How To Write About Yourself (With Tips and Examples)

You may have to introduce yourself in writing several times throughout your career. This could be a cover letter, a personal statement for your resume or a self-appraisal letter for your promotion. Learning how to write about yourself accurately can increase your chances of receiving a job interview or promotion. In this article, we will discuss how to write about yourself, describe the situations where you may need to introduce yourself in writing and provide some short bio examples for guidance.

When You Might Have To Write About Yourself

You might have to write yourself about your achievements and accomplishments on numerous occasions. Here are some examples:

• Inquiry letters for internships

• College application letters

• Job application letters

• Personal statements

• Interview forms

• The "About" section for your website

• Biographies for a company website

• Self-appraisal letters

• Promotion opportunities

• Proposals for grants

How To Write About Yourself

You can write about yourself using the following steps:

1. Begin with an attention-grabbing introduction

The introduction should be brief and catch the reader's interest instantly and make them want to read further. Think of it as marketing yourself. So, be confident and mention the qualifications and skills that are relevant to your purpose. You may choose to write a self-introduction statement instead of a complete sentence, such as "Innovative graphic designer, with a graduate degree and a passion for producing cutting-edge yet practical designs for the web." Regardless of what you write or if you choose to include this statement, this task can be an exercise in marketing yourself and developing confidence.

2. Mention your relevant professional experience

The middle portion of your personal document should detail your relevant professional experience. Tailor this to your purpose. If you are writing a cover letter, review the job description and company website to select the most relevant experience. Including tailored details can help a hiring manager remain interested in your cover letter as they read it. It also shows how your qualifications are right for the open position. If you want to write about yourself for the "About Me" section, consider mentioning a few of the top jobs you have held. Here is an example:

"I have 15 years of experience in creating hand-drawn and digital designs, working freelance and full-time for top national and international clients like Krish Design Company, Mindtool Advertising Company, Onkar Publishing Group and others."

3. Include important awards and achievements

Personal and professional awards and achievements attest to your drive for excellence and your dedication to your profession. Select the ones that are most relevant to your current purpose. For example:

"I have completed my Master of Fine arts in graphic design from Benugopal Art College, I have won best design awards in several prestigious competitions like the Violet Awards, the Yamini Mohan Best Design Awards and the Chitrakar Award."

4. Share relevant personal details

Your details should reflect your genuine interests. Share something unique about yourself to provide more context related to who you are as a person and team member. You can describe any hobbies or interests, such as reading, hiking or scuba diving. Here is an example:

"When I am not working, I spend my time in fulfilling and relaxing pursuits such as cooking, gardening, reading, painting, knitting and craft-making."

5. End with a professional yet friendly tone

If you are wondering what to write about yourself at the end, try for a professional yet friendly call to action. Let the readers know that you are actively looking for work and which contact method you prefer. For example:

"I enjoy connecting with people and I am open to interesting work offers from clients in India and abroad, so send me a quick email and we can take it from there."

Related: How To Write Work Experience on Your CV

Tips For Writing A Short Bio About Yourself

It is harder to write a short bio than a long one. Because of the length limitations, you must include only the very relevant things. For that, you will need to sift through the data and decide which is essential and which to exclude. You can also consider writing several short bios, each with different information, and use these for different types of job situations. Here are some tips for writing a short bio about yourself:

Choose the right point of view

When writing a short bio, consider where this write up about yourself is going to be used. if you writing for the "About me" section of your website, write in the first person. However, if you are writing your bio for the company website, consider using the third person. Write in the first person if the bio is for a cover letter or a personal statement.

Related: How To Write a Self-Appraisal

Be willing to do some in-depth and honest self-appraisal

You might want to take some time to think over things. Do an in-depth personal analysis and assess who you are, what motivates you and what you want from your career. Be as honest as possible when conducting a self-appraisal.

Ask yourself, "What can I write about myself that will help people understand me better?"

Try to view yourself from someone else's perspective and consider what they might want to know about you. Think too about what you feel comfortable sharing. For instance, you might want to share things that you are good at or are proud of, like being creative, having good writing skills and so on.

Make a list of words that you think describe you accurately

Your list could include words that come immediately to mind when you think of yourself. For instance, words like creative, ambitious, talented, skilled, hard-working, innovative and original. Sift through these and select the ones that are most relevant for your career. Use them when you write your short bio.

List some of the things that you enjoy doing

You can write about the things you enjoy doing on the professional front, such as working on challenging projects, collaborating with creative people and picking up new skills. These can give readers an idea of your capabilities. It might help them decide if you could be a good fit for a project or an available job position.

Mention your notable awards, accomplishments and achievements

The awards, accomplishments and achievements that you have won indicate your professional standing in your industry. So, acknowledgements from prestigious institutions or organisations will enhance your bio and make it stand out. It is likely to impress employers and clients and could lead to further career growth.

Edit the bio to make it concise

After writing the short bio, read through it a few times and remove all unnecessary words. Your bio should be concise enough for people to read at a glance yet informative enough to give them a clear idea of who you are.

Check for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors

Even with careful writing, it is still possible to make grammatical or spelling mistakes. To avoid sending out an error-filled bio, read through the transcript slowly, word by word. You might even benefit from reading it out loud. Make the necessary corrections. You can also run the bio through a grammar checking app to catch any missed errors.

Update when needed

Your short bio can change as you gain more skills and career experience. Update it from time to time to reflect your current situation. You can also customise it to suit different job purposes. For instance, you might use one bio for applying to a freelance job and another one for a full-time position.

Related: 10 Tips To Improve Your Writing Skills

Short Bio Examples

Get inspired with these short bio examples:

Example 1:

Rohit Inamdar is an investigative journalist with a passion for presenting hard-hitting and factually correct stories to his readers. He has 20 years of experience in reporting from some of the most volatile places in the world. His journalism awards include the AMDH Award, the Indian Magazine Award and the KUQ Prize. He is a regular contributor to the OneIndia Magazine, The Daily Times and other news media outlets. In his free time, he goes boating and fishing.

Example 2:

Shyamli Dixit is a marketing manager with a flair for coordinating between clients and businesses to get projects completed on schedule. In her eight years of experience in the private sector, she has handled various marketing projects from start to finish and increased sales. She has worked with AKU Dairy Products, GVC Engineering Group and KPP Organics Company. Shyamli, who has an MBA from Calcutta University, enjoys hiking, bicycling and swimming.

Related: How To Answer 'How Would You Describe Yourself In 5 Words?'

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article is affiliated with Indeed.