show why you value a role as a quality control advisor.
• Briefly describe who you are outside of work, such as detailing your favorite hobbies and interests . Maybe you’re a big chess player, which will show why you’re a great strategic manager.
• Share your personal insights. What have you noticed while working in your field that others don’t always mention? What things have led to your personal success?

Professional Bio Do’s and Dont’s

You have the basic structure down. Now, let’s review some best practices and common pitfalls to ensure your short bio is as successful as possible.

Best practices

Some best practices when writing a professional bio are:

• Keep it concise: Your bio should be a quick summary of who you are and your professional expertise. This will be between three to five sentences or 100 words or less in most cases unless otherwise specified by the organization that’ll be posting your bio.
• Include the most relevant information: Consider your intent and the audience reading your bio, such as if it’s for a job application, professional networking site, or conference. Then, include the most relevant details, such as why your expertise in agile methodologies will make your speech at a conference valuable for project managers.
• Highlight achievements over responsibilities: Listing responsibilities sounds too bland and won’t grab attention. So, rather than saying you’ve been in charge of quality assurance for the last seven years, you should emphasize key accomplishments, such as using failure testing to identify 58% more product errors before launch.
• Update regularly: Just like you should refresh your resume as you advance your career, do the same with your bio. Regularly add new expertise you gain that’ll be more relevant, especially as technology changes with updates to the software you use or more efficient techniques are developed. Plus, update your job title and any other relevant information as it changes.

Common pitfalls

Some common pitfalls professionals run into with bios are:

• Sharing too many details: You don’t need to list all the top skills you put on your resume or every notable achievement you’ve had in your bio. Instead, focus on a couple of skills and one or two achievements that will relate to the audience reading it.
• Being too vague: Many professionals end up with bios that sound too generic when they don’t list specific skills or achievements. Rather than saying, “Beth Lancaster has extensive experience in the business world,” try for something like, “Beth Lancaster has been managing mergers and acquisitions for 12 years, using change management strategies to make new policy development 57% more efficient and effective.”
• Overloading with jargon: While you want to share your expertise, using too many technical terms that only someone in your role will understand will confuse an audience that doesn’t have the same knowledge. This is especially common when you’re in a highly technical field like a software engineer or medical researcher. So, aim for simple explanations with impacts that anyone can understand.
• Grammar errors: A bio full of grammatical errors will detract from your professional image. So, always proofread before you post or submit it.

To help you put it all together, here are some short bio examples for different platforms and professions. You can use these examples as a professional bio template that you customize with your own details.

Bios across platforms

When learning how to write a bio about yourself, you must consider the platform on which it will be posted. Here are some biography examples for the most popular places where you might post one.

LinkedIn Bio Example

In your “About” section on LinkedIn, you’ll be given a maximum character limit of 2,600 to write your bio. That comes out to a maximum of about 400-500 words. However, you’ll generally want it shorter than that to ensure those who come across your profile read your entire bio. Somewhere between 75-150 words is a good range on LinkedIn.

Generally, writing in the first person will be best for LinkedIn since it’s less formal, and you usually don’t need to introduce your name since it’s displayed prominently on your profile.

Here’s an example:

“I’m a driven software engineer at CodeCraft with over 13 years of experience using Javascript to create interactive webpage designs.

The main reason I started learning Javascript is I noticed that a company’s website can make or break my feelings about them and whether I’ll make a purchase. This made me want to create designs that bring a business owner’s vision to life.

My techniques have yielded great results. Using dynamic content, animation, and progressive web apps tailored to each page visitor, I’ve increased consumer engagement by an average of 55% and repeat visitors by 39% for our clients at CodeCraft.

I’m eager to connect with others in the tech industry and share how we can use software design to level up business performance.”

Twitter Professional Bio Examples

Your bio on Twitter will need to be very concise since you’ll have a 160-character maximum on that platform. You’ll need to quickly introduce yourself and show why someone should trust your expertise, look through your profile, and follow you.

Here are a couple of examples:

Twitter Bio Example #1:

“Developmental editor who has reviewed over 2 million words, including working on 3 NYT bestselling novels. Follow for tips to make your writing shine.”

Twitter Bio Example #2:

“Ex hairstylist turned beauty brand manager. You can call me the brand stylist. I’ll show you how I use design and messaging to increase sales.”

