Chapter 10

Writing a Compelling Summary

IN THIS CHAPTER

check Writing an impressive LinkedIn summary

check Showing, not telling, your strengths

check Including a call to action

check Formatting an eye-catching summary

The Summary section of your LinkedIn profile is where you introduce yourself to your target audience and tell your professional story in a conversational manner. The Summary section is your digital introduction and first impression.

When attempting to write the Summary section, many LinkedIn members are immediately rendered paralyzed. Others find themselves wandering into their kitchen or garage, intent to reorganize. Any task, regardless of how odious, is suddenly more attractive than facing a blank Summary section with the goal of writing about yourself.

In this chapter, I show you how to easily write an impressive, goal-oriented summary that attracts and satisfies your target audience. I discuss why it’s important to write your summary in the first person, and I show you how to format your summary so that people find it easy to read and attractive. I also give you the tips you need to conquer the Summary section so that you can get this monumental task off your back.

Editing Your LinkedIn Summary

It’s best to draft and edit your summary in a word-processing program rather than directly in the LinkedIn summary text field. My team and I have written thousands of LinkedIn profiles, and more than a few times computers have crashed, Internet connections were lost, LinkedIn went offline, and summaries written in the text field disappear in a blip. It is horrible when it happens, and no amount of cursing or crying brings unsaved work back to life. I know this through direct experience.

The most popular word-processing program in the known universe is Microsoft Word. If you don’t have access to Microsoft Word, don’t panic. If you are a Mac user, you can use Pages for Mac. Google Docs works great regardless of operating system. Open Office is a free word-processing program that you can download and install. Do try to make sure that whatever program you select, it comes with spelling and grammar check.

After you write your summary in a word processor, copy it and paste it into the Summary section of your profile. Here’s how to add your finished summary into your LinkedIn profile:

  1. Open your LinkedIn profile.

  2. Click the pencil (edit) icon located just below your profile background photo.

    Your profile opens in edit mode, as shown in Figure 10-1.

  3. Scroll to the Summary section, and click inside the box to begin typing.
  4. Open the summary you composed in your word-processing program and copy it to the Clipboard by clicking Ctrl+C (Windows) or Cmd+C (Mac).
  5. Return to your LinkedIn profile and paste your summary into the Summary text field by clicking Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac).
  6. Click the Save button.
image

FIGURE 10-1: Editing your summary.

Now that you know how to add your summary to LinkedIn, let’s look at how to draft your best possible summary to catch readers’ eyes and compel them to reach out to you.

Writing in First Person

You’ve probably seen LinkedIn summaries that start like this: “John Gates is a respected executive with an impressive track record of accomplishments … .” You know it’s his profile. Either he wrote it himself or he copied and pasted it from a bio. Reading it, it feels strange and oddly off-putting. The reason you may react this way is because the profile was written in a third-person narrative voice. In a third-person narration, a narrator tells a story about someone else. Pronouns such as “he,” “she,” “it,” or “they” are used to refer to the characters.

Because the LinkedIn profile clearly belongs to the person writing it, third person is inauthentic and disingenuous. As I mention in Chapter 1, LinkedIn is a social network, and its goal is for members to interact and forge strong relationships with their networks. By writing in third person, you create distance between you and your reader. Instead, be sociable and draw your reader in by writing in the first-person narrative form (“I”). Don’t be afraid to use “I.” Claim your story and tell it proudly in your voice.

warning With that said, I must warn you, don’t start every sentence with “I.” It’s a balance. Use “I,” but don’t overdo it. Check out the end of this chapter where I include examples of powerfully written LinkedIn summaries. All the summaries are written in first person, but none abuse “I.”

