Writing a personal bio is a fun way to get to know yourself, and it's a good way to let others get an idea of who you are and understand you better. Whether you want to write a professional bio or a presentation for study purposes, the process is quite simple.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Write a Professional Biography
Step 1. Identify your goal and audience
Before you start writing, you need to know who the text is for. A bio is your first presentation in front of an audience. It should communicate your identity and what you do instantly and effectively.
The bio you would write for a personal webpage would be very different than the one you would write for a job application. Adjust the tone accordingly to make the text suitably formal, fun, professional, or personal
Step 2. Consider examples of texts intended for your target audience
One of the best ways to understand what readers expect from your bio is to take a look at those of others in the same field. For example, if you are writing a professional bio for a site in order to "sell" yourself and your skills, analyze web pages created by other professionals in the sector. Observe what they look like and try to figure out which parts are the best.
The ideal places to look for professional biographies are specialized websites and Twitter and LinkedIn accounts
Step 3. Refine the information
In this case, you have to be ruthless - even the most interesting of anecdotes may not be appropriate. For example, an author's biography on a book jacket often mentions his achievements in the world of literature, while an athlete's biography posted on his team's website generally indicates this professional's height and weight. Usually, it's okay to add some information that isn't exactly relevant, but those details shouldn't make up the bulk of the bio.
Remember that you are putting your credibility on the line. Sure, you like to hang out with your friends on weekends, but this information doesn't make for good publicity in a bio written for the purpose of finding work. The details must be relevant and informative
Step 4. Write in the third person.
Writing in the third person will make the biography seem more objective, as if it was written by someone else. This can come in handy in a formal context. Experts recommend always writing professional biographies in the third person.
For example, introduce the biography with a phrase like "Maria Bianchi is a graphic designer who works in Rome", instead of "I am a graphic designer and I work in Rome"
Step 5. Start with your name
This is the first piece of information to write. You assume that the readers of the text know nothing about you. Enter the full name you usually use, but don't give nicknames.
For example, you can write "Maria Rossi"
Step 6. State your pride
What are you known for? What is your job? How much experience or expertise do you have? Don't confine this information to the bottom, and don't let readers guess: they won't, in fact, interest could quickly wane if the data isn't clear. There is information that must be explicitly indicated in the first or second sentence. Generally, it is easier to associate them with the name.
Gianni Bianchi has a column in Panorama magazine
Step 7. If applicable, name your most important achievements
If you have had successes or won any relevant awards, include them. However, this part is difficult to manage and may not work for all situations. Remember that a bio is not a resume - you don't just have to list your achievements, describe them. Don't forget that audiences may not have a clue what your merits are until they are explained.
Gianni Bianchi has a column in Panorama magazine. His series of articles Di tutto e di più, published in 2011, allowed him to win the prestigious New Talents innovation award, organized by the newspaper itself
Step 8. Include personal details that emphasize your humanity
It is a valid ploy to invite the reader to feel closer to you. It also offers you the chance to at least partially bring out your personality. In any case, avoid letting your tone show too much self-criticism, and don't include details that are too intimate or potentially embarrassing for you or the audience. In theory, these personal details serve to break the ice should you meet a reader in real life.
Gianni Bianchi has a column in Panorama magazine. His series of articles Di tutto e di più, published in 2011, allowed him to win the prestigious New Talents innovation award, launched by the newspaper itself. When not glued to the screen. of the computer, he devotes himself to his other passions: gardening, studying French and training rigorously so as not to be elected the worst pool player in the world
Step 9. Conclude by entering information about any projects you are working on
For example, if you are a writer, indicate the title of the new book you are working on. This section should contain a maximum of two sentences.
Gianni Bianchi has a column in Panorama magazine. His series of articles Di tutto e di più, published in 2011, allowed him to win the prestigious New Talents innovation award, launched by the newspaper itself. When not glued to the screen. of the computer, he devotes himself to his other passions: gardening, studying French and training rigorously so as not to be elected the worst pool player in the world. Right now, he's working on his memoirs
Step 10. Include contact details
This usually has to be done in the last sentence. If the bio is going to be posted online, pay attention to the email address provided to avoid receiving spam. Use a dedicated email for this project. Space permitting, include a couple of means of contacting you, such as your Twitter or LinkedIn profile.
