Blog

Your professional bio is an important calling card both online and in print. It both establishes your credibility and forges a personal connection. The ideal professional bio will both inspire people to trust you and make them want to get to know you.

Of course, that’s a tall order—especially with limited space. It’s not easy to write about ourselves, and many people, even professional writers, find their own bios very difficult to write.

It’s easier to write a professional bio when you can break it down into its component parts—and when you understand how to structure it in an effective way. The following structure will be effective for bios of any length.

First, introduce yourself.

Start with your name, job title, and the company you work for. Include other relevant details if they will be immediately relevant to your audience, such as the types of insurance you specialize in and your location and area of practice.

Give a sense of your history.

How did you get into the work you’re doing now? How many years of experience do you have? Do you have an interesting background that informs your current expertise?

Give your readers some sense of your history and background, as it connects to what you do now. It can be more detailed—if you’re writing a longer bio—or just a few sentences if you need to keep it short.

Tell us your mission and purpose.

After you’ve established your professional history, tie it in with a larger sense of purpose.

What do you find most meaningful about your work? If you changed professions, what drew you to the change? What attracted you to the type of insurance you focus on now, and what do you appreciate about its challenges?

Toot your own horn.

Here’s the part where you bring your achievements into it. This can be the most challenging part for many people to write, as it can feel like bragging. But your accomplishments are a powerful sales tool that can help you build credibility.

If you have a lot of achievements, narrow them down. Focus on your most impressive, most recent, or most relevant to the audience you’re talking to.

Make it personal.

Here’s where you can add a few personal details to forge a personal connection. Mention your passions outside of work—hobbies you love, causes you’re dedicated to, fun things about your family, or something unexpected about you.

Writing a strong professional bio can be a challenge, but structure can make all the difference. Weave in personal and professional details, combined with a sense of passion and a look at your achievements, to both build credibility and connect beyond the professional. If you can do that, your bio will be a highly effective part of your marketing materials.