Avoiding Resume Speak

It’s hard to write about yourself. That’s why so many profiles on LinkedIn are simply copied and pasted from old resumes. The problem then becomes the original resume. Few people actually work with a professional resume writer to create a succinct and clear history of their professional accomplishments. Instead, the majority of resumes use generic, general descriptions that don’t spotlight accomplishments or tell an engaging professional history. Here’s an example:

Results-driven and goal orientated professional commanding over 10 years of progressive leadership success. Top-performing, dynamic manager delivering track record of consistent achievements. Recognized strengths include excellent interpersonal skills, strong client relationship building, and leadership in the effective implementation and use of technology. Exemplary commitment to company and personal success, exhibiting strong leadership, problem-solving, communication, and technical skills.

Reading that paragraph, do you have an idea what that person does on a day-to-day basis? Do you understand who this person is and what he or she loves to do? Do you have an idea of what industry this person works in, what type of job he or she has, or even what he or she is capable of accomplishing? Do you want to reach out to learn more? No!

That paragraph is a lot of gobbledygook words strung together simply taking up space. To create a powerful, compelling summary, stay away from resume speak. Write instead in a natural, conversational manner.

tip Read the paragraph out loud to judge whether it sounds natural or stilted. Ultimately, the goal is for readers to feel that you are speaking to them directly, telling them exactly what they need to know about you.

Even if your resume was professionally written, you still don’t want to copy and paste it into the Summary section. Resumes are for job search. If your goal isn’t job search, already your profile is portraying you in an inaccurate manner.

If you goal is job search, copying and pasting your resume still doesn’t work. Let’s say a hiring manager discovers your profile on LinkedIn after performing a search for the company’s ideal candidate. The hiring manager is impressed and reaches out to you to request your resume. What happens when that resume is a one-to-one copy of your profile? That hiring manager is going to be disappointed.

Here’s another scenario. Suppose you submitted your resume for a job listing, and the hiring manager decides to check you out on LinkedIn. Once again, the hiring manager wants to learn more about you, but he is getting the same information he already has in his possession. What a letdown! Here’s your chance to make an impression and seal the deal, but instead, by recycling content, an opportunity may be lost.

By creating a unique and high-level LinkedIn profile that extends your brand and delivers targeted content, each interaction with your target audience builds interest and confidence and propels the reader through to a successful conclusion.

Revisiting Your LinkedIn Goals and Target Audience

Before you begin writing your summary, it’s important to remember why you are on LinkedIn and who is your target audience. As I discuss in Chapter 1, a powerful LinkedIn profile is written toward your goal and target audience. It’s not what you want to say, but rather what your target audience needs to know. Your LinkedIn summary should connect to your audience and align with your objectives.

If you haven’t already, write down your LinkedIn goal(s) on a piece of paper:

  • I want to find a new job.
  • I want to find new prospects.
  • I want to enhance my reputation.

Next up, who is your target audience? Try to be as explicit as possible. Who are these people, what do they do, what are they looking to achieve, where are they located? For example:

  • Recruiters and hiring managers looking for a data architect with experience in online banking applications located in Fort Worth, Texas.
  • Small business owners in Illinois looking to save money on their credit card processing.
  • Event planning professionals interested in finding oil and gas experts to speak at industry conferences.

Keep this list in front of you as you begin to write your summary. Look at it and write to your goal and write to your target audience. Ask yourself, “What does my target audience need to know about me?” “What do I offer that will get my audience to take notice and feel good about me?” Use that sheet of paper to jot down ideas.

Catching Your Reader’s Attention

A strong LinkedIn summary needs to catch a reader’s attention immediately. LinkedIn collapses your summary; therefore, it’s important to use those first 40 or so words in an eye-catching way so your reader will want to click “See more” to expand the section. The best way to do this is to introduce yourself and summarize, in a sentence or two, what you do and how it affects your reader. This is known as an elevator pitch. The reason it is called an “elevator pitch” comes from the idea that you are in an elevator with a VIP and you have just the amount of time it takes to ride an elevator a few floors to succinctly and compellingly explain a product, service, person, group/organization/company, or project to gain this person’s interest and buy-in.

Let’s say you have just met a person and she asks, “What do you do for a living?”

