Linkedin Summary Examples: How to Write a Linkedin Summary

When recruiters are looking at a LinkedIn profile, one of the first areas they read is the LinkedIn summary, which is why we’ve compiled LinkedIn summary examples to help you to stand out from the rest. The LinkedIn summary is key real estate. It doesn’t matter if you’re using LinkedIn to find a job, network, or market your business, it’s equally as important all around. Whether you’re looking for inspiration to fix your LinkedIn summary or starting from scratch, this article includes LinkedIn summary examples to help you craft a LinkedIn summary that will get noticed.

1. The best LinkedIn profiles get noticed
2. Why a good LinkedIn summary matters
3. How to write a LinkedIn summary?
4. LinkedIn summary template
5. LinkedIn summary examples
6. LinkedIn profile tips

The best LinkedIn profiles get noticed

It can be overwhelming to think about the millions of users on LinkedIn all fighting to get noticed. But, when it comes down to it, it’s actually not that hard to get noticed. If you are using LinkedIn as a job search, there are ways to optimize your profile to be the best it can be. The first step you can take is to optimize your profile. The great news is that LinkedIn will walk you through each step, and will continuously remind you to update or include certain areas of your profile. One of the most important areas of any LinkedIn profile is the summary—think of the LinkedIn summary as your first impression. You want it to be full of charisma, information, and enough personality for the recruiter to want to keep reading.

Why a good LinkedIn summary matters

Writing a good LinkedIn profile summary is one of the main ways to set yourself apart from the billions of other LinkedIn users. While the LinkedIn headline is 120 characters, there are 2,000 characters in the LinkedIn profile summary. This gives you around 400-500 words to make your LinkedIn profile come to life by adding personality, telling your career story and including a call to action from readers. In no more than one paragraph, your LinkedIn summary should convincingly show readers why they should keep scrolling.

The profile summary is your chance to say hello

This is the part of your LinkedIn profile where you can address the reader directly. It is here when you can share multiple interests and sides to yourself, ranging from professional to personal, depending on your objective.

The summary is first impression

Like mentioned above, the LinkedIn profile summary is one of the first things people will see when they visit your profile. The summary is “above the fold” on desktop and mobile, so people visiting your page will see it without scrolling down. Viewers will be able to see the first 300 words before clicking “Show more”, so it’s important to start strong.

Having a great LinkedIn summary helps for search results

When recruiters search for candidates on LinkedIn, summary content has a role in the results that are shown. While your LinkedIn summary does not weigh as heavily as your headline or titles in your experience section does, it can help strengthen your search. When writing your profile summary, think in keywords that a recruiter may type into a search bar. Hard skills, job titles, industry keywords are all great places to start.

Writing a summary shows initiative

You would be surprised at how many LinkedIn users ignore the profile summary all together. Leaving your summary blank is a missed opportunity on many levels. Even if you upload a great headshot, a customized headline and detailed work experience, readers will question why there is no profile summary.

How to write a LinkedIn summary?

So, now that you understand why a great LinkedIn summary matters, it’s time to figure out how to write a good LinkedIn summary. Think of your LinkedIn summary as the objective on your resume. In a short paragraph, a great LinkedIn summary gives the reader a clear understanding of who you are, what makes you different, and what you are looking for. The main difference between a resume objective and your LinkedIn summary is that your LinkedIn profile can be seen at any time, whereas your resume is only sent in when applying for a job. Everyone’s objective on LinkedIn is different which is why there isn’t one single LinkedIn summary template to use. Here are some broad examples of how you may want to position your LinkedIn summary, depending on your objective:

• If you are looking for a job and starting your search on LinkedIn, your summary should be your digital elevator pitch. It should speak to your skills, experience, and professional interest.
• If you are a recruiter using LinkedIn to recruit for job openings, your LinkedIn summary should show that there are openings, what type of work it is, and why a candidate would want to join your company.
• If you are a freelancer hoping to find more contract work on LinkedIn, your summary should explain what type of work you do, where you have worked before, and how to get into contact with you.
• If you are a salesperson looking to connect with potential prospects, your LinkedIn summary should talk about your industry expertise and your interest in helping people reach their goals.