Personal Website Bio Example

When you own a business or are self-employed, you may have a personal website where you need a bio about yourself. You’d typically have a short personal bio introducing yourself on your website’s homepage or in a dedicated “About Me” section.

“I’m Kim Li, a dedicated real estate agent passionate about helping clients sell their homes and get into their dream property. I’ve always enjoyed presenting elements that turn a house into a home for the right buyer, and I know just how important it is to come home to a property you love after a long day of work.

With my 97% positive customer satisfaction score and track record of selling properties an average of eight days faster than industry standards, I’m confident my property marketing and negotiation skills will get you the results you’re seeking.”

Example of a Work Bio for a Company Website

When writing a work bio for your employer’s “Meet the Team” page, you’ll typically want to ensure it’s formal and in the third person. Usually, these will be 100 words or less, but make sure you tailor it to the specific guidelines your employer gives you.

“Jessica Martin is the junior financial account manager at Peak Performance. As a recent grad from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, she’s ready to apply up-to-date loss prevention strategies, like internal cost control, to ensure businesses remain profitable. Accountability is one of the biggest things she values. That value has especially grown over the three years she managed the finances as a volunteer for Pet Support, a local animal shelter. She quickly realized how expenses rack up for an organization and the importance of proper management. You can trust Jessica will put forth the same detailed effort for your business.”

Bios across professions

Now, let’s look at how you can tailor your bio based on your industry’s needs. Here are some short professional bio examples across industries.

Example Bio for IT/Tech

Creating a bio in information technology presents unique challenges due to the highly technical nature of many of your daily tasks. You’ll often need to simplify your bio to make it easy to understand for a wide audience with different levels of expertise.

Here’s an example of a cybersecurity engineer bio that makes the impact of complex tasks like cryptography easier to understand:

“Connor Blake is a cybersecurity engineer with five years of experience in external threat prevention. His passion for digital security started at age 16 when his mom’s bank account was hacked, and he saw the hardships it caused. Since then, he’s been growing his skills, having received his master’s degree in computer science from Michigan State University and working on a specialization in cryptography techniques that mask business passwords and data access points so only internal employees can access them. His efforts have reduced company data leaks by an average of 67%.”

Example Bio for Construction/Trades

Construction and trade resumes must be updated often, as modern techniques and materials are continuously evolving, such as the growing use of raised access flooring. You’ll need to make it understandable for any customer or client seeking help on a project.

Here’s an example of a commercial flooring installer bio:

“Sam Peterson is a commercial flooring installer with Elite Flooring Solutions. She’s passionate about helping businesses achieve the right flooring aesthetics and sturdy installations to ensure a standout experience for all customers who frequent local stores in our community. With four years of experience installing raised access flooring to reduce installation costs by 35% and 98% satisfaction from our clients, you can trust that her expertise will result in an accurate job that gets done right the first time.”

Example Bio for Culinary

Foodservice has many health codes and standards you must uphold, so it’s essential for culinary pros to show their responsible expertise in professional bios.

Here’s an example of how a restaurant manager could do this effectively:

“Jake Kensington is the restaurant manager for Bella Cucina Ristorante. He’s always appreciated how a high-quality dining experience can help others connect and enjoy some of life’s biggest moments. Not to mention his love of pasta and risotto, which brought him to Bella Cucina Ristorante to serve up some of the best Italian dishes in New York. Using his seven-step quality assurance process and employee health training protocols, he’s helped maintain grade-A health code ratings and reviews averaging 4.9 stars out of 5 throughout his eight-year tenure.”

Example Bio for Sales/Marketing

Every sales pitch that you want to stand out needs to be relevant to your target audience. Do the same with your bio by listing some top industry skills and accomplishments showing your sales expertise.

“Bella Richardson is a sales lead with New Marketing Solutions. Having always had an entrepreneurial mindset, she’s had a growing interest in helping startups succeed and finding intricacies that make businesses stand out amongst the competition. She’s been using a solution-selling approach for the last five years at New Marketing Solutions to better connect with prospective clients’ needs and lead an average annual growth in sales of 27%.”

