Using a LinkedIn summary template can be a really helpful tool for creating a great profile that grabs peoples’ attention. The summary is one of the most important parts of your LinkedIn profile, so it’s important to get it right.
As a platform, LinkedIn has grown significantly and now has over 756 million members! In addition to individual users, around 30 million companies use LinkedIn for business. With so many active users, it has become one of the best places for job-seekers, business professionals, and brands to connect. Crafting a great profile may take some effort, but it will pay off in the end. In this article, we will discuss how to write a great summary and create the best LinkedIn profile.
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What is LinkedIn?
Before we get into creating the perfect profile, let’s talk about what LinkedIn is and how you can use it. Launched in 2003, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional online network. You can use LinkedIn to search for a job or an internship, network and connect with other professionals, and showcase your skills and experience. Many businesses also use LinkedIn to market and grow their brand. As the platform has grown, it has added a lot of new features. You can now use LinkedIn to learn new skills and post interesting content. You can even use it to join groups and organize events. LinkedIn can be accessed from a desktop or laptop computer, or in the mobile app.
What Makes a Good LinkedIn Summary?
The summary is a short section of your LinkedIn profile page where you can write something about yourself. Many people call this section the “elevator pitch” of your LinkedIn profile. This is where you want to capture your reader’s attention, give them some information about you, and get them interested in learning more about you. Depending on what you’re using the site for, a good LinkedIn summary can help you land a job, connect with the right people, or even generate leads for your business. Following some helpful tips and researching great LinkedIn summary examples is a good place to start. While there are lots of elements that go into making a good summary, there are three that are the most important.
Start Out Strong
Only the first three lines of your summary are visible before the viewer has to click on “view more.” This means it’s crucial that the first 300 characters of your summary are strong enough to grab their attention. If you are a creative writer, you can use this opportunity to include a hook to grab the reader’s attention. If you’d rather focus on your qualifications, the first part of a summary is a great place to load up on your valuable skills. Either way, you want to make sure that you stand out from the crowd.
Use Keywords
Just like in other forms of SEO, keywords play an important part in being found on LinkedIn. Recruiters use a combination of skills, job titles, and other relevant keywords to search for candidates. LinkedIn even shows you some of these searches on your profile. On your dashboard, you can click on the “search appearances” tab to see what keywords you appeared in searches for. You can use this information to make sure that you are using the right keywords to get your profile noticed. Search through relevant job listings and try to include the skills and keywords listed there and add them to your profile.
Show Your Personality
Your LinkedIn summary should not be a cover letter or an autobiography. This is your chance to open up to recruiters and let them know your story. The rest of your profile is full of all the necessary information, but the summary allows you to add some context. Let your page viewers know what you are looking for in a career and what makes you great at your job. Tell them about your future goals and what you bring to the table. This is also a place where you can brag about your accomplishments in more detail. Instead of just explaining that you’ve increased your company’s sales, you can explain exactly how much they have increased and what you did to get them there.
Using a LinkedIn Summary Template
Since we’ve talked so much about the importance of writing a good LinkedIn summary, you might feel pressured to make it perfect. The truth is, you don’t have to be an amazing writer to craft a good summary. There are tons of websites and blog posts that can provide you with a LinkedIn summary template that works for you. Templates give you the framework for a well-written summary. All you need to do is search for some summary examples and use them as inspiration for your own profile. Below are some examples of the most common templates for LinkedIn summaries.
LinkedIn Summary Examples
#1: The Mission-Based Summary
This kind of summary starts with a very broad statement about what you do and then becomes more specific. This is a great choice if you’re using LinkedIn to connect with people from different fields. They may not know exactly what your job title means, but you can help them understand with a broad description of the kinds of tasks you do at your current or former job. This also a great way to show that you have broad interests and are willing to look for opportunities beyond what you’ve already accomplished.
#2: The Personality Summary
As the name suggests, this type of LinkedIn summary example is more focused on who you are as a person, rather than your past work experiences. Most often, these kinds of summaries start with a story that showcases one or two personality traits. This is a great option for people with little to no experience, such as students and entry-level workers. It can also be really helpful for people looking to network because it draws profile viewers in with an interesting anecdote or story. Feel free to be creative and use your story to start a conversation.
#3: The Accomplishments Summary
The accomplishments summary is the most straightforward and direct. Instead of listing what kind of job you are looking for, this kind of summary explains what you’ve done in the past and why you deserve the job. This is a great opportunity to talk about past projects you’ve completed, as well as awards, positive press, and other things recruiters might want to see. This would also be a great place to explain an important project that you completed and how it benefitted you and your previous employer.
#4: The Concise Summary
This kind of LinkedIn summary template is short, sweet, and to the point. It is a great choice for people in data-driven industries like tech, law, or medicine. It’s also a great choice for active job hunters because it provides lots of opportunities to use valuable keywords. This type of summary includes your current role, previous positions you’ve held, and your relevant skills. If you are searching for a job that puts greater focus on your qualifications rather than your creativity, this may be the best choice for you.
#5: The Blended Summary
This LinkedIn summary example is a blend of the personality and mission-based type summaries. This is the best option if you want to be straightforward about your job goals, but also want to add some unique personality. To use this kind of summary, start with your current job and describe your duties and accomplishments. After that, add in some “fun facts” about yourself to show off your personality. The key to making this work is keeping it light while staying professional.
Tips From the Best LinkedIn Profiles
Writing a great summary is important, but it is just the tip of the iceberg. Having a complete LinkedIn profile is essential to using the platform. There are many ways to craft a great LinkedIn profile, but what do the best profiles have in common? Using some of the best LinkedIn profiles as examples, here are some tips for optimizing your page:
- Choose quality profile pictures and background photos
- Make your headline more than just your job title
- Write a keyword-rich summary without using buzzwords
- Reach out to people you may know and grow your network
- Keep a full list of relevant skills
- Spotlight the services you offer
- Make use of the skills assessments
- Share media and other relevant content
Creating a Great LinkedIn Summary
After reading this article, you should have a better idea of how to find and use a good LinkedIn summary template. This is a great place to start when creating your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re using LinkedIn for personal development or to market your business, it’s important to put your best effort into creating a great page.
The team at SEO Design Chicago can provide a whole host of services to improve your LinkedIn and other social media profiles. Choosing a company to help you manage your social media presence is an important decision, so contact us today to see what we can do for you!
FAQs:
- What is LinkedIn?
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