Gianni Bianchi has a column in Panorama magazine. His series of articles Di tutto e di più, published in 2011, allowed him to win the prestigious New Talents innovation award, launched by the newspaper itself. When not glued to the screen. of the computer, he devotes himself to his other passions: gardening, studying French and training rigorously so as not to be elected the worst pool player in the world. Right now, he is working on his memoirs. You can contact him by writing to him at e-mail [email protected] or on Twitter, @IlVeroGBianchi
Step 11. Aim to write at least 250 words
If it's a short online presentation, that's more than enough to give the reader a taste of your life and personality, without boring them. Avoid a profile that exceeds 500 words.
Step 12. Correct and make any necessary changes
A text is rarely perfect immediately after being written. Since personal biographies are only a brief snapshot of a person's life, you may find that you have forgotten to include information when you reread it.
Ask a friend to read your bio and give you opinions. This is important because it can tell you if all the information you want to communicate is clear to the reader
Step 13. Make sure your bio is up to date
Every now and then, review and correct it. By dedicating it a little work at a time, frequently, you will save yourself an unnecessary hassle when you have to reuse it.
Method 2 of 3: Write a Biography for Study or Work Purpose
Step 1. Tell a story
The structure indicated above is generally not valid for most formal applications in the world of work or study. Its simplicity is ideal for quick, low-key biographies, but, when applying for a job or a scholarship, one of your goals is to stand out. The best way to do this is to create a personal structure by telling a story, not by listing simple key facts. There are many structures to choose from. Here are a few:
- Chronological: this structure is of a temporal and linear nature, in fact it starts from a beginning and ends with an end. It is the most direct, but it only works well if you have had interesting experiences that have led you from point A to point B, and from point B to point C, in unusual or extraordinary ways (for example, you have managed to get almost miraculous results).
- Circular: this structure starts from an important moment or a climax (D) and then leads back to event A; subsequently, it explains all the passages (B, C) that led to the final moment, and finally allows the reader to close the circle. This is an ideal method for creating suspense, especially when event D is so strange or incredible that the reader would have no problem staying in doubt for a while.
- Focused: This structure focuses on a critical event (for example, C) to symbolically tell a story of greater significance. It is a tactic that may require the use of tiny and outline details (a, d) to orient the reader. In any case, the event is important enough to impose itself.
Step 2. Keep the focus on yourself
Employers or university admissions managers want to know your experiences in order to figure out if you are right for them or not. That said, proving that you are the perfect candidate doesn't mean going off topic trying to describe, for example, the job or the scholarship.
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Wrong: "University X has one of the most famous departments of experimental medicine in the world, and that gives me the foundation necessary to fulfill the desire of a lifetime: to find a cure for Alzheimer's."
The workplace or university you are applying to already knows its programs and facilities, so don't waste the reader's time. As if that's not enough, praising the company or institution instead of describing yourself will make you seem anonymous and undeserving of being chosen.
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Right: "At the age of five, my brother was saved from an emergency surgery, and he will never forget this experience. I won't forget it either, in fact I have lived it firsthand. From that moment onwards., I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would dedicate my life to medicine. My brother was lucky: the surgeon who operated on him worked at one of the best hospitals in the country. By doing the same, I hope to offer one day to a another family the one that Dr. Bianchi gave to mine ".
This narrator's description is accurate, personal and memorable. While he discreetly praises the hospital facilities, he doesn't appear to be trying to get his way with flattery.
Step 3. Don't say what you think Expect to hear from the employer or university program manager you are interested in
As much as you manage to say the right thing (which is difficult if you don't mean it), at best the result will be as follows: hundreds or thousands of candidates have used the same strategy, and you won't stand out from them. Haven't you lived breathtaking experiences? Accept it and, whatever you do, don't lie or try cheap tricks. Forcibly turning a boring story into a dramatic one won't make you look good, especially when compared to the really interesting stories that other candidates will flaunt.
- Wrong: "Reading The Great Gatsby was a turning point in my life. It allowed me to completely revise my preconceptions about modern life in the Western world. It was this book that convinced me to want to do a PhD in European Studies. Americans ".
