“Sean is a reliable and punctual employee with 15 years’ experience within B2C sales who always aims to…” – BORING! Sorry, Sean, but your LinkedIn summary just doesn’t cut the mustard. If you want a profile that packs a punch, keep reading and take a look at some good LinkedIn summary examples that will inspire you!
There’s one trap that you don’t want to fall into when writing your LinkedIn summary. Yes, LinkedIn is a professional social media platform, but it’s still a social network. This isn’t your CV, so don’t treat it as such. If there’s very little difference between your resume and your LinkedIn profile, you definitely have some tweaking to do. Being successful in most endeavours requires you to stand out and be memorable for all the right reasons. Your LinkedIn profile summary is a perfect platform to make an impact and boost your personal brand and it’s the perfect place for any job seeker to make they stand out.
Why is LinkedIn so important?
It’s undeniable, we live in a digital world; everything is electronic, online and instant. When it comes to careers, it’s no different. Your managers, colleagues and customers are likely to turn to the internet to check out your credentials. That’s where LinkedIn comes in.
Hiring managers and recruiters regularly use the network to conduct searches that will allow them to find the perfect candidates for their opportunities. If your profile summary catches the attention of the right recruiter, your dream job could come to you!
The formula for a great summary
While everyone’s summary section will be different and there are varying types of these introductory profiles, there are a few set pointers to bear in mind. When writing your LinkedIn summary, consider the following.
Tell a story – The best LinkedIn profile summaries are those that read like cohesive stories. Writing a summary that flows means that people will want to keep reading. It’s also a great way of summarising your experience and tying it all together to show how you’ve got to where you are. Summaries that tell a tale are much more memorable than those that are solely lists of achievements and past work positions.
Inject some personality – What makes you unique compared to other people? Your personality! So, use it to your advantage. Facts, figures and qualifications are impressive, but combine this with some humanity and you’re onto a winner. As long as the overall tone of your summary is mature and professional, there’s nothing wrong with using humour or letting who you are as an individual shine through. In fact, you’re more likely to draw people in that way; recruiters hire/customers buy from people they like!
Avoid cliché ‘buzz words’ – Your aim is to stand out from other LinkedIn users, so why ruin your efforts by using the same old recycled phrases that everyone else has on their profile? You may very well be ‘a dynamic hard worker who is passionate and organised’, but, quite frankly, no one cares. It’s all been done before, so to prevent your summary being dismissed as yet another dismal carbon copy, it’s essential to think a little more creatively.
Keep it to the point – You may have a 2,000-character limit to work with, but you’re not obliged to meet that quota! Waffling on for too long about work experience and job titles, simply for the sake of it, isn’t the best way forward. Save the detail for your experience section. Once you know what you want to say and how you want to express it, stick to the basics. A concise profile summary invites people to read all of it.
LinkedIn summary examples: piece by piece
Successful, attention-grabbing LinkedIn profile summaries are completely unique and bespoke introductory ‘blurbs’. Below you will see a breakdown of all of the aspects that the best LinkedIn summaries incorporate, and examples for each of these elements. This way, you can create your own individual profile summary that will cover all bases, but that is also completely tailored to you.
The first impression
First impressions count, so the first statements you make in your LinkedIn summary are vital. They need to summarise what you bring to the table, i.e. why the reader needs to do business with/hire you. And you need to hook the reader right away.
“I don’t place candidates in jobs. I help high-calibre professionals find their dream careers.”
How you got there
Well, they’re certainly listening to you now! So, now it’s time to start telling that story. Use the next part of your summary to show that your attributes, current and work history have given you the skills and experience that have led you to your current role and success.
“As a Business Graduate, achieving a 2.1 degree at the University of Manchester, I was hungry to forge a successful career. Given my unbridled ambition, strong relationship building skills and focus on results, I knew that a sales-based role was the ideal first step for me.
After proving myself and honing my sales and influencing skills at [COMPANY NAME], I wanted to take my career to the next level. Admittedly, I ‘fell’ into recruitment when I started my career with [COMPANY NAME]. However, 5 years down the line, I can honestly say that I have found my passion.
I am now proud to say that I am working in an industry I love and that I have pushed myself to achieve impressive and demonstrable results.”
Fun facts
Remember, this isn’t your CV! You can have a little fun with your LinkedIn profile summary. If you think that any of your professional or personal achievements will boost your LinkedIn kudos, include them in your profile! Just make sure they are relevant.
“About me:
The current record for candidate placements in a month at [COMPANY NAME] is currently mine. (I plan on beating it.)
I’m a competitive person at work but also in my personal life. I have been a keen amateur footballer since an early age and have won a variety of awards.
At [COMPANY NAME], I spearheaded a new sales strategy that revolutionised the way we did business. It was so successful that it is still in use today.”
Rounding it all off
You can use the final part of your LinkedIn profile summary to bring everything together. Here, you should list your key skills so that you are visible in searches. You can also add a call to action and let people know how to contact you directly.
“Key skills:
Strong influencer, recruiting, recruitment consultant, sales, account management, client relations, content marketing
Contact:
I am happy to respond to all enquiries. Please contact me via email at [EMAIL ADDRESS], or via telephone on [CONTACT NUMBER]”
Whatever your goal is on LinkedIn, be it winning business or securing a new job, your profile summary needs to make people notice YOU. There are 500 million users on LinkedIn – you’ve got a lot of competition out there, but only 2,000 characters at your disposal to beat them. Make them count by doing a great job of your summary! Use the above tips and get online and do some snooping on other users’ LinkedIn summary examples and your profile will soon be up there with the best!