Should I write my LinkedIn in first person or third person? [LinkedIn Series]

We recommend writing your LinkedIn summary in the first person, as it's more personal

Your LinkedIn profile's about section is one of the first things visitors see when they land on your homepage, so you want to make sure it leaves a positive impression.

Clients often ask us whether their LinkedIn summary should be written in the first person or third person.

Because LinkedIn is a professional social network, we recommend writing your about section in the first person (and always including a photo).

Simply put, first-person writing comes off as more personal and authentic.

Writing about yourself in the third person can be awkward.

By eliminating that barrier and writing about yourself in a way that you would naturally speak, you'll be able to build a stronger rapport with your connections.

As a result, your profile visitors will be more receptive to what you are saying and be more likely to engage with you.

As you make your decision, consider the tone of the following LinkedIn summaries written in the first person and contrast them with profiles you have seen written in the third person.

• Which LinkedIn summaries seem more personal?
• Which individuals would you feel most comfortable reaching out to?

When it comes to length, how much information you choose to include in your LinkedIn summary is up to you.

Depending on your goals, your summary can be very brief or quite comprehensive.

Neil Patel, for example, is an entrepreneur who is looking to grow his brand and drive traffic to his website. As a result, his summary doubles as a sales pitch, so to speak.

Satya Nadella’s about section, on the other hand, is a one-line mission statement. His job title tells most visitors all they need to know.

Andi Pimentel does a fine job weaving her personality traits into her description, providing a stark contrast to Kevin O'Leary's summary that follows.

Note that her profile headline, on the other hand, is simple and straightforward.

Kevin O’Leary’s profile, written in the third person, reads as a standard professional biography.

Though it may come off a bit more distant, there's nothing wrong with using a professional biography as your LinkedIn summary if you already have one ready to go - especially if you are working in a more conservative field.

However, if you're just getting started, we recommend keeping it personal and writing in the first person.

To learn more about LinkedIn best practices, check out our LinkedIn Series here! You'll find links to a variety of brief, punchy articles that will help you get the most out of the platform.

If you need help writing and optimising your LinkedIn profile, email us at team@cvpilots.co.uk or call us on +44 (0)207 043 2684 to learn how we can help.

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