- Right: "My family story isn't particularly compelling. No ancestor boarded a ship bound for the new continent, had their surname crippled on Ellis Island, or received an amnesty after escaping a foreign dictatorship. my family simply settled in this region, where they lived happily for more than 100 years. I have not lost sight of my origins and the magic of their simplicity, and that is why I have understood that I want to be a historian."
Step 4. Don't go out of your way to look smart
Nobody will measure your IQ. Of course, you shouldn't write using overly colloquial or simplistic expressions, but the content has to speak for itself. Going crazy in your choice of vocabulary will only distract you. In addition, employers and program managers read dozens of cover letters every year, and are not interested in candidates who have gone out of their way to insert a complex word in a place where it makes absolutely no sense.
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Wrong: "Thanks to my minimalist education, I have assiduously believed in hard work and frugality."
Unless you're a Dickensian countess or a comic shoulder character in a Jane Austen book, such a description doesn't work. It would definitely be forced.
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Right: "My family was not well off, but that taught me the importance of hard work and savings, and sometimes they are the only two things a person can afford."
These are expressions that have a certain impact and go straight to the point, without using unnecessary big words.
Step 5. Prove, don't tell
This is one of the most important aspects to put in place to bring out the biography. Many candidates make statements such as "I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience", or "I have gained a new understanding of X". Demonstrating in concrete details is much more effective.
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Wrong: "I learned a lot thanks to my experience as an animator in a summer camp".
This statement says nothing about what you've actually learned, and it's a phrase likely to be found in hundreds of cover letters.
- Right: "Thanks to my experience as an entertainer in a summer camp, I really understand what words like empathy and bonding mean. Now when I see a child having a tantrum, I try to help him without sounding bossy or bossy."
Step 6. Use active verbs
The passive voice is formed from the auxiliary being and the participle of a verb, and usually makes sentences more verbose and less clear. Using active and conjugated verbs in the present tense makes writing seem more lively and interesting.
Consider the difference between the following sentences: "The window was broken by the zombie" and "The zombie broke the window". In the first, the degree of responsibility attributed to the zombie seems much lower than in the second. In fact, the second sentence is very clear: the zombie broke the window, and the people who were in that house have to escape to get to safety
Method 3 of 3: Write a Personal Bio
Step 1. Consider why you are writing
Have you decided to do it to present yourself in front of a particular audience? Is your bio intended to provide a general introduction to anyone who reads it? A presentation written for the Facebook page will be very different from one intended for a personal website.
Step 2. Try to evaluate any space limitations
Some social networks, such as Twitter, limit the length of the bio to a certain number of words or characters. Make sure you use this space to leave some impact.
Step 3. Review the details you want to share
This information varies depending on your target audience. For a strictly personal bio, you can include details like hobbies, personal opinions, and aphorisms. For a bio that is somewhere between "professional" and "completely personal", you might be sharing information that helps you understand who you are, but that won't alienate others.
Step 4. Include your name, your profession and your achievements
As with a professional bio, a personal one should give the reader a clear idea of who you are, what you do and how you do it. Either way, you can have a more informal tone than you would in a professional bio.
Gianna Rossi has a passion for knitting, but she also owns and runs a one-man paper supply company. She went into business more than 25 years ago, and has won numerous business innovation awards (but none for the work. in his spare time, not really, he loves to participate in wine, whiskey and beer tastings
Step 5. Avoid trendy words
These words are so inflated that they have ceased to have a precise meaning for most people. They are too general to convey specific ideas: innovative, expert, creative and so on. Prove what you mean by concrete examples, don't be vague.
Step 6. Use your sense of humor to express yourself
A personal bio is ideal for bonding with the audience through humor. This helps to break the ice between you and the reader, and allows you to get an idea of your identity in a nutshell.
Hillary Clinton's Twitter bio is an example of a short presentation that conveys a lot of information with a touch of humor: "Wife, mother, lawyer, champion of women and children, first lady of Arkansas, first lady of the United States, Senator from the United States, Secretary of State, writer, owner of dogs, icon of styling, fan of trouser suits, destroyer of gender barriers, yet to be defined…"
Advice
- During the drafting process, think back to the goal and audience identified in the first step. This will help guide the writing.
- If you write online, include hyperlinks to information you mention, such as projects you've worked on or a personal blog you've been curating for some time.
