A short bio is a short paragraph that serves as a brief professional biography for résumés, company websites, personal branding, and more. These little blurbs sum up your current position, your years of experience in education and the workforce, plus your professional goals. Many feature brief, relatable, and relevant [anecdotes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/david-sedariss-5-tips-for-turning-anecdotes-into-essays) from the writer’s personal life to humanize and distinguish themselves from other candidates.
You can use your short professional bio in quite a few different formats. Here are just four to consider:

1. __About pages__: You might work for yourself or for a different company, but odds are your own business or whichever one you work for has a digital presence. You can add a short bio to an “About Me” page on your personal website or to the about page for a company website. 
2. __Client outreach__: From the first sentence to the last, your short bio is the main way to grab potential clients’ attention and get them focused on your personal brand. For freelancers especially, this short blurb—with your full name and an abridged version of your professional life story—can help you stand apart. 
3. __Résumés__: A short bio on your official [résumé](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/awards-on-resume-explained) can make a good impression on potential employers and recruiters. It serves as a miniature cover letter of sorts, summing up everything else they’ll discover about you in more detail on your résumé as a whole.
4. __Social media profiles__: In our hyperconnected world, it’s worthwhile to put your short professional bio on any social media profiles you plan to use for job-seeking and [networking](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/networking-tips-guide). Do some research about SEO keywords to see if you can include any in your online bio to help it pop up in more search results.
Writing a professional bio can be simple, so long as you know what to include and how to spice it up. Follow these seven tips for professional bio writing:

1. __Add some flavor__. You should absolutely use your bio as an opportunity to display your distinct personality. But avoid divulging too many personal details. Likewise, avoid ripping your blurb straight from someone else’s bio or a professional bio template you found on the internet. Throw in a brief and witty quip or a relatable and relevant anecdote. Demonstrate why your personal goals line up with your potential employer’s desires for their own company.
2. __Be humble but confident__. Your personal biography should list your most impressive professional accomplishments without coming across as arrogant. By all means, mention if you have a summa cum laude bachelor’s degree—but let that accomplishment speak for itself. There’s no need to editorialize your own ingenuity and intelligence beyond that. Show, rather than tell. 
3. __Catch the reader’s attention__. Your bio should [hook](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-an-attention-grabbing-hook) your reader right away. Your first sentence should briefly explain who you are, but the second sentence onward should hint at why you are the best person for the job. Think about including a call to action by the end of the bio—perhaps you can add your contact information and a request that the reader gets in touch with you. Consult other short bio examples online to see how different people have come up with catchy taglines for themselves.
4. __Couple your bio with a professional website__. You might be able to get by just posting your bio on social media accounts or including it in your résumé, but it’s well worth your while to pair it with a professional website. View this short bio as just the first step of defining your personal brand. Having your own website will really help you stand out all the more. Additionally, if your short bio appears on a professional networking platform or similar third-party site, it can be appropriate to include the web address of your own site.
5. __Decide on the first or third person__. Whether you use the first or third person depends on the general context of and target audience for your bio. Use the first-person point of view ([POV](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-choose-a-pov-for-your-story)) for personal outreach and the third-person POV if your bio will feature alongside many other employees’ on a company website. For instance, a single real estate agent might opt for first-person, whereas one who works for a larger brokerage might opt for third-person.
6. __Keep your bio short and sweet__. Your personal bio should concisely recap all your professional experience with a little flair and personality, but perhaps as important as what to include is what not to include. Boil down your life story into as short a word count as you can. Exclude any extraneous details. Aim for about one paragraph. The longer your bio is, the more likely you are to lose the reader’s attention.
7. __Include contact information__. Perhaps most importantly, do your best to ensure your professional bio includes all the relevant information necessary to get to know you as a professional. Make sure to include contact information (either your phone number, email, social media accounts, or all of the above, depending on what’s appropriate), any pertinent degrees or certifications, your location, professional skills, and work experience, including your current job title and description.
All you need is a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com) and our exclusive video lessons from the likes of Elaine Welteroth (the former <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief","linkCopy":"editor in chief","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>editor in chief</a> of *Teen Vogue* and host of CBS’ *The Talk*), Issa Rae (the powerhouse multihyphenate behind HBO’s *Insecure*), Robin Arzón (the lawyer-turned-head instructor of Peloton), and other luminaries who have have embraced the twists and turns on the path to professional success. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to lean into your strengths, follow your heart, and build the career of your dreams. 
Whether for your company’s website or your own personal use, it's important to know how to write a short bio about yourself and your personal accomplishments. These little blurbs help you stand out from the crowd by showing what makes you a unique and qualified addition to the workforce.

Whether for your company’s website or your own personal use, it's important to know how to write a short bio about yourself and your personal accomplishments. These little blurbs help you stand out from the crowd by showing what makes you a unique and qualified addition to the workforce.

