Job seeker using LinkedIn for job search

How to Write a LinkedIn Summary: 10 Examples and Expert Tips

LinkedIn is one of the top social media channels for job seekers. From rekindling old connections to making new ones, LinkedIn is a place for professionals to network and be seen. And because recruiters are often on LinkedIn, it’s important to have your LinkedIn profile fully optimized to ensure a successful job search.

While you may think the work experience section of your LinkedIn profile can do all the talking for you, it doesn’t. With top billing on your profile, your LinkedIn summary is the place recruiters will focus on first when considering you for a role and determining whether or not to reach out to you.

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Why You Should Write a LinkedIn Profile Summary

Think of your LinkedIn summary as your introduction. It’s likely the first thing recruiters look at when they visit your profile. In addition to summarizing your career highlights and making a positive first impression, there are other reasons to fill out your LinkedIn summary.

1. Gain Visibility

Even when you’re not actively job hunting, a job may be looking for you. Recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates to fill their open positions by searching candidate profiles (like yours) using various search methods.

The thing is, complete profiles are more likely to appear in LinkedIn search results. If you skip the summary section, LinkedIn considers your profile incomplete, making it less likely that you’ll show up in a recruiter’s search results.

2. Connects the Dots

In some ways, your LinkedIn profile summary tells the story of who you are and why you do what you do. Providing specific examples of your achievements can help employers understand how and why you’re good at your job. However, not everyone’s career is a straight climb up the ladder. Some people have held a variety of jobs in different fields at different levels, and your LinkedIn summary can help you tie them together.

For example, if you’re a career changer, you need to show that you’ve got skills that are applicable to other fields. Your LinkedIn summary is the perfect place to highlight your transferable skills long before the recruiter gets to your work history. This helps them understand that even though you don’t have the “traditional” job history for a given job, you do have the right skills.

3. Distinguish Yourself

Your LinkedIn summary provides an opportunity to define your career journey and career goals in your own words and differentiate yourself from other job seekers, especially those with similar career trajectories and skills.

With no limits outside of space for 2,600 characters, writing your LinkedIn summary is your chance to make yourself stand out for the professional attributes and career accomplishments that you want to highlight.

How to Write a Strong LinkedIn Summary

There are plenty of ways to write an outstanding and unique professional summary. However, creating a summary for your resume is different than creating a profile summary for LinkedIn. And there’s more to writing than selecting the right words. When you create your LinkedIn summary, you want to think about formatting too. Consider the following best practices as well as formatting tips specific to LinkedIn.

1. Don’t Reuse Your Resume Statement

In some respects, creating a LinkedIn summary is similar to creating a resume summary. You use action verbs to help recruiters understand your skills (results-oriented and strategic marketer, for example) and incorporate job-specific keywords. However, there are some key differences between your LinkedIn summary and your resume summary. And those differences are why you don’t want to recycle your resume summary as your LinkedIn summary (and vice versa).

First, your resume summary should be unique and tailored to the job you’re applying for. Every time you apply for a new job, include specific keywords from the job description in your resume summary (and work history). Of course, rewriting your LinkedIn summary every time you apply for a job would make it impossible to include job-specific keywords on your LinkedIn profile. As such, you can include industry-specific keywords to help recruiters find you when they search for candidates.

Secondly, the length of the two summary statements can (and should) differ. On a resume, space is at a premium. Therefore, your resume summary should be no longer than four well-crafted sentences that summarize your top skills. But on LinkedIn, your summary statement can be longer—up to 2,600 characters. And while your LinkedIn summary should also be brief, it doesn’t need to be nearly as brief as your resume summary. So, take advantage of the extra space and use it to paint a compelling portrait of yourself as a candidate.

2. Create a Unique Brand Statement

While you’re provided with space for several paragraphs for your profile summary, LinkedIn will only show the first 300 or so characters. Because those 300 characters are approximately four sentences, you need to create an enticing brand statement to grab recruiters’ attention and entice them to click the “see more” link.