Example Bio for Health

Presenting expert knowledge and the ability to comply with regulations is essential in fast-paced health jobs. Whether you’re new to the field or have advanced experience, you’ll want to present those relevant abilities in your bio.

“Matt Keyser is a recent grad of the Medical College of Washington. Matt received his MD after completing his residency at Seattle Memorial Hospital and is now aiming to get into the geriatric care sector. He decided to pursue a career in medicine after working as a resident assistant at a nursing home in high school and seeing the diligent work the medical care team did to provide a better quality of life. He aims to use his patient care and diagnostic evaluation skills to do the same for every patient he works with.”

The best ways to make a bio stand out are to include personal elements and ensure the skills and achievements you list are relevant to your audience. For example, someone seeking a job as a police officer could detail how they want to use their crisis management and community awareness skills to provide a safer community for everyone. This will stand out to police precincts seeking skilled and compassionate candidates.

When you don’t have much professional experience, you may need to get creative with how you present skills and accomplishments in your bio. Things like educational achievements, volunteer work, participating in school clubs, or your hobbies and interests can all provide relevant information. For instance, you could detail how your time in your school’s math club has given you precise abilities that will translate into jobs like data entry.

If you aren’t sure whether your bio should be in the first or third person, try reviewing the website where it’ll be posted to get an idea of how others have structured theirs. After that, if you’re still unsure, you can always ask your employer or the organization you’re writing the bio for to clarify.

Your professional bio should include your name, job title, relevant education, top skills, and an accomplishment or two that will stand out. You may also want to include your current employer’s name to give readers a better idea of who you are. Try to research things like top industry skills beforehand to narrow in on the most important details to write about.

In general, around 100 words or less is a good length for short professional bios. Typically, you’ll want it to be about three to five sentences to keep it concise and highly relevant to your audience. However, the right length can differ depending on the platform. For example, Twitter bios are restricted to a max of 160 characters. If it’s a work bio for your employer, you may also want to ask how long it should be.

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How to Write a Bio That Represents Your Professional Self

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What is a professional bio?

How to write a professional bio, professional bio example, tips for writing a professional bio.

Your professional biography is often the first way an industry member or a prospective employer learns about you. Writing one that clearly and effectively represents you and what you do is key to making an outstanding first impression. This article will provide tips and examples for writing a compelling professional bio.

A professional biography is a statement that summarizes who you are and what you do as a professional. It might include information such as your current position, education, accomplishments and interests. People use professional biographies on social media pages, college applications, resumes, bylines and personal or company websites. When employers read your bio, they should be able to tell whether your experience and character fit within their company.

Follow these steps to help you write a professional biography:

1. Identify your audience

Your audience should guide the tone of your bio. A professional bio for a resume will likely be far more formal than one for a social media platform. For guidance, look to descriptions of professionals in your field. For example, if you are applying for a marketing position, read through employee bios on marketing company websites to see how they represent themselves.

2. Pick your point of view

To help your bio appear more objective, write it in the third person. First-person bios are more personal and tend to be better suited for social media profiles and private blogs.

3. Introduce yourself and your role

Start your bio with your full name and title. If you are employed, list your position and employer so your audience clearly understands your industry and experience level. If you are unemployed, you might list your previous position or years of experience in the field.

For example, ‘Adrian Holmes is a technical support specialist from Houston, Texas, with more than four years of experience helping businesses solve software problems.’

4. Share your strengths and accomplishments

State what you specialize in and one or two of your achievements or awards, if relevant. By describing what you are good at, you are telling your audience why you are well-qualified for this position and that you are more than just a job title.

For example, ‘Adrian specializes in data access and was a member of the support team that earned the Service Desk Institute’s 2018 Best Service Improvement Project award.’

5. List something you’re working on

If you are working on a special project or pursuing continuing education, share that information so people can see that you are motivated and hard-working.

For example, ‘Adrian is currently learning a third programming language.’

6. Add interesting but professional details

In some cases, you may want to show your personality by listing a few of your hobbies, interests, favorite books or movies or fun facts about yourself. These details give your professional bio a human touch and can be useful conversation starters during interviews or networking opportunities.

For example, ‘When Adrian’s not behind a computer screen, she is training for her first half-marathon and road-tripping around Texas.’