Now, let’s get the LinkedIn profile summary writing started.

To begin, we’ll walk you through what to put in your LinkedIn summary. First, open up with something about your career. This is the perfect place to add context to your career goals, accomplishments, and what makes you great. Since readers can only see the first 300 characters, it’s important to start off strong here. If you are a creative writer, you should start your summary of with a hook that invites readers to keep reading

Next, leave hints as to what you are interested in. You can use your summary to share your interest in a specific discipline in your field, or how you desire to work with companies that make an impact on a certain community. Placing these ideas and goals in your summary will add personality and fill in the blanks of your career history.

After that, you can pepper in some professional accomplishments. While recruiters can look and see your work experience as a whole, this is a great place to collect and share accomplishments.

If you’re still stuck on what to put in your LinkedIn summary, ask yourself the following questions as you craft your LinkedIn profile summary.

• What career field am I passionate about?
• What sets you apart from everyone else?
• What helps you achieve results?
• Why do you love your work?
• What do I see myself doing professionally?
• What are my guiding principles?
• What are my goals and ambitions?
• Are there any specific pieces of wisdom I took away from my last job?
• Is there anything unique I have brought into my current industry from past life experiences?

LinkedIn summary template

Below is a basic and average template you can use to customize with your own words for an effective LinkedIn summary. Be sure to add personal details to make it memorable and eye-catching for readers:

I’m a seasoned [Career] with [#] years’ experience [What you do] in the [Name of industry].

I’m passionate about [What results you achieve] for [Companies, partners, or clients], and I’ve spent the last [#] years helping growing [Company’s] [KPI] by [% growth] through dedicated efforts [Skill], [Another Skill], and [Skill]. I’ve been [Published, recognized, or awarded] by [Outlet or organization] for my [Research, work, achievements].

I’m currently seeking [Opportunities you’re pursuing on LinkedIn], so if you’d like to work together, contact me by [Method of contact].

LinkedIn summary examples

Below, we have compiled LinkedIn summary examples for job seekers, recruiters, and those are looking to expand their network. Great LinkedIn summaries are ones that are specific and have a clear objective. They leave the reader interested and wanting to press the “See more” button.

The personality summary – Ideal for Networkers and the less experienced

If you are looking to start off strong and hook readers in the first 300 words, write a personality type summary. This type of LinkedIn profile summary begins with a story that demonstrates one to two personality traits. If you are using LinkedIn to meet new people rather than secure a job, this type of summary will work for your profile. You’ll typically see your connections begin to rise.

Personality summary sample:

When I was 21, I went skydiving. It was terrifying—mostly because I am terrified of heights and I literally jumped out of an airplane.

While I was flying up, I thought about asking them to turn the plane around approximately 5,000 times. (And that’s a lowball estimate.) But despite the stomach turns, fear, and mental fatigue, and trail mix overdose, I stayed quiet. I’m that person. Once I say I’ll do something, it will happen.

Now, I put that perseverance to work as an account manager for XYZ. I don’t have to jump out of any planes, but I do have to take risks.

I’m well-versed in negotiations, planning and development, relationship management, operations, and logistics coordination and scheduling.

If you’re interested in grabbing coffee and talking shop (or to hear how my skydiving experience almost went south, literally), please send an email my way.

The short and sweet summary – Ideal for technical industries and active job hunters

This type of LinkedIn profile summary allows readers to get to the point right away. There are no anecdotes, no jargon, and no small chit chat. This type of summary will allow you to get in a lot of keywords, which will help recruiters find you in the job search. A short and sweet summary will include your current role, previous positions, and your skills.

