A professional bio (sometimes called executive bios) can be written for different purposes when a resume is not appropriate. Maybe you are looking for new clients or investors. Perhaps you are on the “leadership” team, so a company includes your bio on the website. Or it could be read as an introduction for you as a featured speaker.
A professional bio is different from a resume because it only gives a brief statement of who you are and what you can do for someone. It may consist of information about your credentials, such as a college degree or industry certification. It also might include a headshot, which is not suitable for a resume. However, it will not give detailed information on your career history that is always part of a resume.
If you want to see a comparison between two bios of different lengths for me, Irene Marshall, they are directly below! These are suitable as introductions for me as a featured speaker at an event. They will give you an idea of how you can adapt a bio for different situations.
#1: Longer Professional Bio: 1,168 characters / spaces
Irene Marshall is a career professional who has helped people get jobs for over 20 years, first as a recruiter, and now as a resume writer, career coach and interview coach. Her time as a recruiter taught her what employers are looking for when hiring. In 2003, she took this knowledge to start writing professional resumes combined with coaching to help people manage their careers and get new jobs.
Since then, she has written over 2,000 resumes and other career documents. She has supported thousands of people in their career searches to regain confidence and get their next job. Her coaching practice has spanned a variety of industries for clients at all stages of their careers, from recent graduates to senior executives.
Irene has a full understanding about all stages of the hiring process from both the employer’s and the candidate’s perspective. She gets consistent feedback from her clients that they have more confidence in themselves after working with her. She is strategic, practical, and loves helping people to get jobs.
Irene holds a degree in accounting from California State University, East Bay, and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara.
#2: Shorter Professional Bio: 597 characters / spaces
Irene Marshall is a career professional who has helped people get jobs for over 20 years, first as a recruiter, and now as a resume writer, career coach and interview coach. She has written more than 2,000 resume and other career documents. She has a degree in accounting and an MBA.
Irene has a full understanding about all the stages of the hiring process from both the employer’s and the candidate’s perspective. She gets consistent feedback from her clients that they have more confidence in themselves after working with her. She is strategic, practical and loves helping people get jobs.
If you need help in creating a bio, I invite you to schedule a free call. I’ve written countless bios and can help you create one that will match your professional needs.