Looking for a career change? LinkedIn is a great place to network with potential employers. And your profile is a simple place to show off your skills, accomplishments, and experience.

One of the most important sections found on your profile is your LinkedIn About section (formerly known as the Summary section). This is the place to dive into who you are, what you do, and why—in 2,000 characters or less.

What Is the LinkedIn About Section?

The About section is located right underneath your LinkedIn headline on your profile. It's often used as a place to put a quick bio about yourself, your experience, your skills, and your unique attributes. It's the section used to summarize everything important about your professional career.

Why Is It Important?

The About section is perhaps the first time you'll get the chance to “speak” to a future employer. In fact, it's often one of the first things those who visit your profile read.

This means your About section or bio gives you an opportunity to tell the story about who you are, why you do what you do, and how. It's a great way to introduce yourself before ever sending an email or a phone call.

What to Include in Your LinkedIn Bio

One of the LinkedIn mistakes many users make is writing a bio that is simply a bulleted list of their past positions or a regurgitated resume. While work experience is necessary to show off, other sections such as the Experience section are better suited for that.

Instead, your LinkedIn bio should include the following things:

• Your unique attributes: We all have things that make us unique from others. What do you do in your career that others don't? Perhaps you have an affinity for customer service. Or, maybe you have the ability to make everyone feel welcome. Whatever you do differently, showcase it. Just make sure the attributes you discuss relate to your chosen industry.
• Your capabilities: What can you do to help your future employer? Briefly explain what it is you do that will benefit the employer based on the position you're looking for. And don't forget to be specific.
• Your mission: Your mission is the driving force behind your career. For example, why did you choose to be a writer? Why did you become a business owner? What do you want to achieve? Sharing your mission helps potential employers connect with you on a deeper level and shows them what you want to do as part of their team.
• Your successes: Briefly illustrate your biggest accomplishments and what they've meant for your career. This can include anything from awards to difficult projects you've completed. This helps showcase what you might be able to do for a future employer.
• Your interests: What do you like to do in your off time? Do you enjoy cooking? Are you a film buff? While this may seem silly to add to your bio, it can help add a sprinkle of humanity to an otherwise work-focused bio.

Things to Avoid

• Throwing a few sentences into the About section: You'll want to spend some time on your bio and make it worthwhile to read. Don't throw a few sentences in it just to get it done. Instead, use the profile of real estate to fully introduce yourself to those who visit.
• Grammar or punctuation mistakes: Grammar and punctuation mistakes don't necessarily make a great first impression. And they're easy to avoid. Run your bio through Grammarly quickly or another grammar tool and then publish.
• Too much industry jargon: While using some industry-specific terms may help your employer understand your experience, too much often comes off as stuffy. Instead, keep it simple and use a minimal amount of jargon as you write.

Not sure where to start? Visit the LinkedIn profiles of your favorite professionals to see how they've written their own bios. This may give you some inspiration when it comes time to write yours.

5 Tips for Writing a LinkedIn About Section That Works

Following the above can ensure you're off to a great start. Yet, if you want to take your LinkedIn bio to the next level, here are five useful tips:

1. Don't be afraid to show your personality: Your personality is what makes you stand out from the crowd. And while LinkedIn is a more professional place to network, it isn't the place for robots. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. Write your bio as if you're talking to a friend, and don't be afraid of using things such as emojis and slang if it fits.
2. Write a strong first line: The first line of your bio is your hook. So, you must make it compelling. You could start with a quote, a fact about yourself, a statistic, or even a joke.
3. Add in a testimonial: Testimonials or recommendations from past employers are a great way to showcase your experience. Add in a testimonial at the bottom of your bio to show off your past experience. Just remember to keep them short and simple. You can add more in-depth recommendations to the Recommendation section towards the bottom of your profile.
4. Show your work: Did you increase sales by 20% for your last employer? Whatever it is you did, consider listing these numbers in your bio to show off your work. This further illustrates your capabilities.
5. Add in a call to action (CTA): Do you want recruiters to reach out to you? Are you open to chatting via email or phone? Consider adding in a CTA at the bottom of your bio explaining what potential employers can do next. A simple, “give me a call at” with your number is enough.

What Else Can You Do to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile?

Your LinkedIn profile has the power to help you land your dream job.

All you need to do is optimize it, from your headline to your recommendations. Go ahead and open your LinkedIn profile and see what you can do to improve it.