LinkedIn About section: a template that gets read past line three
· 5 min read
The About section is the only place on LinkedIn where you control the narrative in full sentences — and it is gated by a three-line preview: everything after roughly 300 characters hides behind "see more." That single fact dictates the structure. The first three lines must earn the click, and the rest must reward it.
The four-paragraph template
- Hook (first 3 lines, visible before the fold) — the single most interesting true thing about your work: a sharp claim, a number, or a specific problem you solve. Not "Experienced professional with a passion for..."
- Proof (4-6 lines) — two or three achievements with numbers, written in first person. This is the resume summary's longer cousin, with room to breathe.
- Direction (2-3 lines) — what you are building toward and what kind of work or conversation you welcome.
- Keywords + contact (2-3 lines) — a plain "Specialties:" line with your searchable skills, and how to reach you. Unglamorous, and it is what recruiter search indexes.
A worked example
Hook: "Every logistics company has the data to cut delivery costs 10%. Almost none of them look at it. I'm the analyst who looks at it."
Proof: "Over six years in supply chain analytics I've rerouted a 40-store distribution network (12% lower carrier costs), built the demand-forecasting model my last company still runs, and taught three operations teams to read their own dashboards instead of waiting for mine."
Direction: "I'm most useful at companies that have plenty of data and not enough decisions coming out of it. Currently exploring senior analyst and analytics-lead roles in e-commerce and retail logistics."
Keywords: "Specialties: SQL, Python, Tableau, demand forecasting, route optimization, S&OP. Reach me at jane@example.com."
First person, always
Write "I", not your own name in third person — "Jane is a results-driven leader" reads like a press release nobody issued. The About section is the closest LinkedIn gets to a conversation; the resume can be formal, this should sound like you explaining your work to someone worth impressing. Contractions welcome. One line of personality (the marathon habit, the woodworking) is fine at the end; three lines of it displaces proof.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a LinkedIn About section be?
Around 150-250 words — four short paragraphs. LinkedIn allows 2,600 characters, but past 250 words you are burying the proof. The first 300 characters matter most; they show before "see more."
Should the LinkedIn About section be in first person?
Yes. Third-person self-description reads as a press release. "I build demand-forecasting models" is direct and human; "Jane is a visionary data leader" is neither.
What should the first line of my About section say?
The most interesting true thing about your work — a claim, a number, or the problem you solve. It is the only line guaranteed to be read, so never spend it on "Experienced professional with a passion for excellence."