7. End your bio with contact info

If you want to give people a way to contact you, end your bio with your email address and, if appropriate, your professional social media handle, blog or website.

You can organize the details of your professional bio in a different order than what is listed here. You might also include other details, such as degrees and institutions where you received them, depending on your experience and your audience. If you have not been given a word count for your bio, try to keep it under 500 words.

Here is an example of a third-person professional biography that follows the above steps:

‘Reagan Park is a technical editor with Journals Inc. who produces high-level scientific content for research organizations. Reagan works closely with researchers to publish accurate information in the applied science field and regularly attends technical communication conferences to stay current with the latest trends and tools. Reagan earned a Distinguished Community Service Award from the Society for Technical Communication for mentoring young scientists in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. He is currently completing a course in web coding to strengthen his desktop publishing skills. A 2009 graduate of the University of Louisville, Reagan is an active member of the local cycling community and enjoys perfecting his culinary skills in his free time.’

Here are popular tips that will help you write a compelling professional bio:

• Use examples to show your experience. Rather than saying you are a successful graphic designer, for instance, share a significant project or two you have created the visuals for.
• Avoid using industry jargon or slang.
• Only include information that adds value to the bio.
• Use active voice to keep your bio engaging, clear and concise.
• Base the tone and organization of your professional bio on your audience and industry. 
• Update your bio as you gain experience, accomplish new things or enter new jobs or industries. 

Practice writing a professional bio before you need one. Then you will have a template that you can perfect depending on the platform, tone and purpose. Your goal is to use concise and engaging language to make a strong first impression on prospective employers and other professionals in your industry.

Professional Bio Generator

Transform your professional narrative into a compelling bio with ease. The AI-powered Professional Bio Generator will help you highlight your unique career journey in a tailored way that’s both true to your experience and aligned with the position you’re writing it for.

Craft a Meaningful Professional Narrative

Tailor Your Bio for Networking Opportunities

Our Professional Bio Generator crafts bios that open doors. Whether you’re networking on LinkedIn or a professional conference, create a biography that highlights your achievements and expertise in a holistic manner, resonating with industry leaders and peers alike.

Enhance Your Professional Presence Online

Whether it’s for a professional networking site, your personal blog, or a speaker biography, or your resume, our Professional Bio Generator provides you with a bio that's not just informative but also engaging and well pitched to your audience. Make every word count to leave an impression.

Differentiate Your Bio to Enhance Your Job Applications

Elevate your job applications by attaching a professional bio that complements your resume. Our AI-driven generator helps articulate your career narrative, aligning your professional experience with the target job's responsibilities and requirements.

Streamline Your Professional Narrative with AI

In the fast-paced job market, your professional bio is your personal brand’s elevator pitch—it needs to be sharp, engaging, and memorable. However, distilling a multifaceted career into a few compelling paragraphs poses a significant challenge, especially when balancing authenticity with the need to appeal to a diverse audience.

The Professional Bio Generator transforms your career highlights into a polished, professional bio quickly and efficiently. Tailored to your unique experiences and aimed at your target audience—whether potential employers, clients, or professional peers.

Designed with job seekers in mind, the tool ensures your bio is not only a reflection of your achievements but also a strategic tool to open doors to new opportunities. It saves you time while providing a customizable platform to fine-tune your professional story.

How to Use the Professional Bio Generator

Import your linkedin profile or resume.

To generate a quality bio that’s tailored to your career, the first step is to provide some information. 

You can quickly import your resume or LinkedIn profile to draft a career outline using our visual interface. The more detailed your career input, the richer and more personalized your professional bio will be.

Highlight Your Career Achievements

To ensure your professional bio stands out and captures the most impactful aspects of your career, it’s crucial to highlight significant achievements across your experiences.

Add 1-2 key achievements for each of your recent roles. Where possible, incorporate metrics to quantify your achievements.

Tailor Your Bio for Your Audience

With your achievements listed, use our AI to generate a professional bio tailored not just to your career history but also to your future aspirations.

Whether you’re targeting a specific job role or crafting a general professional narrative, our tool adapts your bio to suit your objectives.

Review and Perfect Your Professional Bio

Review the AI-generated bio and make any desired tweaks to perfect your narrative. Our platform allows you to adjust and refine your bio, ensuring it truly reflects your professional persona and aspirations.

