Comments on: #FridayFact: The Best Bio Isn’t About You

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 00:26:29 +0000

The title of this post initially threw me off, but after reading it began to make sense. While reading, I immediately began to recall all of the times throughout the process of planning my wedding that I have left a vendor’s website because I couldn’t find any information about what their business could offer me as a customer. Plenty of them talk about their previous experiences and highlight their comments from their previous customers, but they do not explain what they have to offer to potential customers. Then, I began to think about how I would apply this to myself and my personal bio, especially since I have never had to write something like this before. I generally have a hard time writing and talking about myself, but I feel that with the help of these tips this process will be made easier.

By: Zachary Cohen

Zachary Cohen — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 15:50:09 +0000

I thought this article was pretty interesting. I very much agree with the premise that your about page isn’t about you, but that it’s about the person reading your about page. Any time that a person writes anything about themself, it’s important that they make what they’re saying about themself relevant to the person reading it. My biggest disagreement with the article was their viewpoint on adding a picture of yourself. It varies from scenario to scenario, but I think typically, adding a picture of yourself on to anything that is going to people who haven’t met you yet is a risky move. The article says the a photo gives the reader a sense of who you are, but it could just as easily give them the wrong sense of who you really are.

By: Katie

Katie — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 21:34:08 +0000

I liked this article–a lot of ideas that swirled around in my head that I wanted to convey in my professional bio where written down in explainable terms. I think that the suggestion that you’re writing to an audience it extremely important. The language you use helps convey personality traits that would otherwise be indescribable on paper. I personally find that the voice of the person writing is what draws me in way more often than the content of what they’re saying does. In selling who you are to a person reading a computer screen, this is crucial.

By: Cassie Bienert

Cassie Bienert — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 22:38:55 +0000

I have never written a professional Bio before but I did use this article to revise my first draft. I specifically edited it to add more personal details so that my readers would be able to get to know me and so that my bio has a more personable tone. In one of the articles in the class page about how to write a professional bio, it says to include extracurriculars, events, and background stories in your bio. This is a great way to add a “personality” to your bio but I think you should stick to a theme. You should include activities and events that are relevant to your audience – similar to how you would highlight skills and experience relevant to a specific job on a resume.

Regarding the picture. I know it should be professional but what do you think about adding a little creativity to it? I know in veterinarians’ bios, they are usually posing with a cute animal. How do you balance professionalism and personality? The picture is a good way to draw in readers and make them remember you.

By: Mariel Jastrebsky

Mariel Jastrebsky — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 01:44:13 +0000

I agree with the statement about having something unique and vague because I’ve never thought of that before. If you’re saying that you like outdoor activities that opens a gateway for more discussion on the types of things you do outside, and it’s also memorable because the information you’re presenting isn’t boring.

By: Mariel Jastrebsky

Mariel Jastrebsky — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 01:41:42 +0000

I liked the article because it made me re-think my professional bio page. When they talked about how a professional bio is not all about you, it’s about marketing the skills you have to show what you can do for the company. I didn’t realize that part, and it made me think about how to make my writing less boring and more interesting so that people will be inclined to read it. Also potential employers will be looking at your bio to see what you can offer them.

By: Christian Arroz

Christian Arroz — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 00:34:09 +0000

I believe a huge part of connecting with others through a professional bio should be the traits and activities you choose to disclose. I agree with Jeremy that this piece of literature should impose a lasting impression on the reader. The perfect level of vagueness can cause a connection. For example, stating interest in a particular genre of shows on Netflix can spark a conversation and expose knowledge on a subject not many others may know about. Relatable, but, unique is the impression that sticks to me as a reader the most.

By: Khang Lieu

Khang Lieu — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 00:01:50 +0000

I’ve always thought that an about me page, or a personal bio, was just for telling others who you are. But I’ve never thought about how important it is to also have a direction in your personal bio, to convince them something about yourself or just in general. Most professional bios I’ve seen were straight forward and plain, and pretty boring now that I think about it. In the article linked, the writer recommended writing your bio in your own voice, and to be yourself. I’ve never seen the importance of having a bio until now, and the article has some great tips to help me fix up my professional bio.

By: Josh Detwiler

Josh Detwiler — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 21:22:07 +0000

I definitely think about Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” from reading this. It’s about audience, even when we’re pitching ourselves. Nobody wants to hear a stream of personal facts if they’re irrelevant to what that person is wanting to hear. Even when pitching ourselves, it’s about finding what the other person wants to know about us. Employers are seeking a certain employee, and clients are seeking a certain service or business. Like the recruiter analyzing resumes, “we only move toward what moves us” (Carnegie 36).

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 20:50:40 +0000

I think that this is an interesting perspective on the Bio that I hadn’t really considered before, but it makes perfect sense once you think about it. If a Bio was just for the person writing it then most people wouldn’t bother having bios about themselves, but of course the real purpose is to sell yourself in some way. The opinion of the person reading it could be important, because it’s likely the first way outsiders would familiarize themselves with you or your company, and creating a favorable first impression is obviously very important. Reading the post makes me think that a bio in real life is more important than I previously thought.