Short and sweet summary sample:

I have over 10 years of experience working in information technology services. Currently, I work as XYZ’s Senior Tech Manager, improving products and services for our customers by using advanced analytics, standing up big-data analytical tools, creating and maintaining models, and onboarding compelling new data sets.

Previously, I was working in a position where I analyzed data from some of the biggest tech companies in the world to educate the market on long-term internet trends.

Competencies: data science, machine learning, cloud computing, Hadoop, Python/Java/R, network protocols.

The mission summary – Ideal for networking

This LinkedIn profile summary example opens up with a broad description of what it is you do and becomes more specific as it goes on.

Mission summary sample:

Every brand has a story—a story that will, inform, surprise, delight, and impact their audience. Company stories can be shared in many ways and I am the person who helps brings that story to the life.

I help my company find the right words that bring their ideas to life, whether on social media, traditional advertising outlet or internal communications.

Currently, I am a copywriter at XYZ where I work with the advertising and digital marketing team to bring their ideas to life.

My specialties include digital media, consumer behavior, brand awareness, writing and editing for print and online.

The mix summary – ideal for creative industries or people first jobs like sales representatives, managers, or HR specialists.

This LinkedIn profile summary is a mix between the personality and mission summaries. This is perfect if you want to get right into the facts but still want to include some personality. For the mix summary, imagine you’re speaking to someone at an industry event. It can be light and fun, yet still professional. Begin with your current job and some work highlights. After, you can get into some fun facts and tie it all together at the end.

Mix summary sample:

I’m a graphic designer with interest in building the most beautiful and effective websites as possible. For over 20 years, I’ve been helping businesses create the best most effective websites. I also do copywriting, photography, and online courses.

When I’m not designing, I love hiking with my dog, working my way through every recipe in the family cookbook, and playing tennis with my hubby.

If you’d like to learn more about how my services can help your company, please reach out via email [ include email address]

The accomplishment summary – Ideal for users seeking full time or freelance work

The accomplishment summary gets right to the point. It tells potential employers exactly what job you want, why you deserve it and what type of work ethic they can expect from you.

Accomplishment summary email sample:

I’m a freelance product photographer who has taken creative product photos of many different professional clients since 2012.

In 2015, my photography for a global campaign for won a [include award here], one of the most prestigious honors in the photography world.

My work has also been featured in O Magazine, Globe and Mail, Forbes, and Vanity Fair.

Skills: photography, lighting, branding and identity, typography, UI design, packaging, Lightroom, and Photoshop.

If you have a project I can help with, please get in touch.

LinkedIn profile tips

In addition to writing great LinkedIn profile summaries, it’s important to pay attention to your LinkedIn page as a whole. If you follow the LinkedIn summary tips and the LinkedIn profile tips below, no matter what your LinkedIn objective is you’ll be growing your LinkedIn network and making connections in no time.

Keep your profile updated

You would be surprised at how many people forget to update their LinkedIn profiles. Whether you’re starting a new job, new to LinkedIn, or exploring new opportunities, it’s crucial to keep all your information up to date. To keep it quick and easy, always make sure your professional headline, location, and industry are always up to date.

Use professional photos

Investing in a professional headshot can go a long way. Recruiters are looking for professionalism. An up-to-date, well lit, professional photo screams professionalism.

Watch for typos

Poor grammar, spelling and typos are a big no on the professional networking site. Try to avoid typos at all costs. You can do this by proofreading or getting someone else to read it over for you before posting.

Personalize your profile URL

When you create your LinkedIn profile, it assigns you a random unattractive combination of letters, numbers, and backslashes. It isn’t attractive and also makes you harder to find. If you still have this as your personal URL, head to your settings and change it. It’s best to keep it professional, simple, and consistent with your other social profiles.

Write a great LinkedIn profile summary

After reading our LinkedIn summary tips, you should have a great understanding of why it’s so important to write a great LinkedIn summary. It doesn’t matter which profile summary you choose to write. All that matter is that it is well written, personable, and thoughtful. After following these tips and tricks you will be making connections in no time. Good luck!