Think of these four sentences as your elevator pitch. You want to hook the reader and persuade them to learn more about you. Start with the skills and achievements you most want recruiters to notice. Then, if you aren’t sure where to go next, highlight attributes that are unique to you and help explain why you are so good at your job.

3. Add Keywords

Keywords are an essential part of any LinkedIn summary. The key is to use keywords selectively and correctly for greater impact because recruiters can search for candidates by filtering for keywords. Assuming your profile is complete and contains the searched keyword, your profile will appear in the results. However, you can’t randomly add keywords you think recruiters are searching for.

Because you can’t customize your LinkedIn profile for every job you apply to, you need to optimize your LinkedIn profile for your industry. This means selecting commonly used keywords that your industry prefers. Check out job postings and see what keywords are used most often. Then, find ways to incorporate those keywords into your summary statement.

While it’s important to get the right keywords in your summary, don’t overthink it. On the one hand, the right keywords will help you appear in recruiter searches (which is why you use them). On the other hand, sometimes two similar but different keywords are industry favorites (like “client” vs “customer”). Don’t overthink this. Choose one and be consistent. The rest of the keywords on your summary will help you appear in search results.

4. Avoid Vague Phrases

Recruiters are looking for specifics on your LinkedIn summary, not fluff. Avoid using mundane or popular but overused phrases. These could include “team player,” “great communicator,” or “established expert.” Recruiters aren’t looking for generalizations but hoping to understand how you are a team player and what makes you an expert.

Say you’ve given presentations at industry conferences. You can highlight those presentations by adding a video of the presentation, a link to the transcript, or the presentation materials you’ve created. You could also add a picture of yourself presenting at one of these conferences as your banner picture.

Also, avoid using slang of any kind. For example, don’t say that you’re an “out of the box” thinker. That’s “industry slang” and doesn’t mean anything (unless you’ve got phenomenal examples to back that up). Instead, try using words that summarize your thinking ability, such as, “I’m an innovative and collaborative problem-solver who searches for creative solutions to client dilemmas.”

5. Talk About What Excites You

Employers want to hire people who are passionate and excited about what they do, not someone who’s only mildly interested in their job or career. That doesn’t mean you have to be the kind of person who bounds into work every morning, but it does mean you have to demonstrate a deep interest in what you do.

Your LinkedIn summary is a great place to explain why you do what you do and why you keep doing it. Use the space to talk about what excites you about your career and what keeps you interested in it. Do you like solving challenging problems? Helping customers find the right product? Whatever it is, use the summary to tell a compelling story.

6. Use First Person

Consider writing your profile in the first person. This can help your writing sound more natural and realistic.

Think of it like this: when you meet someone at a party, and you’re talking about yourself, you don’t do it in the third person. Do you say, “Jane did this, and Jane did that”? Or, do you say, “I do this, and I do that”? Treat your LinkedIn profile like you’re speaking to someone you just met, and your writing will sound more natural and more like you.

7. Add Rich Media

Not everyone is a wordsmith. While you’ll need a keyword-rich and well-written summary, consider adding rich media to fill in the gap. You don’t need a professionally produced video of you at work—you could simply incorporate an image or link to an article about you and your accomplishments.

Adding samples of your work to your summary helps you demonstrate your skills and abilities without having to describe them. Not only does this make things easier on you, but it gives the recruiter proof that you’ve got the skills they’re looking for.

8. Use White Space

A big part of a recruiter’s job is reading resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles repeatedly. Even with perfect vision, staring at words all day starts to hurt the eyes and the head. To make things easier on the recruiter, use a lot of white space in your summary statement.

White space simply means breaking up large portions of your text into smaller portions. This makes it easier for recruiters to read and remember your summary. For example, if you’ve got a six-sentence long paragraph, consider breaking it up into two three-sentence paragraphs. Shorter paragraphs are easier to read and comprehend.

9. Incorporate Bullet Points

Bullet points can help with formatting, but you should be aware of some of the pros and cons of using them.

