Your LinkedIn summary introduces you to your entire LinkedIn community including current and former colleagues, potential employers, and family and friends. LinkedIn provides a platform to share what makes your accomplishments and relevant skills unique, and the summary is the perfect place to showcase this from the get-go.
Displayed on your profile under the “About” header, you can tailor your summary to your particular niche in your industry. The purpose of your LinkedIn summary is to:
- Demonstrate your passion for a niche in your field
- Emphasize the unique value you bring to your role
- Give your reader an idea of who you are as a professional
Essentially, you are communicating your professional brand in your LinkedIn summary.
The format for your LinkedIn summary is flexible, so it’s up to you how you’d like to present yourself. First person pronouns are recommended, and you’re welcome to include an invitation to others to connect with you at the end.
You can get more detailed advice about developing your professional brand in our Professional brand guide and a closer look at LinkedIn in our LinkedIn profile guide.
Expert advice
“Look at it [your summary] as an overview/introduction to the rest of the information in your LinkedIn or resume. Tell the reader a bit of everything in a short, concise, and powerful manner before they get into the meat of your profile. Some skills, some education, some experience, but also your goals and purpose.”
– Gakeema J., career expert at edX
LinkedIn summary samples
Entry-level:
Product specialist leveraging a background in customer service to deliver client satisfaction through leadership and technical know-how. Often tagged by management to train new employees and lead initiatives to drive sales and customer satisfaction. Earned a certificate in [Program] from the [School Name] to hone skills in Agile frameworks and product management lifecycles, among others. Collaborated on projects, with one being to overcome obstacles and deliver development work to a client. Enjoys cross-functional group efforts to meet goals and over-deliver on client expectations.
Mid-level:
I’m a product manager able to leverage a background in customer service to deliver client satisfaction through leadership and technical know-how. Often tagged by management to train new employees and lead initiatives to drive sales and customer satisfaction. Enjoy coordinating group efforts to meet goals and over-deliver on client expectations.
Qualifications include a [MBA or program title] from [University] and [certificate] in [program name] from the [University].
I bring the following to every project:
- Problem-solving skills and perseverance
- Experience in leadership roles, having managed dozens of staff and projects
- Dedication to teamwork and flexible collaboration;
- Foundational knowledge in Agile frameworks
Eager to connect with you to learn more about what I can do for your organization.
Senior-level:
Digital marketing manager with 5+ years of experience. Strong leadership acumen with proven skills in cross-functional collaboration to achieve goals in both startup and corporate environments. Enthusiastic team lead with a passion for marketing, mentorship, and project management. Planned and orchestrated a social media strategy for a local client, resulting in a 25% increase in website traffic. Excited to bring a solid foundation in designing and delivering targeted campaigns across email, web, and social channels.
Additional resources
Your LinkedIn summary is a great place to let your professional brand shine and kick-start many networking opportunities.
Check out our Professional brand guide, LinkedIn profile guide, and Networking guide for more in-depth information about similar topics.
Curious about what LinkedIn summaries look like in other related industries? Check out these samples:
