Professional Summary and Bio
A professional summary is a paragraph outlining your work experience, achievements, and skills. It should be written in relation to your target jobs, employers, and industry, focusing only on relevant parts of your background. Also, it should include relevant keywords and language tailored to each role you apply for in your job search. The professional summary should appear on your resume and LinkedIn and can be reused or adjusted to develop a short bio.
Professional Summary Check List
- Is your professional summary 2-4 sentences long and does it tell a cohesive story about your career path?
- Did you add your top achievements from your career (promotions, surpassing sales goals, managerial experience leading teams) and are your achievements quantifiable?
- Do you signal your career change by indicating the type of role you are looking for?
- Did you highlight the skills acquired during the certificate program (“skilled in HTML, SQL, and Python”)?
- See below examples for inspiration. As you progress through the certificate, your professional summary will change and should include more skills and achievements related to your certificate.
Example 1
Professional with 6 years of experience in network administration and IT support seeking entry level business analytics roles in San Diego County. Skilled in SQL, Python, and R. Successful in simultaneously managing multiple large projects, providing high-level customer support, and leveraging data to increase operational efficiency. Strong track record of taking initiative to develop solutions to business problems and offered promotions when the opportunity arises.
Example 2
Experienced web developer that built products for desktop and mobile app users for two years. Highly collaborative and adept at developing public facing web property and optimizing conversion rates through iteration. Strong knowledge of HTML, CSS, PHP, SQL, and JavaScript. Designed web content for 15 freelance clients across multiple APIs and third-party integrations.
Example 3
Solution-driven professional with 5 years of experience designing and implementing operations for service delivery programs. Seeking entry level data analytics and research roles in San Diego County. Successful in simultaneously managing multiple large projects, developing research projects, and leveraging data to inform strategic decisions. Possesses strong track record of high customer satisfaction, and leading teams to ensure deliverables and deadlines are met on time.
Example 4
A+ certified creative professional with 3 years of customer service experience seeking help desk technician roles. Possesses strong track record of high customer satisfaction and leading teams to ensure deliverables and deadlines are met on time. Looking to take advantage of skills in troubleshooting, communications and problem-solving to help companies retain and support their customer base. Excellent communicator and fluent in Spanish.
Bio
If you are writing a bio, we recommend adding 3-5 additional sentences to highlight your career path journey.
Example
[Name] has 6 years of experience in network administration and IT support. Currently pursuing a certificate from UCSD Extension in Business Intelligence and skilled in SQL, Python, and R, [Name] is seeking entry level data analytics roles in San Diego County. She has a track record for managing multiple large tech support programs for corporations, providing high-level customer support, and leveraging data to increase operational efficiency. In her most recent role, she guided the implementation of a company-wide network and hardware security strategy and implemented a solution that saved the company 25% in their IT budget. She does not hesitate in taking initiative to develop solutions to business problems and is regularly recognized for awards and promotions. She has a [degree] from [school] and spends her weekends volunteering at an animal rescue shelter.