On the pro side, some people feel bullet points are:

  • More user-friendly than long summaries with multiple paragraphs
  • Help the points stand out and be remembered
  • Help break down complex ideas and make the material easier to understand

See how that works?

However, bullet points make it harder to tell a story about yourself. Bullet points are just that: points. In some respects, bullet points are not different than a list of accomplishments. If you’re trying to tell a cohesive story about your career, you may not be able to do that with bullet points.

LinkedIn Summary Template

Unlike resumes, which typically come in a few formats, there is no single LinkedIn summary template. That said, we’ve created a template sample to help you understand how to write a LinkedIn summary of your own. Keep in mind that this template is only an example that can and should be adjusted according to your needs and preferences.

As a seasoned [job title] with [X] years of experience and a passion for [specific aspect of your industry/field], I have devoted my career to achieving excellence in [relevant area]. With a background in [key skill or field], I have successfully [notable achievement or responsibility], demonstrating my ability to [related skill or outcome].

Other notable achievements in my career include:

    • [Notable achievement example]
    • [Notable achievement example]
    • [Notable achievement example]

I specialize in [skill or job function] for [type of client/company], and I have experience with [specific tools]. With my ability to [industry-relevant skill(s)], I succeed in [related skill or outcome].

As you can see, this template utilizes many of the attributes of a strong LinkedIn summary, such as first-person pronouns, bullet points and white space for easier readability, keywords, and what the job seeker is passionate about.

LinkedIn Summary Examples

To help you envision your own winning LinkedIn summary, we’ve created 10 LinkedIn summary examples for you to explore. While there is some overlap between summaries in terms of incorporating the best practices we’ve highlighted above, such as highlighting skills and utilizing bullet points, each LinkedIn summary example is unique in its angle to catch the attention of clients and/or recruiters.

1. Accomplishments LinkedIn Summary

I thrive on helping busy entrepreneurs manage their day-to-day administrative functions so they can focus on growth. I have enjoyed several virtual assistant positions in my career and am adept at helping tech startups overcome challenges related to basic accounting and bookkeeping, marketing, and travel planning.

I can manage invoices and expenses, increasing accuracy in financial documentation and recordkeeping:

    • Managed accounts receivable (AR), boosting AR turnover ratio to 7.8
    • Secured a new vendor for payment processing, reducing direct costs by 14%

I can arrange travel for up to 100 people, effectively controlling costs and strengthening client relationships:

    • Negotiated a discounted lodging rate for a networking conference, saving 15% in annual travel budgeting
    • Arranged a tour bus for group travel for a client event, reducing group travel costs by 26%

I can design graphics for social media platforms, ensuring visually appealing engagement with target audiences:

    • Designed Facebook polls that boosted engagement metrics by 17% in Q4 of 2023
    • Created custom visuals for Instagram, growing social media traffic by 13% in Q2 of 2023

Technical Skills: Adobe Illustrator, Concur Travel, Jira, Slack, QuickBooks

2. Career Change LinkedIn Summary

Accomplished educator looking for a new path in curriculum development.

With more than a decade of teaching experience, I’m well-versed in the public education system and know how to create syllabi catering to common core learning objectives in mathematics.

Leveraging the communication, instructional design, and project management skills I gained in my teaching career, I want to find a new opportunity to create instructional math systems for middle school students. I’ve recognized middle school as a pivotal time for students, during which their ability to comprehend math is crucial to their future success. I am dedicated to creating curricula to help students in this age group better grasp middle school math to prepare for successful high school careers.

I have also built strong critical thinking, organization, and computer skills in my career and know how to use digital media and technology to formulate lesson plans, study guides, and other deliverables. I excel at communicating complex ideas in easy-to-understand concepts, and I have held review sessions, issued practice exams, and taught test-taking skills, resulting in an increase of 20% in the average student test score. 

I am keen to transition from teaching to curriculum development and use my knowledge and experience to evaluate existing programs and develop new programs that better prepare future generations of students to succeed in math courses at the middle school level.