You could answer, “I am a realtor.”

Or, you might provide an elevator pitch that would draw the other person in and may even get her interested in you: “As a realtor in the Greater Philadelphia area, I partner with families, helping them get their house ready to attract buyers so that they can sell at the best possible price. I work hard to understand their needs so I can quickly and easily find them their dream home.”

remember Your reader wants to know who you are and what you do, but more important, what that means to them.

An easy way to get started crafting your elevator pitch is to imagine you are explaining what you do for a living to a small child. Simplify what you do down to the core concepts. Do not use words such as contextualize, organic, synergize, or paradigm. And stay away from silly corporate jargon. Instead, concentrate on the results you offer and how what you do helps people and businesses.

Here’s an outline to use to create your elevator pitch:

  • My name is ________________________________________ and I help
  • individuals/businesses/_________________ create/discover/implement
  • ___________________ so they can achieve _____________________.

It may seem odd to state your name, but this introduction does two things. First, it gives your readers a sense that they are really talking to you. They immediately see the profile as coming straight from your pen and not from your boring resume.

Second, by stating your name, you are optimizing the profile for your name in LinkedIn search. Most people share their name with other people. By stating your name in your profile, you are providing more instances of your name than others with the same name. What this means is if a person is searching for your name, there’s a greater likelihood your profile will rank higher than others who share your name.

By including an elevator pitch in your LinkedIn summary, your readers will understand who you are and what’s in it for them, compelling them to continue reading the rest of your profile.

Creating Your Professional Manifesto

Once you have your introduction and elevator pitch, it’s time to tell your professional story. Your reader now has a general idea of who you are and what you do. Next you need to fill in the rest of the pieces. Think of the Summary section as your professional manifesto. Here are some questions to think about to help you create your manifesto:

  • Why do you do what you do?
  • What drew you to your current industry and position?
  • What are you most passionate about accomplishing?
  • What motivates you to succeed?
  • How do you view the future of your industry?
  • What’s up ahead and what must a company do to find success?
  • What makes you credible in your industry?
  • What have you accomplished that makes you proud and builds credence to your brand?
  • What is your career philosophy?
  • What quote or concept guides you through your career?

As you brainstorm ideas for your summary, think of author and speaker Simon Sinek’s quote:

People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it … . Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. By WHY I mean your purpose, cause or belief — WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care?

You could create a summary that simply states what you do and how you do it. The issue with that is it’s not compelling or interesting, nor does it portray you as someone who should command respect and notice. By diving deep and truly turning your summary into a professional manifesto, you are shaping your image into one that is high level, interesting, and attractive.

Explain your benefits

Your summary should explain your benefits. What strengths do you have? How do they help your reader? What does your reader want to know about you? What are they seeking? The answers to these questions determine what you should write.

Here are some benefit sentence starters:

  • One of my strengths is …
  • I gain immense satisfaction from …
  • I am equally comfortable setting up a … or …
  • My mission is to …
  • My passion is …

If you are looking for a specific job, find a job description for your desired position. Incorporate those skills and qualities the job demands into your summary. You can find job descriptions on the hiring page of a company’s website or on a job listing site. By targeting your profile toward that job description, you show that hiring manager or recruiter that you are the perfect person for the job.

warning Whatever you do, you don’t want to come across as desperate in your summary. That’s a surefire way of scaring off potential employers. How do you change desperation into motivation? Rather than talk about the job you need, tell your reader what you offer in strengths and quantifiable results that intersect with what that job requires. If you cast yourself as the perfect fit, you are ensuring the person sourcing for that job reaches out.

If your goal is sales and prospecting, your target audience is scanning your profile, thinking, “Can this person help me?” Tell your readers how they will benefit from working with you. Include a success story of a past client and what they were able to achieve by working with you. Make your value clear to your reader so that they feel confident in you and the solution you provide.

