So you have a good resume, perhaps even a decent cover letter that is getting you a few interviews. What information do you give anyone else out there? Imagine the perfect employer checking you out online but not having your resume – what description would they find?

I would venture to say that you have probably not written up a professional bio. If you look at any expert in your field, whether they be a public speaker, author or executive; they all have nice bios describing exactly what they do and not to mention how great they are at it.

Take some time to write a three paragraph text that tells the world who you are, what you do and back everything up with some nice achievements.

Three parts to a bio
The bio can be broken down into three parts: the first part and paragraph is all about who you are, what value you provide to others and what company you work for. This is in essence your personal brand statement, your key attributes, your unique selling points and so forth. Please do not use your job title in your bio as it is not going to do you justice; the goal of this text is to provide more information than any title could ever do.

The second paragraph provides a bit more personal background, such as where you grew up, where went to university and more about your professional experience. Include any bits that you think can strike up a common ground with the reader, without being too informal obviously. (You being the treasurer of the local Rotary club could be of interest, you being a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins perhaps not so interesting.)

The third and final paragraph is there to provide evidence to your statements. Try to drop in as many household names as you can (companies and people), quantify and mention your major accomplishments. Instead of saying “John met his sales targets”, try “John was 113% on target for sales”.

Start using it
When you have finished your bio, test it on your focus group of friends, family and work mates. If they like it, go ahead and start using it. You will want to apply the exact same bio across all your online presence, including LinkedIn, Facebook, your personal website or blog.

Remember that the bio can be used for a host of different future purposes. Whenever you are invited to speak somewhere, make sure to send your bio first so the audience can familiarize themselves with you. Same goes for any training or presentation you deliver. In case you write reports, e-books or other professional documents – always attach your new bio.