3. Entry-Level LinkedIn Summary

Hi there! I’m Paula, and I’m a Sudoku aficionado looking for an entry-level role in the finance industry.

I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in business administration and economics. While at Penn (go Quakers!), I grew my passion for economics through courses on behavioral economics, macroeconomics, and political economy. It was during my undergraduate career that I formed an interest in the connection between economics, financial planning, and money management.

I am excited to start my career in the finance industry and looking for a role that will allow me to use my knowledge of analytical tools and financial literacy to help others better spend, save, and invest their money, as well as manage their credit and overall financial risk.

I love connecting with new people, so feel free to connect with me here on LinkedIn or directly at Paula.Duncan@emailaddress[dot]com!

4. Mission-Based LinkedIn Summary

“Don’t celebrate closing a sale. Celebrate opening a relationship.”

That wisdom forever changed the way I approach my work as a tech sales professional. Now, it is my mission to cultivate strong customer relationships that significantly enhance revenue for tech companies.

My sales career started at 19 when I was hired as a part-time retail sales associate at Best Buy. I spent two years in this role, and my focus on connecting with customers led to my promotion to full-time retail experience manager. After four wonderful years in a management role, I was eager to return to what I loved—working with customers and making sales—so I pursued a new opportunity with Big Tech Corporation. 

In my current role as a sales executive with Big Tech, I drive revenue growth by selling personal computing devices and maintaining strong relationships with customers and stakeholders. My sales specialties include smartphones, tablets, laptops, and related computing devices.

Career Highlights:

    • Grossed over $100K in tech product sales in 2023
    • Honored with an Exceptional Salesmanship Award in 2022
    • Generated new sales leads and established new accounts, growing sales by 23% in four months
    • Developed and executed successful sales strategies, boosting sales by 18% in two months
    • Brokered deals with affiliates, securing partnerships that bolstered growth by 29% in 2021

5. Passion LinkedIn Summary

My love for filmmaking began when my dad took me to see The Matrix when I was 12. Mesmerized by the special effects in the movie, I’ve been fascinated by visual effects and computer-generated imagery (CGI) ever since.

Over the next several years, I committed myself to learning everything I could about cinematography and creating visual effects using programs like Adobe After Effects, Houdini, and Cinema 4D. After graduating from high school, I got my first on-set gig as a production assistant for a Hallmark movie. There I absorbed as much as I could about the filmmaking process while continuing to pursue self-taught courses online. I later found a role with a rental house that served independent filmmakers and learned all I could about camera equipment. Leveraging that experience, I landed my first role as a camera operator for a limited YouTube series.

While working on the YouTube series, my passion for visual effects evolved into a passion for videography. I love examining and learning about different camera components, and I’m excited to connect with filmmakers who are looking for a professional camera operator to bring their screenplays to life.

If you’re seeking a camera operator, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me here on LinkedIn! I’m also happy to connect with aspiring filmmakers who are curious about my professional journey thus far.

6. Personality Type LinkedIn Summary

As an ENFJ personality type and well-being evangelist, I love working with and helping people.

A perceptive, empathetic human resources professional, I have over 15 years of experience in implementing HR initiatives and achieving corporate excellence. With high emotional intelligence and practiced communication skills, I have successfully recruited and onboarded more than 100 professionals in wide-ranging departments. I am devoted to aligning unique employee needs with departmental and company missions, and I am also committed to ensuring a happy, successful work environment for all employees through employee wellness programs, organizational development, and people analytics.

When I’m not working with people, I enjoy reading nonfiction about world issues and learning languages. I am proficient in Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL).

Key Skills:

    • Active listening
    • Advising and coaching
    • Conflict resolution
    • Cultural awareness and sensitivity
    • Decision-making
    • Employee relations
    • HR strategy creation and execution
    • Interpersonal communication
    • Talent recruitment and selection
    • Training and development

7. Recent Grad LinkedIn Summary

As a recent cum laude graduate of Evergreen State College’s creative writing program, I’m seeking a writing role in the digital media industry.