When your goal is reputation management, you may decide to talk about activities outside of your career’s day-to-day functions. You might mention your involvement in your community and your commitment to continuing your education. Your profile is your digital persona. Include the best parts of who you are and showcase them on your profile.

Highlight your top achievements

Although your job experiences contain career successes and achievements, your summary is the place to mention one to three career highlights. A career highlight isn’t a simple success, but rather an amazing accomplishment.

By including a few career highlights, you are providing quantifiable evidence of your abilities. You want your reader to come away with a feeling of confidence that you are who you say you are. But whatever you do, don’t provide too many career highlights. It’s important to leave some successes in your back pocket so there are things to discuss when a person reaches out to you directly. And, it is important not to get too detailed with the highlight — keep the description at a high level.

When you add a career highlight, ask yourself the question, “So what?” It’s important the highlight answers that question. It’s not enough that you set up a new department. You want to showcase the true impact: You set up a new department with 50 employees that immediately became profitable and brought the company an additional $25M in revenue.

tip If you want to really set off your career highlights, preface the highlight with a symbol. (Check out Chapter 7 where I show you how to add symbols to your profile.) A star, arrow, or check mark act as great eye catchers, ensuring your reader pays attention to your accomplishments.

Keep the summary focused on you

I often see LinkedIn profiles that only describe products, services, or a business. It’s a good idea to provide additional information for context, but remember, your profile is your own! People are reading it because they want to learn more about you. People do business with people. Your summary helps people see you as a real person. If your readers wanted to learn about your company, they would click to the company’s LinkedIn company page or website.

For some people, it’s scary to open up and talk about themselves. Realize that with your LinkedIn profile, you provide only the information you are comfortable providing. You never have to state anything that makes you uncomfortable. However, it is important to open up somewhat. Decide what you are comfortable sharing. Figure out what you want people to know about you. Once you know how you want to be perceived, create a summary that showcases that persona.

Create a clear call to action

A successful profile converts. That means the person reading the profile is compelled to do something other than click to another person’s profile. If you are a job seeker, this conversion might occur with the reader calling you to request your resume to talk about a potential job opportunity. If you are in sales, the person reading your profile may visit your website to learn more about the products or services you offer. If you are a reputation seeker, the reader could follow you on LinkedIn to read your future long-form blog posts.

To compel your readers to do something after looking at your profile, you must provide them with a clear call to action. If you don’t tell your readers what to do, often they just surf away.

What do you want your reader to do?

You have a number of options:

  • Visit my website.
  • Send me an email.
  • Call me.
  • Connect with me on LinkedIn.
  • Follow me on Twitter.
  • Download a whitepaper or marketing literature.
  • Listen to a podcast.
  • Watch a video.

remember Any information you include in your summary is visible to the world. By providing your email address or phone number, it is available to not just the people in your network, but also to people outside your network and non-LinkedIn users.

Unless you have grave privacy concerns, I suggest including a telephone number or email address. The VIPs of this world are direct people, and when they want to contact you, they want to do it immediately. If they can’t find your phone number, they may move on to the next person in their LinkedIn search results. You are on LinkedIn to network and find business opportunities. By trying to avoid the occasional telemarketer, you may also avoid real opportunity.

Once you have your contact method chosen, it’s time to conclude your summary. Here’s one example:

  • I am currently looking for that next position that allows me to grow revenue, develop strong client relationships, and affect positive change.
  • You can request my resume by contacting me either by phone 215-839-0008 or email[email protected].

Or:

  • I am on LinkedIn to forge strong professional relationships. Whether you know me directly or not, please feel free to send me a connection request.
  • Assisting other professionals and acting as a connector is a passion of mine. If I can help you, give me a call or Skype me.
  • Phone: 215-839-0008 / Skype: donna.serdula

Another way to craft this call to action is by tempting your audience with a carrot. Give your readers a reason to get in touch with you. Will you provide them with a free phone consultation? Do you have experience that you are open to sharing?

Here are some examples:

Call me today for a free phone consultation to see if your business can benefit from my services. Let’s put the proper solutions into action and together we’ll turn your goals into reality.