Once satisfied, your compelling professional bio is ready to be showcased across professional networks, personal websites, or job applications.

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• Basic analysis in the resume builder
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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, our Professional Bio Generator is equipped to craft your professional story to suit various contexts, from job applications to speaking engagements.

By inputting specific details and objectives, the AI customizes your bio to ensure it resonates with your intended audience.

Our tool utilizes AI to analyze your career achievements and skills based on the information provided in your resume or LinkedIn profile.

It then crafts a professional bio that highlights your career journey and accomplishments, making sure it aligns with your professional goals and the narrative you wish to present.

To make your professional bio stand out, provide detailed and specific career achievements when using the generator.

The AI will use this information to highlight your unique skills and experiences. Additionally, personalizing your bio for specific roles or audiences can further differentiate your profile.

Absolutely! After the AI generates your professional bio, you have full flexibility to edit and refine it within our platform. This ensures you can tweak any details, adjust the tone, and personalize it further to perfectly match your professional image and goals.

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How to Write a Professional Bio

Follow these guidelines and examples for a professional bio that stands out to hiring managers.

How to Write a Bio

Are you trying to get noticed by clients or hiring managers? A professional bio can help you stand out from the crowd by showcasing a bit about who you are and what you strive for in your work. However, writing a professional biography is easier said than done. It can feel awkward to write about yourself and express your worth fluently, so here are a few tips to help you get the process started.

Here are some essential elements in any professional bio:

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• Your name and professional title.
• What you do in your current position.
• Your branding statement.
• One to two outstanding professional accomplishments with measurable results.
• One to two personal details to describe your personality.

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You can post your professional bio on your personal website, your personal blog, your company's website, your professional portfolio, your LinkedIn "about" section, your Facebook business page and on other social media pages such as Instagram. While the length of your bio will vary depending on where you are wanting to publish it, using that outline of elements will help you create a complete bio.

For example, if you post your bio in your "about” section on LinkedIn, you are limited to about 2,000 characters; your own website could include a lengthier bio on its own page. A short professional bio would work best on your social media pages; consider including your professional title and branding statement.

How to Start a Biography

You may know who you are professionally, but it can be hard to articulate this clearly and precisely, especially in writing. To start, create an outline of what you want to include in your bio using the elements above. You can use your resume and other documents where you've tracked your professional accomplishments to help you, but avoid copying and pasting from there.

You can also look up the professional bios of successful professionals that you admire. What items do they include? What impresses you about their bios? While you don’t want to copy their bios, you can take note of the elements that speak to you and then try to emulate that in your own bio.

To help you come across authentically in your bio, think about what you would say out loud to someone if they asked you about the items on the list above. For example, how would you explain what you do for work or what your branding statement is? Write down what you would say. This can help you to “see” your voice on paper.

Keep in mind that, generally, a professional bio should be written in third person , especially if it’s for a company website. However, there are exceptions to this. For example, your “about” section on LinkedIn should be written in first person.

Your Name and Professional Title

Include your full name and your title. If you don’t have a job currently, list your last job title or what you are certified for. For example: John Doe, Marketing Director.

What You Do in Your Current Position

This helps the reader understand what you do and if you would be a good fit for their organization. For example: John specializes in all forms of digital marketing including social media marketing, online advertising and search engine optimization.

List Your Branding Statement

This is a sentence or two that reflects your professional values and how you stand out from others in the industry. For example: John is diligent and adapts seamlessly to constantly evolving processes and technologies. This allows him to provide the best service possible to his customers.

List Outstanding Professional Accomplishments

Listing a few accomplishments allows readers to understand your level of expertise and how you positively contribute to your organization or industry. Examples could include how you have helped the company save money, increased visibility or attained positive results for your clients.

List Personal Details

Listing a few personal details can help the reader connect with you on a more personal level. If they connect with you, they will be more likely to reach out to you. Examples could include hobbies , pets, a favorite movie or interesting details about your background. Of course, make sure that you feel comfortable with any personal details that you choose to share with your readers.

How to Write a Bio for Work

If your company has asked you to write a professional bio for their webpage, make sure you include the requested elements. If you are unsure, ask your supervisor for additional information. Also, check the “about” page of your company and take note of what those in higher positions have included in their bios. Try to follow that same format and order of information. This shows attention to detail on your part and also speaks to your professional worth. When you have finished your professional bio, ask someone you trust to proofread it for grammatical errors and clarity.

