Write a Personal Profile Outline

Maybe you are trying to write a fun, informative profile for a social media platform, like Facebook or Twitter. Or maybe you need to write a concise, well-written profile for a job or school application. Both types of profiles contain similar information, but a social media profile will be less formal than a personal profile for an application.

Steps

Writing a Personal Profile for Social Media

1. Determine how much space you have for each social media platform. Though some of these platforms may have a large word count, the most effective profiles will still be concise and to the point.
   • Facebook: An “About You” section, including the freeform “Write About Yourself” prompt, Work and Education, “Professional Skills” area, and “Favorite Quotations” section. There is no cap on word count.
   • Twitter: A 160-character bio, plus space for a link and your location.
   • LinkedIn: A headline section and a summary section. There is also a section for your resume and skills.
2. Look at examples of strong social media profiles. Look up several social media profiles on several platforms that use a limited word count to their advantage.
   • Hillary Clinton’s Twitter profile: “Wife, mom, lawyer, women & kids advocate, FLOAR, FLOTUS, US Senator, SecState, author, dog owner, hair icon, pantsuit aficionado, glass ceiling cracker, TBD ....” In 160 characters, Clinton has managed to include factual details about herself as well as humorous details. Her profile is informative but also entertaining and unique.
   • A short but sweet Facebook profile: Scroll through your friends’ Facebook profiles and look for examples that avoid rambling on in their “About You” section and the “Write About Yourself” prompt. If a friend is trying to create a professional profile on Facebook (which is smart, as employers may do a Facebook search), notice if she uses appropriate content that is still interesting and personal. Ask yourself: if I didn’t already know this person, would I want to be friends with her based on their Facebook profile?
   • A LinkedIn profile by Corporate Communications specialist: “Even though I am a PR person by trade, I’ll always be a reporter at heart. I’m incapable of pitching something I myself don’t believe in. I have a passion for uncovering unique and compelling ways that people are using a product, service, or site and revel in knowing that I can help thousands of people tell their story.” This introductory paragraph is specific, assertive, and professional. But the author also includes personal details about herself to add some personality to the introduction.
3. Keep it short and informative. Most personal profiles for social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ only allow you to use a limited number of characters to describe yourself. So it's important to maximize your word count and KISS - Keep It Simple Sweetie.
   • A good personal profile for a site like Twitter, with its emphasis on short, brief tweets, can almost become a postmodern work of art. Though it can be challenging to cram your persona into a very small profile, think of it like a copywriting exercise. Or an attempt at a six-word memoir.
4. Include basic information about yourself. Start by making a list of your basic information, like your name, what you do (or what you’re good at), where you live, and any links or tags to other social media sites, like your blog. Remember that readers want to know what they can expect for your social media account and what value you will bring to their Newsfeed, Twitterfeed, or LinkedIn feed.
   • If you are creating a profile for Twitter, be sure to include any other handles for any other Twitter accounts you also own. For example, if you are creating a profile for your personal Twitter, but also run a Twitter account for your business, include a handle (@ExampleCompany) at the end of your Twitter profile.
   • For example, a basic Twitter bio could be: “Jane Doe, writer based in California. Also tweets for ABC press @ABCPress”.
5. Add in your interests, your background, and a dash of humor. How much or how little personal details you include in your profile will depend on the social media platform you are writing the bio for. Often, social media profiles work well when they have a sense of humor.
   • This could mean a witty descriptor, like Hillary Clinton’s “pant suit aficionado” note, or self-deprecating humor, like a writer who “is sorry/not sorry about correcting your grammar” or a student who is “addicted to caffeine in all its forms.”
   • Facebook does not have limited space, so you can expand quite a bit on your interests and your background. If you’re creating a professional Facebook profile, it could read very similar to your LinkedIn profile or your Twitter profile. Don’t be afraid to reuse a well-written profile on another site.
   • Twitter does have limited space, so you will want to say to most you can in the fewest words. You could keep your profile short, such as: “Jane Doe, writer based in California. Also tweets for ABC Press @ABCPress.” Or you could expand it to include personal tastes and some humor, such as: “Jane Doe, word junkie, living the dream in California. Find more of my witty (but clean) tweets @ABCPress.”
6. Be unique but avoid buzzwords. Now that you have your basic information, edit it so it has some personality. But try to stay away from buzzwords, which are words that are considered overused by most readers.
   • LinkedIn recently put out a list of the buzzwords to avoid. The danger of using buzzwords, such as “responsible”, “creative”, or “efficient” in your profile is that you end up sounding generic or boring.
   • Think about other terms or phrases that are more specific to who you are. For example, in the Corporate Communications LinkedIn bio, the author avoids buzzwords by expanding on her personal approach to PR: “I have a passion for uncovering unique and compelling ways that people are using a product, service, or site and revel in knowing that I can help thousands of people tell their story.” This is a more compelling sentence than: “I am a responsible, creative PR person who can get the job done.”
7. Tailor your profile to your audience. If you’re creating a profile for a personal social media account, you could include humor, slang, and catch phrases. If you’re creating a profile for a professional social media account, you may want to be more formal and polished with your language. It’s important to tailor your bio to your audience, and think about how you want your followers or readers to view you.
   • For example, a Twitter bio for your personal account could be: “Jane Doe, word addict, lover of West Coast living, 24/7 sun, and tacos. Also in charge of witty tweets for ABC Press @ABCPress.”
   • A Twitter bio for a professional page may be more formal. However, most professionals on Twitter still keep their tone pretty casual and light. For example: “Jane Doe, word enthusiast, based in California, also tweets for ABC Press @ABCPress.”
8. Re-work your bio often. As your skills, interests, and expertise evolve, so should your bio. Check it every few months to make sure it still reflects you.
   • Revising your bio to include sharper, funnier descriptions and language can also help you get more readers and followers. Paying attention to your personal profile on social media will also show your current followers that you care about how you present yourself, and can do it well.

Writing a Personal Profile for An Application

1. Understand the role of a personal profile for an application. The purpose of a personal profile is to grab the reader’s attention as soon as they start reading your resume. Along with your cover letter, its your chance to hold their attention, express your key skills and achievements, and entice the employer or judging committee to want to know more about you.
   • Your personal profile is a short introduction to the skills and experience listed on your resume or CV. It should not restate or repeat all the details in your resume or cover letter.
   • It should be between 50-200 words, or no longer than four-six lines.
   • It should be placed at the beginning of your CV.
   • If you aren’t sure what your career aims and goals are, it’s better to avoid including a personal profile at the start of your CV. No personal profile is better than a vague or dull profile.
2. Write your personal profile last. If you are struggling to condense your career experiences and goals into a few sentences, focus first on your resume and your cover letter. Then, based on the information in your resume and your cover letter, tackle the personal profile. You’ll have a much better idea of what your key skills, experiences, and goals are and your value as an applicant.
3. Use the first person. Though the third person is always an option in a personal profile, using the first person will create a stronger and more direct profile. Your personal profile should be about you and your specific skill set, so using “I” instead of “he” or “she” will create a clear, assertive profile. But this doesn’t mean you have to begin every sentence with “I”. A good personal profile will combine your skills and goals, but not rely on the overuse of “I”.
   • For example: “As a highly-motivated copy editor at renowned publishing house ABC Press, I have a proven track record of providing expert editing services in a wide range of subjects and writing styles, including technical documents and educational texts.”
   • The use of “As a…” as the first clause in the sentence avoids to overuse of “I” in the personal profile. It also allows you to highlight what your current professional role is and the skills you have developed in your current job.
   • If you don’t have a current job or role, you can adjust the opening sentence so it is in the past tense.
   • Avoid mixing the first person and the third person in the same personal profile. Choose one tense and stick to it.
4. Include one key experience, achievement, and contribution. Think about any past experiences, such as a work experience, a school related experience, an award, an internship, etc. that you want to highlight. Don’t be afraid to brag about your achievement, as this will entice your reader to pay attention to your application.
   • For example, if you want to highlight a recent internship you completed or are currently doing, you may state: “During my recent internship at the non profit Literary Arts organization, I worked with the head of the Writers in Schools program to contribute content to several projects, such as their award winning reading series and their educational outreach program, and managed my own research by interviewing guest writers, creating online copy for their readership, and editing education material for their outreach program. Drawing on my excellent communication skills, I developed and maintained successful working relationships with the staff and the participants at Literary Arts.”
5. State your career aim or goal. It’s important to be clear about what you are working towards in your career and what you hope to gain from the possible position. Make sure your career aim or goal relates back to the possible position. This shows you understand what the position is and how it will help you achieve your career goal.
   • For example: “I am looking to secure a position at a top tier publishing house, where I can bring immediate and strategic value and develop my current skill set further.”
6. Avoid buzzwords. Refer to the LinkedIn list of buzzwords to avoid. Replace any buzzwords, like “dynamic”, “extensive experience”, and “team player” with terms that are more specific to your resume and your career aim or goal.
   • For example, a bland, buzzword filled personal profile might be: “I am an energetic and dynamic person who enjoys a challenge and achieving personal goals. My present career aim is to work in publishing because I like reading and writing.”
   • A more specific, interesting, and successful personal profile might be: “I am a motivated and detail oriented professional editor looking to secure a position at a top tier publishing house, where I can bring immediate and strategic value and develop my current skill set further. During my recent internship at the Literary Arts organization, I worked with the head of the Writers in Schools program to contribute content to several projects, such as their award winning reading series and their educational outreach program, and managed my own research by interviewing visiting writers, creating online copy for their readership, and editing education material for their outreach program. Drawing on my excellent communication skills, I developed and maintained successful working relationships with the staff and the participants at Literary Arts. I am a reliable, hardworking editor and am eager to expand my skills at ABC Press.”
7. Check that your personal profile fits with your resume and cover letter. Read over your completed personal profile to make sure it matches the skills and experiences discussed in your resume and cover letter. Rather than repeat any points in your resume, your personal profile should act as a summary of your career goals and your skills.
   • Read it out loud for flow and tone, and check that it is under 200 words.
   • Attach it to the top of your resume and send it out with your cover letter.

Writing a Personal Profile for a Dating Site

1. Use a recent photo that shows your face. You don’t need to splurge on a professional photograph, but posting a blurry cellphone photo or a photo of you as a child doesn’t tell the person viewing your profile much about your current appearance.
   • Have a friend take a photo of you, preferably on a summer day. Don’t wear sunglasses, a hat or stand in the shadows.
   • Don’t forget to smile and look at the camera like you’re happy to see the person behind it. You want your profile picture to be appealing and show you at your best.
   • Action shots also work well as they show off your interests in an active, immediate way. Choose a shot of you playing ultimate frisbee in the park or dancing at a concert.
2. Pick a profile name that isn’t too silly or juvenile. Names like “SpunkyHunk” or “HotMinx” may have been funny back in high school, but silly or overly sexual profile names will only signal to others that you aren’t interested in a serious connection or relationship.
   • Choose a profile name that shows off your personality but still feels grown up. You can also abbreviate your name for an easy profile name. For example: “SuperSteph13” or “BradW.”
3. Ask a close friend to help you write your profile. It can be difficult to describe yourself well in words. A close friend may know you better than you know yourself and be able to add in details about yourself that you may not be aware of or feel awkward about putting in your profile.
4. Be specific about your hobbies. Don’t just put down hobbies like “walking on the beach” or “drinking on the weekend”. These are cliches that won’t help your profile stand out. Think of interesting hobbies that could be conversation starters, like “Cards Against Humanity Champion 2015” or “Addicted to traveling in South America” or “Fan of early Battlestar Galactica”.
   • Try to also include sociable hobbies. Hobbies like “bookworm” or “internet addict” indicate you are not a very social person and don’t go out much. Play up your love of anything sporty, outdoorsy, or public, like concerts and art exhibitions.
   • Focus on concrete and specific details, like your favorite books, films, celebrities, or sports. Rather than noting “hockey”, list your favorite hockey team, or rather than noting “thrillers”, list your favorite action novel.
5. Be honest and be bold. Honesty is the best policy in any dating situation, especially online dating. Lying in your profile will make for a very awkward face to face meeting if things end up progressing with a potential mate. So be honest and upfront about yourself.
   • Be bold in your profile about you’re looking for. Avoid posting a list of highly specific and inflexible demands. Instead, try to write a simple statement that begins with “I believe…” or “I’m seeking…”
   • Instead of: “I’m looking for a tall, strong, outdoorsy, vegan and gluten free guy to sweep me off my feet and be a father of my three (not four!) future children.” Try: “I believe in love and in being respectful and honest with my partner. I’m seeking someone who shares my interests and is serious about a relationship.”
   • Include a playful question or statement in your profile. This will make your profile more interesting and engaging to potential dates. For example: “If you decide to message me, I want to know: What was the high point of your day today?”
6. Keep the profile short and sweet. Imagine you are meeting someone in a bar and only have five minutes to tell them about yourself. Stick to the main points of your biography and your hobbies or interests. Avoid rambling on for paragraphs about yourself.
7. Stay positive. While sarcasm can be great in person, the tone can get a little lost in an online profile. Avoid a negative or snide tone and try to always be positive about yourself. A profile with a bitter, resentful, I-can’t-believe-I’m-online-dating tone can be an immediate turn off. So, focus on what you do want, rather than what you don’t want.
   • Instead of: “I am NOT looking for a casual hook-up or an option relationship, whatever THAT means. Commitment-phobes and flakes stay away.” Try: “I believe that connection can mean different things to different people, but monogamy is my type of connection. It’s the only type of connection I’m looking to make. You, too?”
8. Check your grammar and spelling. Many people find bad grammar and spelling a turn off, or an indication that you didn’t put a lot of time and effort into your profile.
   • Before you post your profile, copy and paste it into Word and use spell check to make sure your profile is grammatically correct.
   • Be wary of using dating acronyms, like WLTM (Would Like To Meet) and LTR (Long Term Relationship). Not all users will know what these are. If you do want to use them in your profile, here are a list of several common ones:
   • WLTM: Would Like to Meet
   • GSOH: Good Sense of Humor
   • LTR: Long Term Relationship
   • F/ship: Friendship
   • R/ship: Relationship
   • F2F: Face to face
   • IRL: In Real Life
   • ND: Non-drinker
   • NS: Non-smoker
   • SD: Social drinker
   • LJBF: Let's just be friends
   • GTSY: Glad to see you
   • GMTA: Great minds think alike
9. Update your profile regularly. Try to review your profile on a regular basis and add in new information about yourself to keep your profile current.

Related Articles

• Write a Personal Statement for UCAS
• Write a Debate Outline
• Complete Your UCAS Application

Sources and Citations

See also

• Block Someone's WeChat Moments on Android
• Post WeChat Moments on Android
• Ditch Social Media While on Vacation
• Stay Off Social Media
• Clean Up Your Social Media Image
• Deal with an Internet Troll
• Defeat a Social Networking Addiction
• Use the Functions of WeChat
• Avoid Being Stalked on Social Media
• Deal with Not Having a Facebook or MySpace

Read more ...

What links here

• Write a Personal Bio
• Write an Outline
• Write a Personal Statement for UCAS
• Write a Personal Testimonial About Yourself