Or:

  • I’d love to share with you some of the insights I’ve gleaned from building and managing datacenters over the last 10 years.
  • Let’s talk! My number is: (215) 839-0008

Perhaps you really don’t want your reader to take any action. Some people are on LinkedIn to simply shape how people perceive them, and it’s not important for the reader to reach out. In this situation, gently end your summary in a positive way, leaving your reader feeling inspired and impressed.

Here are a few examples:

My success is my clients’ success. I gain enormous satisfaction helping my clients optimize their marketing efforts. Building successful campaigns and generating positive word of mouth is what keeps me striving forward in my career.

Or:

The bottom line is I help my clients save money and plan for a secure future.

Or:

My focus moving forward is to continue to improve processes and affect positive change within this amazing organization.

Formatting a Sleek LinkedIn Summary

Formatting? There’s no formatting allowed within a LinkedIn profile! That’s true, but there are still things you can do to make sure your Summary section is easy to read and attractive to the eye.

For example, space between paragraphs means white space, which makes content look less dense and easier to read. To create an extra line of space between paragraphs in your summary, press the Enter or Return key on your keyboard twice after the end of every paragraph.

You can also use symbols to spice up your text. (I show you how to copy and paste symbols in Chapter 7.) Symbols can be used to create horizontal lines to divide your content. Stars, circles, or check marks can be used as bullets to show off your accomplishments. Check out Figure 10-2 to see how I used symbols to create what appears to be an underline and bullets to draw attention to my call to action.

image

FIGURE 10-2: Use symbols to dress up your profile.

tip A few, well-chosen symbols are a great way to amp up your content, but remember: overdoing symbols can take a great summary and make it look amateurish and tacky.

Examples of Compelling and Engaging Summaries

Here are examples of compelling and engaging summaries that you can use to help you create your own.

Product management

  • My name is Jana Gates and I am a powerhouse in product management. Using my expertise in retail marketing of technology products and my ability to work within the structure of technology companies, I have developed successful programs leading to robust sales of profitable products, and have increased market shares in very competitive markets.
  • Among other career accomplishments, I am proud to have spearheaded product launches that have paid off for my employers. Being considered a trusted advisor and functional expert in my area of specialization, gives me great satisfaction.
  • I firmly believe that for today’s technology companies to continue to be successful, they must rely on someone like myself who understands the changing dynamics of retail product management, marketing and sales, along with the impact of new technologies.
  • With the advent of new shopping paradigms such as participatory shopping and new mobile shopping options, it’s more important than ever before to drive innovation. My goal is to help shape strategy, achieve higher customer retention and deliver profitability that increases year after year.
  • As a team leader, I feel it’s important to unleash the potential of those working with me and to share my passion for success with them. With our combined energy we can develop better products that respond to and exceed consumer needs.
  • I am on LinkedIn to meet others who share my commitment to doing great work and to share best practices. Please reach out and let’s connect!

Leadership

  • My name is John Gates and I have never faced a challenge in my work life that I couldn’t surmount. I have built a track record over a 10-year career of delivering outstanding results and operational efficiency.
  • In my current position as VP of Operations for Widgets, Inc., a leading national manufacturer, I’ve assembled an organization that sets new standards in efficiency and delivers excellent production quality.
  • I believe that as a leader, the most important success factor is cultivating excellence in people. The employees you hire and train are capable of great things. It’s up to the leader to unleash their capabilities in support of the company mission. It’s important that they understand business goals and how they can play a part in achieving them.
  • To that end I work closely with team members and have developed a number of training programs focused on career learning. These programs have received national awards for integrating training execution, results measurement and personal recognition in a way that yields a learning culture. My initiatives were named 2015’s Top Training Program by Training Magazine.
  • My areas of expertise include:
  • * Employee engagement and culture building
  • * Operational effectiveness and Six Sigma
  • * Change management
  • * Leadership development and organizational growth
  • I am always looking out for new opportunities that utilize these skills. To explore how my areas of expertise might benefit your organization, please connect with me via LinkedIn.

