First, second, or third person
Always write your biography in the third person. That is, refer to
yourself by your name or she/he as appropriate. It sounds more
professional as it appears that a third party wrote the text. For
example, "Alexandra has been featured in the New York Times,
Forbes, Newsweek, and Time magazines
Business in brief
Not only do readers want to know what you do, but also they want to
know who you work with – because they might want to work with
you! A professional biography should include a sentence or two
about your business niche (or niches) as well as the types of clients
you serve. A modified version of your 30-second elevator pitch
might be perfect
And the winner is
Make sure that you include a list of awards that you have received
Readers are interested in knowing about your talents and the
organizations that recognize you for them
Organizations
Include names of the organizations, clubs, or associations to which
you belong. A reader’s interest might be highlighted at seeing that
you belong to the same alumni association or professional
business group. Again, these connections might possibly lead to
some interesting and exciting business opportunities
Certifications and designations
Include any professional certifications or designations you hold. Make sure you write out
their names in full, rather than use abbreviations. Not everyone might know that CMA
stands for Certified Management Accountant. And, perhaps, in a different discipline, it
might represent something else – like a Certified Materials Analyst. If you no longer hold a
particular designation, but it has played a major role in who you are and what you do, don’t
hesitate to make a reference to it. For example, "Ann is a former Certified Data Processor
and spent the last decade as an adjunct faculty member teaching higher mathematics at
the University of Colorado, Boulder." Don’t include abbreviations of college degrees, like
MBAs as it looks unprofessional. The only exception to this would be for a Ph.D
designation
Published
Have you written any articles, books, e-courses or e-books? Self-published or not, your
works add to your level of professionalism and credibility. Showcase them in your
biography and you might earn additional royalties in terms of new clients or other
opportunities
Did I mention the media
Have you been a guest on talk radio or television? Were you or your business featured or
even mentioned in a newspaper article? If so, readers want to know. Again, these types of
"mentions" add to your credibility and presence
Call me any time
People who want to know about you will read your biography for just that reason. And, if it’s
compelling, rich, and includes the information they’re interested, in, they’ll want to contact
you. Include complete contact information like your title (if any), name, address, telephone,
fax, email, and website address. Make it easy to find this information by including it in the
last paragraph of your professional overview
Write, rewrite, and do it again
After you have written your biography, edit, edit, and edit again. You may need to do a
dozen or so revisions before you get it just right. Eliminate extra words, use descriptive
words, keep the sentences short but varied in length, and write in the third person. Ask
some friends to provide input as well. Make sure to revise your biography regularly to keep
it up-to-date and refreshed
