The “ABOUT” section of your LinkedIn profile is a vital part of your LinkedIn presence. The ABOUT section on LinkedIn used to be called LinkedIn Summary and it was recently renamed to ABOUT section.

Another very important part of your profile is your Linkedin Headline.  Some online marketing gurus believe that your LinkedIn Headline is one of your most valuable pieces of online real estate. That's why we should all invest the time to learn how to write a good LinkedIn Headline. ​

You have 2,600 characters to give readers a snapshot of who you are. This can total about 450 to 500 words. It can compare to almost one full page in MS Word, using size 12 fonts.

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When looking at the LinkedIn profile on a desktop computer, the first 2-3 lines of the ABOUT section will be visible with a “see more” link.

How do you add more value to the company, or solve problems better than other job candidates?

Your LinkedIn ABOUT section can set you apart from other job seekers on LinkedIn by demonstrating that you understand what employers want — and what you have to offer that meets that need.
 
Address these questions:

• How will your next employer benefit by hiring you? Quantify your results, if your jobs were not big on numbers. Explain the value in terms of numbers, money, and/or percentages.
• Use specific numbers and facts to build credibility. Quantifying your accomplishments is not always about MONEY. You can talk about the number of projects, number of shows, number of clients, number of orders, etc.
• What experience, habits, or system can you offer that makes you a more valuable employee to your next employer?
• What additional skills do you have that set you apart from other candidates with a similar background?

Speak in the first person, not the third person. (“I did such-and-such.”) Write as if you’re speaking to an individual reader. Make it personal. Be sure to emphasize outcomes — as well as what makes you uniquely qualified to do the job you do.
 
Try to find a common thread through your work. Then, once you have a theme, use storytelling principles to write your summary as a narrative. Have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
 
Your LinkedIn ABOUT section can be anywhere from a few sentences up to a few paragraphs. But don’t waste any words — make the most dramatic, powerful, attention-getting statement you can. Don’t use any more words than is necessary, and don’t be overly flowery in your language.

Notice the format:

• In the opening paragraph, draw attention to issues, challenges, or problems faced by your prospective employer.
• In the second and third paragraphs, demonstrate the value you offer to employers by quantifying the accomplishments in your current position (ideally related to the problems outlined in the first paragraph).
• In the fourth paragraph, talk about why you might be open to inquiries (if you are a passive candidate). If you are unemployed, you might state the reason why your most recent position ended (if the company closed, for example) or that you are available immediately. Give the reader information on how to contact you. You can also include any additional contact details in the ABOUT section.

 
The point of the first sentence is to get the prospect to read the second sentence. And the next sentence. And the next.
 
Be conversational and informal in your tone. Use contractions (“you’re” instead of “you are”). Every word counts! And pay attention to grammar and spelling. Make sure there are no mistakes in your profile. Re-read and edit it. Have a colleague, friend, or spouse read it. Copy-and-paste it into a word processing program and run a spell-check on it.
 
You can also use asterisks, dashes, hyphens, and other keyboard characters to format the ABOUT section and make it easier to read.