Retail

  • My name is Johan Gates and I manage store operations and am a retail leader for Widget Style, a leading U.S. fashion retailer. It is my responsibility to set clear goals and objectives for a team of over 10 associates so that everyone works together to achieve the highest level of customer service.
  • Every associate at Widget Style is the face of the company to our customers. I pride myself on the training and development opportunities I provide for our team members so that they can fulfill this responsibility. In addition, a key part of my role as retail leader is to inspire the team, maintaining morale and productivity so that they deliver value and service while driving store revenues.
  • During a career of seven years in retail management, I have developed strengths not only in team building but in leading business operations and building relationships with key influencers. As a result of my solid track record, I’ve been promoted to positions of increasing responsibility. Today, I am proud to run the flagship store of the company’s regional operations.
  • As a leader of a significant enterprise in our area, fostering community relationships is an important part of my job and I am passionate about supporting the community. In addition, I am on the Board of the Bucks County Orchestra, and have worked with charitable foundations in our area to raise money for worthwhile causes.
  • I feel that the lessons I have learned in working my way up a retail enterprise can offer valuable insights to others. Please connect with me via LinkedIn and we can share our ideas for creating exceptional customer experiences.

Accounting

  • My name is Jackie Gates and I am a partner with Thompson, Gates, and Thompson, the leading certified public accounting (CPA) firm in the Dallas, Texas area. We have been in business for 15 years and are the firm of choice for many in our area because of our wealth of experience regarding accounting issues.
  • As individual and business tax reporting and filing requirements have become increasingly complex, clients know we deliver the highest quality results. They rely on us as strategic partners and reliable advisors. I have been a partner since 2011 and in my tenure have gained expertise in many areas of the tax code, which benefits our clients.
  • As it relates to the selection of a CPA partner, I would suggest asking the following questions before making a decision:
  • * How confident are you in managing today’s complex tax returns yourself?
  • * As a business owner, how important is it to you to have confidence in the company managing your firm’s tax returns?
  • * How important is it to you to receive personalized service?
  • Personalized service is a hallmark of our firm. We assist clients in navigating the complex tax code environment. Long-term clients often express their appreciation for our service. My own priority is to be personally responsible to our clients, understanding their unique situations and making sure each one has the needed services so services are customized to their needs.
  • To learn more about our services, which include tax preparation, cash flow management, estate planning and preparation of financial statements, among others, please contact me at TGTCPA.com or by phone at 215-839-0008.

Student

  • My name is Jack Gates. As a recent graduate of Widget University, I am seeking opportunities to apply the wide-ranging skill set I have gained through rigorous academics and multiple internships. My goal is to obtain an entry-level marketing position with a mid-to-large consumer brand company based in New York City.
  • * Internships Yield Valuable Experiences
  • While completing my education, I gained real-world experience via multiple internships. These hands-on internships taught me how various departments and functions really work. While successfully carrying out assigned projects in support of company goals I learned accountability. Through internships I expanded my experience, learned new industries and gained invaluable insights from my mentors that I can apply on behalf of a future employer.
  • * Rigorous Academics Prepare for Meeting Tough Challenges
  • In the academic world, competition is fierce, and so provides a model for business success. Through university training I have developed critical thinking skills and the ability to prioritize. My degree in Business Administration gave me a strong foundation, and team-based projects taught me that through collaboration, winning outcomes can be achieved for all.
  • * Contributing in Today’s Business World
  • Self-motivated and self-directed, I am eager to embark on a career where future employers can count on me to deliver my best efforts for the good of their organization.
  • To discuss how my experiences may be a perfect fit for your company, please connect with me via LinkedIn or contact me directly [email protected].

In the next chapter, I show you how to round out your profile with additional sections like Honors and Awards, Organizations, and more. I’ll meet you there!

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