TL;DR: Your LinkedIn summary acts like the friend who hypes you up to everyone. In a few lines, say what you do, what you’re good at, and what you’re looking for next. With a sprinkle of your personality. You want it to sound like you on a really good day at work.

You open LinkedIn, click on that “About” section, and your mind just goes blank. Maybe you type out something stiff and generic, but then delete it because it doesn’t sound like you. If writing about yourself feels awkward this guide will help you write a LinkedIn summary that helps you get noticed.

Table of Contents

• Why a LinkedIn Summary Matters
• What to Include in Your LinkedIn Resume
• How to Write Your Summary Step by Step
• Using AI to Write Your LinkedIn Summary
• Common LinkedIn Summary Mistakes to Avoid (& How to Fix Them)
• Quick Checklist Before You Hit Publish
• Key Takeaways

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Why a LinkedIn Summary Matters

Your LinkedIn summary is right under your headline in the “About” section. It’s often the first story an employer reads about you.

A summary isn’t a copy-and-paste of your resume. Your resume lists what you did, while your summary explains why you did it and where you’re heading. Both should work together, but not copy each other word-for-word.

A strong summary gives recruiters context. It shows your personality, motivation, and the throughline connecting your experience to your target role. It’s an incredible chance for career changers, especially as you get to explain your pivot in your own words.

What to Include in Your LinkedIn Resume

A great summary should include:

• A strong opening hook. You may know that LinkedIn cuts off your summary after a few lines and shows a “see more” button. Ensure your first sentence pulls in the reader.
• Your background and career journey. Give readers a quick sense of what you’ve done so far.
• Key skills. Mention both technical and transferable skills.
• Measurable achievements. Make your claims believable with numbers and outcomes.
• Your personality. Write in a first-person voice.
• A call to action. Direct people towards the next step, like checking your portfolio or sending you a message.

How to Write Your Summary Step by Step

Now that you know what belongs in your summary, here’s a step-by-step approach you can follow.

Step 1: Write a Hook

Have you ever read the blurb before buying a book? Your first sentence has the same job: to make people want to read more. You can open with a question, a bold statement, or an interesting moment from your own story. Avoid generic lines like “results-driven professional seeking opportunities.”

Step 2: Tell Your Story

Briefly connect your past experience to your targeted role. Suppose you’re a teacher, and then you learned to code. Don’t hide it; mention what pulled you towards tech. This way, recruiters will see your past career as your strength, not a red flag.

Step 3: Highlight Your Skills

List your technical skills alongside the transferable ones. Mention what you can bring with you, like project management, communication, or problem-solving. But don’t just name-drop them. Add context so they mean something. Instead of mentioning “HTML, CSS” write something like “I use HTML and CSS to build responsive websites.”

Step 4: Show Proof

This is where you back up everything you said. Add metrics, projects you’re proud of, or testimonials. Add links to your portfolio or GitHub so recruiters can see your work firsthand.

Step 5: Close With a Clear Call to Action

End by mentioning what you’re looking for and how people can reach you. Something like, “I’m currently looking for entry-level front-end roles. Don’t hesitate to check out my portfolio and send me a message. I’d love to connect.”

Using AI to Write Your LinkedIn Summary

If you find yourself staring at a blank page, an AI tool can help you get started. Tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, or LinkedIn’s own AI-assisted summary feature can help you generate the first draft.

With the assistance of these tools, you can tighten your wording or brainstorm different hooks.

Just remember: AI is just a helping hand for you to start. Don’t rely on it to write it for you. A recruiter can easily distinguish between a summary that sounds personalized and one that sounds robotic.

Is Tech Right For you? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals

Common LinkedIn Summary Mistakes to Avoid (& How to Fix Them)

• Writing it like a resume: A list of job titles & dates isn’t a story. Rather, write in a narrative style that shows your journey.
• Using buzzwords instead of keywords: Avoid using phrases like “results-driven” or “go-getter,” as they don’t convey anything real. Swap buzzwords with specific keywords recruiters actually search for (like your target job title or skills).
• Making it too long: Long paragraphs lose readers fast. The smart move is to aim for three to five short paragraphs.
• Forgetting a call to action: Without a good CTA, readers may move on after reading your summary. Directing people toward the next step makes it easier for someone to contact you.
• Never updating your summary: You grow with time and experience, your summary should do the same. Revisit it when your skills or goals shift.

Quick Checklist Before You Hit Publish

Before you hit publish, here’s a quick checklist to see if you’re hitting the right points:

• Opens with a strong hook to earn a “see more” click.
• Smoothly connects your background to your current goals.
• Includes both your technical & transferable skills, with relevant context.
• Backs up all your claims with metrics, projects, or links.
• Ends with a clear call to action.
• Sounds like you and not like a template.

Key Takeaways

Writing about yourself may never feel easy, but that’s okay. You don’t need a perfect LinkedIn summary, you just need a clear snapshot of who you are and where you’re headed next. If you’d like support turning that LinkedIn profile into real job offers, our Get Hired curriculum helps you build a strong LinkedIn summary and get hired in tech.

Is Tech Right For you? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals