How to Write a LinkedIn About Section That Gets You Noticed

Your LinkedIn About section is your chance to tell your story. While your headline gets people to click, your About section convinces them to connect, follow, or reach out. It's 2,600 characters of prime real estate—and most people waste it with boring corporate speak or leave it blank entirely.

This guide shows you how to write an About section that captures attention, builds trust, and converts profile visitors into real opportunities.

Why Your About Section Matters

The About section is the most-read part of your profile after your headline. When someone clicks on your profile, they're asking: "Who is this person? Should I pay attention to them?"

A strong About section:

• Builds credibility: Shows your experience and expertise

• Creates connection: Reveals your personality and values

• Drives action: Tells visitors what to do next

• Improves searchability: Keywords help you appear in LinkedIn searches

The Biggest About Section Mistakes

Before we cover what works, here's what doesn't:

• Writing in third person: "John is a passionate leader..." feels cold and impersonal

• Listing job duties: Your experience section already does this

• Using buzzwords: "Synergy," "thought leader," "guru" mean nothing

• Being too vague: "I help businesses grow" tells nobody anything

• Leaving it empty: Signals you don't take LinkedIn seriously

• Making it all about you: Readers care about what you can do for them

The About Section Framework

A great About section follows this structure:

1. The Hook (First 2-3 lines)

LinkedIn only shows the first ~300 characters before "see more." This preview must grab attention.

Options for your hook:

• A bold statement about your work

• A question that resonates with your audience

• A surprising fact or achievement

• The problem you solve, stated directly

Examples:

• "I help B2B companies turn their website into their best salesperson."

• "Tired of hiring salespeople who don't hit quota? That's my specialty."

• "I've helped 200+ founders raise their first round. Here's what I've learned."

2. Your Story (The Middle)

This is where you build connection. Share:

• How you got into your field

• What drives you

• A pivotal moment or realization

• Your unique perspective or approach

Keep it conversational. Write like you're explaining your work to a friend at a coffee shop, not presenting to a boardroom.

3. Credibility Markers

Show evidence that you're worth listening to:

• Specific results you've achieved

• Companies you've worked with

• Awards, publications, or recognition

• Metrics that demonstrate impact

Be specific: "Grew revenue by $2M" beats "drove significant growth."

4. What You're Working On Now

Make your About section feel current:

• Your current role and focus

• Projects you're excited about

• Topics you're exploring

5. The Call to Action

Tell people what to do next:

• "DM me if you're struggling with X"

• "Connect with me to talk about Y"

• "Follow me for weekly insights on Z"

• "Email me at [address] if you're hiring"

About Section Templates

Template 1: The Problem Solver

Best for: Consultants, coaches, service providers

"[Problem your audience faces]—sound familiar?

I help [specific audience] solve [specific problem] so they can [desired outcome].

After [X years] working with [type of clients], I've learned that [key insight about your work].

My approach: [Brief description of how you work]

Results I've helped clients achieve:
→ [Result 1]
→ [Result 2]
→ [Result 3]

Currently: [What you're doing now]

[Call to action]"

Template 2: The Career Story

Best for: Job seekers, employees building their brand

"I started my career [brief origin story].

[Key transition or turning point in your career]

Today, I [current role and what you do]. What I love about this work is [genuine passion or interest].

What I bring to the table:
→ [Skill or strength 1]
→ [Skill or strength 2]
→ [Skill or strength 3]

I'm always happy to connect with [type of people you want to meet].

[Call to action]"

Template 3: The Thought Leader

Best for: Creators, speakers, experts building an audience

"I write about [topic] for [audience].

After [experience that gives you credibility], I realized [key insight that drives your work].

My content focuses on:
→ [Topic 1]
→ [Topic 2]
→ [Topic 3]

I've been featured in [publications/podcasts/events] and worked with [notable companies or people].

Follow me for [what people get from your content].

[Call to action]"

Template 4: The Founder

Best for: Entrepreneurs, startup founders

"I'm building [Company]—[one-line description of what it does].

The problem: [Problem you're solving]

The insight: [What you've figured out]

Previously, I [relevant background]. That experience showed me [why you're the right person to build this].

We're [current status: growing, raising, hiring, launching].

[Call to action for investors, customers, or talent]"

About Section Examples

Example 1: Marketing Consultant

"Most B2B companies are sitting on a goldmine of content—and doing nothing with it.

I help marketing teams turn existing content into pipeline. Not by creating more, but by making what you have actually work.

After 10 years in content marketing (HubSpot, Drift, and now consulting), I've seen the same pattern: teams produce tons of content, but leads don't convert. The problem usually isn't the content—it's the strategy.

What I do:
→ Audit your existing content library
→ Identify what's actually driving revenue
→ Build systems to repurpose winners
→ Create distribution strategies that compound

Recent results: Helped a SaaS company 3x their demo requests without publishing a single new blog post.

DM me if your content isn't converting like it should."

Example 2: Software Engineer

"I build backend systems that don't break at 3 AM.

Currently a Staff Engineer at [Company], leading our platform infrastructure team. We handle [X million] requests per day and I get unreasonably excited about making that number bigger without adding servers.

My path here: CS degree → startup chaos → big tech → back to startups where things actually ship.

I write about:
→ System design (the real-world kind)
→ Engineering leadership
→ Building reliable distributed systems

If you're scaling infrastructure and want to chat—or if you're a developer trying to level up—let's connect."

Example 3: Executive Coach

"The jump to executive leadership is lonely. I help leaders make it less so.

After 15 years as a tech executive (VP Engineering at two startups, CTO at one that exited), I realized the hardest problems weren't technical—they were human.

Now I coach founders and executives navigating:
→ First-time leadership transitions
→ Scaling teams from 10 to 100+
→ Executive communication and presence
→ The loneliness of senior leadership

I've worked with leaders at [Company names] and helped 50+ executives find clarity in chaos.

If you're in a leadership role and feeling stuck, let's talk. DM me or book a call at [link]."

Formatting Tips

• Use line breaks: Walls of text don't get read

• Use arrows or bullets: → and • break up information

• Keep paragraphs short: 2-3 lines maximum

• Include whitespace: Let your content breathe

• Front-load the good stuff: Best content in the first 300 characters

Keywords and Searchability

Include terms people search for:

• Your job title and variations

• Skills and tools you use

• Industries you work in

• Problems you solve

Weave these naturally into your narrative—don't just list them.

Update Regularly

Your About section isn't set-and-forget:

• Update when you change roles

• Add new achievements and results

• Refresh your CTA based on current goals

• Revise quarterly at minimum

Your About Section + Your Content

A great About section works with great content. When someone reads your post and clicks your profile, your About section should reinforce why they should follow you.

Growth Terminal helps you create consistent LinkedIn content that matches the expertise in your About section. AI-powered content creation, scheduling, and analytics help you show up regularly with posts that build on your professional story.

Ready to build a LinkedIn presence that converts? Start with Growth Terminal.