Professional Bio Examples

Here are a few examples of what a short professional bio could look like:

Sample 1: Empathetic family medicine physician leveraging 10+ years of experience promoting health and improving the quality of patients through changes in research, medical education and patient care across organizations and the community. Known for innovative, tactical thinking, and an authentic, influential leadership style. Skilled in building the relationships, consensus and strategic partnerships needed to move large-scale and challenging initiatives forward.

Sample 2: Certified career coach, speaker, author and national career expert with over 21 years of experience. Her company Create Your Career Path is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. She is regularly featured in the media and has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Vanderbilt University and the University of Illinois. With over 1,500 success stories, her team of coaches and resume writers help professionals find jobs that make them want to jump out of bed in the morning to go to work.

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EXPERT ADVICE: WRITING A PHOTOGRAPHER BIO

It would be nice if your photos could do all the talking for you, but occasionally, you need to use words. The About page on your website and your Instagram profile are just some of the places photographers need to have a bio. A  professional photographer bio  provides a powerful way to showcase professional experience and convey personality to potential clients.

Table of Contents

Instagram Bio Tips

Twitter bio tips, facebook bio tips, linkedin bio tips, website bio, professional photographer bio dos and don’ts, photographer bio examples, pictures for your photographer bio.

A photographer’s bio should be compelling, thoughtful, and clear. Depending on where your bio will be placed, you may need several versions. In this article, we will cover bios for photographers on the main social media platforms, before dissecting website bios in detail. 

For professional photographers, perhaps the most important social media in recent times is Instagram, and the first thing users see when they check out someone’s Instagram profile is the bio. Since the bio, in particular, can lead users to follow you, you’ll want to make it effective.

So, what is a good way to write an Instagram bio for photographers?

• Start with your Instagram handle  (a maximum of 30 characters) .  Treat your handle on Instagram as the title of your bio. Besides your name or the name of your business, consider including your niche or specialty. This practice helps people find you on Instagram and quickly discern what it is you do.
• Be concise.  You only have 150 characters to play with, so be economical. 
• Specify your location.  Be sure to include your location in the bio. This enables potential clients to locate and contact you for local projects quickly. 
• Get creative with your copy.  Make your bio succinct but take advantage of the 150-character limit and include your credentials. Keep in mind that you might not have enough space for everything, so focus on your strongest points. We also recommend adding emojis to your Instagram bio. They add visual interest and serve to convey a more casual tone.
• Include a call to action.  This can be whatever you want, but usually, it is simply a direct link to your website.

Below is a photographer’s Instagram bio example that shows all of this in action.

Read Wonderful Machine’s article on  Instagram for Photographers  for a more thorough breakdown of the platform. 

It can be misconstrued as a platform for writers, but Twitter has increasingly become a home for visual content. While the social media mainstay is currently experiencing some turbulent times via rebranding, it’s still used by millions of people worldwide, making it a great avenue to showcase your photography.

You have 160 characters to work with in the Twitter Bio. It’s a marginal gain compared to Instagram, which means that the practices we suggest for Instagram are relevant here, too. 

• Start with your Twitter handle  (a maximum of 15 characters) .  This is half of what Instagram offers, but you are able to capitalize certain letters if you want. 
• Be economical,  just as you are with your Instagram bio. 
• Specify your location.  
• Get creative with your copy.  What works on Instagram works here, too. Use emojis, hashtags, and keywords to maximize visibility. 
• Capitalize on the header image.  Turn it into a mini portfolio, giving followers a preview of your style and specialty. 
• Include a call to action.  It can be your website, or a link to a more recent assignment you handled. 

For much more on the ins and outs, Wonderful Machine’s article on  Twitter for Photographers  has you covered. 

Yes. Facebook is still around. While pop culture will have you believe it’s only a place for Boomers and Generation X, the reality is quite different. Parent company Meta reported that the platform had close to  3 billion monthly active users  in March 2023, and it’s highly unlikely that all of them belong to those two generations. Either way, the point is that Facebook is still here, and still relevant. Because of that, maintaining a Facebook page for your photography business is always a good idea, and the About section on your page can help you connect with other photographers and potential clients. 

