Twenty Ten Talent

Whatever stage you’re at in your career, everyone needs a great bio. But they often can be the toughest things to write. The good news is you can always refine your bio as you go, so if you are starting from scratch don’t worry, the best thing to do is to jump in and create one.

1. Less is more
The most impactful bios are the ones that keep it concise versus going on, and on, for eternity. You need to showcase who you are and what makes you exceptional, but that doesn’t mean using your bio to recount every single achievement in chronological order. Use short, impactful sentences to share your biggest achievements and summarize your career highlights.

2. Make it compelling
Don’t just focus on your title, responsibilities and the companies you work for. Bring what you do to life to convey your passions, expertise and where and how you have excelled. Your bio is a fantastic tool to make you stand out.

3. Review relevant activities outside of work
Have you been featured in a publication? Have you ever won an award? Are you a member of any professional organizations? Do you volunteer? Have you been a speaker at an event? These are all examples of great things to include, or to start working towards achieving.

4. Get feedback
When you have a draft that you’re happy with share it with people you trust who know you professionally. Remember, you don’t have to adopt all the feedback you receive, but asking others to review your bio could spark ideas or content you may not have thought of.

5. How do you look?
Make sure you have a great headshot, and this does not constitute a cropped photo of you looking amazing at your sister’s wedding.

If you are serious about your career you need to invest in professional photography. There’s nothing worse than rummaging through Facebook photos or taking a selfie to use professionally. Make sure your image is a high resolution image file, that way it can be used in print if needed as well as online.

7. Keep it up to date
Make a point to review your bio a couple of times a year to make sure it reflects your latest and greatest achievements.

Post by Octavia Goredema 
Octavia Goredema is an award winning career coach, writer and the founder of Twenty Ten Talent. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or over on Twitter.