How to Write a Short Bio: 7 Things to Put in Your Bio

A short bio is a short paragraph that serves as a brief professional biography for résumés, company websites, personal branding, and more. These little blurbs sum up your current position, your years of experience in education and the workforce, plus your professional goals. Many feature brief, relatable, and relevant <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/david-sedariss-5-tips-for-turning-anecdotes-into-essays' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/david-sedariss-5-tips-for-turning-anecdotes-into-essays","linkCopy":"anecdotes","category":null}'>anecdotes</a> from the writer’s personal life to humanize and distinguish themselves from other candidates.

What Is a Short Bio?

You can use your short professional bio in quite a few different formats. Here are just four to consider:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. About pages: You might work for yourself or for a different company, but odds are your own business or whichever one you work for has a digital presence. You can add a short bio to an “About Me” page on your personal website or to the about page for a company website. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Client outreach: From the first sentence to the last, your short bio is the main way to grab potential clients’ attention and get them focused on your personal brand. For freelancers especially, this short blurb—with your full name and an abridged version of your professional life story—can help you stand apart. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Résumés: A short bio on your official <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/awards-on-resume-explained' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/awards-on-resume-explained","linkCopy":"résumé","category":null}'>résumé</a> can make a good impression on potential employers and recruiters. It serves as a miniature cover letter of sorts, summing up everything else they’ll discover about you in more detail on your résumé as a whole. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Social media profiles: In our hyperconnected world, it’s worthwhile to put your short professional bio on any social media profiles you plan to use for job-seeking and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/networking-tips-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/networking-tips-guide","linkCopy":"networking","category":null}'>networking</a>. Do some research about SEO keywords to see if you can include any in your online bio to help it pop up in more search results. </li></ol>

4 Ways to Use a Short Bio

Writing a professional bio can be simple, so long as you know what to include and how to spice it up. Follow these seven tips for professional bio writing:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Add some flavor. You should absolutely use your bio as an opportunity to display your distinct personality. But avoid divulging too many personal details. Likewise, avoid ripping your blurb straight from someone else’s bio or a professional bio template you found on the internet. Throw in a brief and witty quip or a relatable and relevant anecdote. Demonstrate why your personal goals line up with your potential employer’s desires for their own company. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Be humble but confident. Your personal biography should list your most impressive professional accomplishments without coming across as arrogant. By all means, mention if you have a summa cum laude bachelor’s degree—but let that accomplishment speak for itself. There’s no need to editorialize your own ingenuity and intelligence beyond that. Show, rather than tell. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Catch the reader’s attention. Your bio should <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-an-attention-grabbing-hook' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-an-attention-grabbing-hook","linkCopy":"hook","category":null}'>hook</a> your reader right away. Your first sentence should briefly explain who you are, but the second sentence onward should hint at why you are the best person for the job. Think about including a call to action by the end of the bio—perhaps you can add your contact information and a request that the reader gets in touch with you. Consult other short bio examples online to see how different people have come up with catchy taglines for themselves. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Couple your bio with a professional website. You might be able to get by just posting your bio on social media accounts or including it in your résumé, but it’s well worth your while to pair it with a professional website. View this short bio as just the first step of defining your personal brand. Having your own website will really help you stand out all the more. Additionally, if your short bio appears on a professional networking platform or similar third-party site, it can be appropriate to include the web address of your own site. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Decide on the first or third person. Whether you use the first or third person depends on the general context of and target audience for your bio. Use the first-person point of view (<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-choose-a-pov-for-your-story' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-choose-a-pov-for-your-story","linkCopy":"POV","category":null}'>POV</a>) for personal outreach and the third-person POV if your bio will feature alongside many other employees’ on a company website. For instance, a single real estate agent might opt for first-person, whereas one who works for a larger brokerage might opt for third-person. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Keep your bio short and sweet. Your personal bio should concisely recap all your professional experience with a little flair and personality, but perhaps as important as what to include is what not to include. Boil down your life story into as short a word count as you can. Exclude any extraneous details. Aim for about one paragraph. The longer your bio is, the more likely you are to lose the reader’s attention. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Include contact information. Perhaps most importantly, do your best to ensure your professional bio includes all the relevant information necessary to get to know you as a professional. Make sure to include contact information (either your phone number, email, social media accounts, or all of the above, depending on what’s appropriate), any pertinent degrees or certifications, your location, professional skills, and work experience, including your current job title and description. </li></ol>

7 Tips for Writing a Short Professional Bio

All you need is a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a> and our exclusive video lessons from the likes of Elaine Welteroth (the former <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief","linkCopy":"editor in chief","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>editor in chief</a> of Teen Vogue and host of CBS’ The Talk), Issa Rae (the powerhouse multihyphenate behind HBO’s Insecure), Robin Arzón (the lawyer-turned-head instructor of Peloton), and other luminaries who have have embraced the twists and turns on the path to professional success. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to lean into your strengths, follow your heart, and build the career of your dreams.

Ready to Start Designing Your Dream Career?

Whether for your company’s website or your own personal use, it&#39;s important to know how to write a short bio about yourself and your personal accomplishments. These little blurbs help you stand out from the crowd by showing what makes you a unique and qualified addition to the workforce.

Whether for your company’s website or your own personal use, it's important to know how to write a short bio about yourself and your personal accomplishments. These little blurbs help you stand out from the crowd by showing what makes you a unique and qualified addition to the workforce.