• Expand on your IG or Twitter bio.  This time, you can utilize 101 characters in your Page intro, and expand much further in the About section (there doesn’t seem to be a character limit). 
• Include key details.  Stress your location and specialty. 

Strike a balance of professionalism and personality.  While it’s important to convey your expertise and experience, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. A bit of humor or a fun fact about your photography journey can make your About section more engaging and memorable.

Still unsure if Facebook is worth it? Check out Wonderful Machine’s article  Expert Advice: Facebook for Photographers , and you may change your mind.

Unlike Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, LinkedIn requires a much more professional tone. You can list your skills, educational qualifications, and work experience on the platform, effectively turning it into your online resume.

• Dive into the details.  Unlike the others, you have a maximum of 2,600 characters for your LinkedIn About section. Tell your story, highlight your skills and accomplishments, and define your approach to photography. Inserting a personal anecdote can also make you more engaging and relatable. 
• Include your goals or mission statement.  Give potential clients a sense of your values and professional aspirations. 
• Mention your achievements.  These could be awards won, exhibitions participated in, or notable clients you’ve worked with. This adds credibility to your photographer profile and showcases your success in the field.

Head over to our article on  LinkedIn for Photographers  to gain insights into the fundamentals of a photographer profile on the platform. 

Similar to an emailer, a bio can act as a potential client’s “first impression” of you, meaning it needs to leave them with a sense of who you are, how you work, and why your personality and approach are a natural fit for their commission — and brand as a whole. 

You’re probably not sending out your bio in an email blast to the masses, but the “About Me” page on your site is one of the first places clients go when making hiring decisions (aside from your gallery, of course). Your portfolio may be curated to perfection, but it needs to be accompanied by an equally engaging bio to give the client an ideal first impression. As a way to get started, we’ve come up with a few Dos and Don’ts.

• While you can never go wrong with a traditional headshot/portrait, there are other approaches you can take as well, examples of which are toward the end of the article.
• Do keep our interest .   If you’re more of a dreamer, an imaginative biography that keeps the reader engaged might be right up your alley.
• Do have fun . To catch a prospective client’s attention, show creativity in your photography bio and have fun with your writing.

Don’ts:

• Don’t be pompous . or take yourself too seriously. Unless you’re Duane Michals, Sally Mann, or the like, refrain from overly self-important remarks. You don’t want creatives to think you’re a prima donna who’s difficult to work with or doesn’t take directions well.
• Don’t be careless . Avoid typos, bad translations, grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes. If you’re not the best writer — or aren’t writing in your native language — think about hiring someone to help you craft your thoughts. Regardless of whether or not you pursue outside help, always have someone else read over your work. No good impressions come from cringe-worthy grammar or semicolon misuses. Also, steer clear of online translators to rewrite your bio in another language.

Alright, enough negativity. We could come up with more bio “Don’ts,” but let’s shift our focus to some standout bios and “About Me” photographer examples of varying lengths — and what makes each of them work.

Why it Works: Short and Sweet

All photographers write their bios with clients in mind, but  Inti St. Clair  cuts out the middleman by addressing her clients directly: “Hire her. You’ll have a blast working with her.” Inti also includes a smiling photo of herself, which reinforces how pleasant she is to work with. She is assuaging every client’s biggest fear, that of bringing on a disagreeable and incompetent photographer. Inti’s photographer bio is full of conversation starters as well, a refreshing way for someone to show their personality without falling into the cliche of listing likes and dislikes.

I also want to shout out bullet points. Inti uses them to make the information easier to digest and quicker to scan through, an ideal setup for the busy, perhaps passively attentive creative. 

You can use bullet points in your bio — or anywhere you write, for that matter — to highlight information, such as:

• Your specialties
• Past clients
• Celebrities you’ve photographed
• The languages you speak

Bonus Short Bio

Why it Works: Leans into The Humor 

Boulder-based  Matt Trappe’s  photographer bio runs with an old-school aesthetic with its classic design, extending to everything from the photos to the fonts. The text doesn’t beat around the bush, highlighting the different hats he wears in the top-right corner, while the body of the text condenses his professional journey with humor. His target audience includes experienced marketing and creative executives who would easily appreciate his aesthetic choices. 

