What you will learn
The About section helps a reader connect your background, strengths, practical work, and career direction. Your headline gives the short version; About explains the story behind it. Experience entries describe particular roles in more detail.
- Organise an introduction into four clear parts.
- Use truthful examples to explain strengths and career direction.
- Create and review an About draft that sounds like you.
Use a four-part structure
Begin with the most useful information for someone considering your target role. You do not need a dramatic personal story or a claim to be the best candidate.
Write in the first person if it helps you sound natural. Use short paragraphs, plain words, and relevant role terminology. Read the draft aloud: replace language you would not be comfortable explaining in a conversation. There is no need to repeat every date or bullet from your CV.
- Professional introduction: say what you do or are preparing to do, and give relevant background.
- Relevant skills and strengths: identify a focused set of capabilities you can demonstrate.
- Evidence of work or learning: explain a project, contribution, or challenge and your own part in it.
- Career direction and interests: describe the work you want to explore and an appropriate invitation to connect.
Read a complete beginner example
This fictional example illustrates the structure. It is not a qualification claim for you to copy. Replace its skills, work, and goals with your own genuine details.
Make limited experience and career changes understandable
Start with what you have actually done. Study, volunteering, coursework, part-time work, and personal projects can all provide evidence when labelled clearly. Explain the connection to your new direction rather than apologising for being a beginner.
A retail career changer might connect patient customer communication and accurate record keeping with IT support, then describe a troubleshooting lab. They should not relabel retail employment as an IT support role. An ongoing course belongs in a learning description with its real completion status.
| Weak statement | Stronger illustrative approach | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| I am passionate, innovative, and hardworking | In a volunteer project, I organised a shared task list and wrote handover notes for new members. | Gives a reader a concrete contribution to discuss. |
| I know all modern technologies | I used SQL to clean and summarise a practice dataset, and I am learning dashboard design. | Separates demonstrated skill from ongoing learning. |
| Looking for anything in tech | I am researching junior data analyst roles involving SQL and operational reporting. | Explains a focused direction. |
Copy a structure and make it yours
Replace every bracketed field and delete any sentence you cannot support. The goal is a useful introduction, not a perfectly polished advertisement.
About-section template
I am [current professional identity or learning direction] with a background in [relevant study, work, or experience]. I am interested in [target role or type of work]. My relevant skills include [skills you can demonstrate]. I have developed [strength] through [genuine context]. In [project or activity, accurately labelled], I [your contribution] using [tools or approach]. The result or deliverable was [truthful outcome], and I learned [specific lesson]. Evidence: [appropriate public link, if available]. I am now developing [learning goal] and exploring [career direction]. I welcome conversations about [relevant professional interest].
Review common mistakes
Remove unsupported expertise, buzzwords, and generic statements that could describe anyone. Avoid exposing confidential client information or publishing contact details you would rather keep private. Keep key terminology natural instead of repeating it in every paragraph.
- Do not paste a chronological CV: select the evidence that connects your story.
- Do not claim team achievements entirely as your own; specify your contribution.
- Check dates and training claims against your CV and other profile sections.
- Make the opening meaningful before adding optional background details.
Practical activity: draft, test, and revise
Draft one short paragraph for each of the four parts. Highlight every claim and write down the evidence behind it. Ask a trusted reader what role they think you are targeting and which statement needs clarification. Revise once, then check paragraph breaks on a small screen.
- LinkedIn Help — Create a good LinkedIn profile: official guidance on profile sections and presentation (opens in a new tab)
- Professional summary lesson: compare a concise CV introduction with your broader About section
- Indeed — Resume summary examples: additional writing guidance for targeted introductions (opens in a new tab)