While at Evergreen, I developed a love for community outreach and finding different ways to communicate ideas. Some of my favorite courses included Creative Writing: Text & Image, where I learned how to apply text and images to poetic and narrative works, and Transformative Writing, where I learned how to write with purpose. It was in these courses that I honed my conversational, sensory, and storytelling writing abilities, among others.

During my college career, I also got heavily involved in the Justice Involved Student Group, which creates equitable campus communities in Washington. I spent two years as the group’s social media coordinator, developing digital marketing campaigns to engage our local community and attract public interest in our programs. I was inspired by the advocacy work done by the organization—particularly amplifying the voices BIPOC college students—and my role in expanding our media presence to increase our outreach efforts.

I’m excited to launch my career with an organization that shares my commitment to uplifting the voices and stories of BIPOC and underrepresented communities through digital media.

8. Story LinkedIn Summary

When I was eight, I found an abandoned kitten in the woods behind my house. Desperate to rescue it from the harsh winter weather, I found a box to safely transport it to a warmer, safer environment. I begged my mom to let me keep her, and she became a beloved family pet. That’s where my love for animals began.

As a veterinarian, I’ve carried that memory with me throughout my career, never forgetting the fear in the kitten’s eyes and how my care and attention led to its rescue and a new life full of love. In my spare time, I’ve since connected over 200 cats and dogs with safe homes and continue to be a passionate advocate of animal welfare.

For 10 years, I have practiced veterinary medicine for a private animal hospital and devoted my energy, knowledge, and skills to caring for sick and injured animals. On weekends, I volunteer at a local animal shelter, providing support during adoption events and assisting with animal socialization and enrichment.

As a result of my compassion, dedication to animal well-being, and communication and problem-solving skills, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) honored me with an Excellence Award in 2023. My local animal shelter has also recognized me three times as Volunteer of the Year.

In reflecting on my career, I’ve realized that I am most fulfilled by nonprofit work. I am looking for an opportunity to join a nonprofit veterinary clinic so I can provide veterinary care to pet owners with low/no income and ensure the health and well-being of their pets.

9. Student LinkedIn Summary

As a third-year data science major passionate about healthcare reform, I’m actively seeking an internship with an organization that shares my passion for leveraging data to improve healthcare for everyone.

In my college career thus far, I have developed computing, data visualization, and critical thinking skills that have helped me hone my ability to compile, measure, and analyze data to solve problems.

In my previous internship with HealthCorps, I assisted with health education programs catering to individuals with emotional, physical, and social challenges, including:

    • Distributing information on HealthCorps programming via social media
    • Leading health education workshops for local teenagers
    • Researching and compiling regional health data to refine program efficiency 
    • Working with community wellness leaders to deliver on-site school programming

I’m eager to continue my education by obtaining an internship with a patient-centered healthcare organization that shares my commitment to using data to develop and improve progressive healthcare policies.

10. Target Audience LinkedIn Summary

I love nothing more than helping women-led small businesses realize their marketing goals.

As a freelance marketing consultant, I am dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs achieve the growth they’ve only ever dreamt of—until now.

Backed by two decades of experience as a marketing executive for a large media conglomerate, where I specialized in campaign management for B2C brands, I have devoted the last six years of my career to helping women grow their small business revenues through content, email, and social media marketing.

I am particularly passionate about working with small businesses that give back to their local communities through sponsorships, donation drives, fundraising events, and support for local nonprofits.

I have extensive experience with market research, digital advertising, and customer engagement, which I’ve utilized to help my freelance clients build customer loyalty and achieve long-term sales growth.

Core competencies: Branding and positioning, business development, content management, copywriting, customer relationship management, and problem-solving.

If you’re a female entrepreneur interested in learning more about how my marketing strategies can help you grow your small business, connect with me on LinkedIn!

Using Your LinkedIn Summary to Grab Attention

Telling a compelling story about your professional self in less than 300 words isn’t easy, but if you frame your LinkedIn summary as a story about who you are, why you love what you do, and how you are good at what you do, you may have an easier time telling recruiters why they should hire you.

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