Matt also makes an interesting choice by having his bio appear first thing on the homepage, opting not to hide it in the corners and crevices of websites as some photographers do. It operates as a firm handshake and a 30-second elevator pitch so that potential clients know exactly who he is and what he’s about from the get-go. 

Medium Length Bio

Why it Works: A Focus on Identity and Purpose

Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi’s  bio effectively communicates her professional journey and personal background. It starts by establishing her focus on exploring the human condition through photography, immediately giving readers a sense of her work’s thematic core. The bio then delves into her international work in conflict and emergency zones, bolstered by a list of reputable media outlets and organizations that have published or showcased her work. This not only highlights her credibility but also provides a context for the stories she captures.

Her accolades are neatly woven into the narrative, further cementing her expertise and recognition in the field. The bio then transitions into a personal narrative, linking her multicultural upbringing and experiences as a refugee to her pursuit of work for humanitarian causes. This personal touch allows readers to understand the motivations behind her work.

Her transition to photography is clearly marked, providing a timeline of her career progression. The mention of her academic qualifications and language skills rounds off the bio, offering a comprehensive view of her capabilities. Through it all, there’s no mistaking the kind of person Diana is, personally and professionally.

Why it Works: Strikes a Balance

Having a healthy mix of personal and professional information in your bio is key, and you can get into both with a longer bio. The goal is to remind clients that you’re human (and a capable one, at that).  Matt Odom  has a nice balance; he first lists his specialties, his hometown, and how he started out in his career. Matt then gets to the fun stuff, where his personality shines through. 

He’s one of a few people in the world to hold an original copy of the 1984 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 first print and a few other books dating back to the late 1800s!

Although  Matt  uses a third-person perspective, the writing feels very personable, as if his friend is telling us that, “he’s a people person,” or confirming, “yes, he’s a huge Arsenal FC fan.”

Who wouldn’t trust Matt to show up on time, get the job done, and produce timeless images? And perhaps shoot the breeze about the latest Premier League news?

If it’s difficult to keep track of the various guidelines for your professional photographer bio, we have an infographic to simplify things.

Bio Pic 1: The Traditional Headshot

Can’t go wrong with a straightforward portrait in your photographer bio, be it of your head, your whole body, or something in between.  Lynsey Weatherspoon  has the right idea, and the fact that she’s so close to the camera allows us to see her eyes. As viewers, we’re drawn to people’s eyes first, which is why so many advertisements feature close-ups of smiling faces — making eye contact with an individual in a photo adds a layer of personability to the proceedings. You feel like you’re interacting with them, in a sense.

Bio Pic 2: With Loved Ones

This is a favorite of many photographers who use the bio space to show themselves with family members. Maybe you’re the parent of some adorable young children, like  Tiffany Luong , or maybe you’re a proud dog owner like  Sean F. Boggs :

Whatever the case, people can’t help but smile when they see you and your loved ones together. It’s a nice window into your personal life and an easy type of image to track down. After all, who doesn’t have a plethora of pictures with their loved ones?

Bio Pic 3: On Assignment

Some photographers want to give off the impression that they live and breathe their craft, and an easy way to convey this message is to get a shot of you on the job.  Kris Cheng  has quite a few assignments in the outdoors, but you don’t need me to tell you that once you get a look at his bio picture.

Bio Pic 4: The GIF 

Geneva-based  Aurélien Bergot  introduces himself with a GIF, revealing his workflow in the studio as a product photographer. By doing so, he gives potential clients a sneak peek into future collaborations with him, whether it involves a case of Dior lipstick or not.

Though none of the above lists are exhaustive, they do give a good sense of the various options you can utilize to craft a professional photographer bio. There is no shortage of ways to give off that ideal first impression and, ultimately, your bio should feel right for you. Don’t get tripped up by the rules, but don’t try to copy someone else’s style. Just be you. A grammatically correct, typo-free you — with a nice photo to boot!

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Wonderful Machine

To bring a new voice, a valuable perspective, and great advice for all photographers, we have teamed up with the fine folks at Wonderful Machine. They share a lot of great content and offer amazing resources for professional photographers, and this blog post is only one of many!

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