The Executive Bio: 5 Tips to Getting Started

So, you’re attempting to write your own executive bio. First and foremost, remember the executive bio is not a resume. However, this bio must discuss your strong leadership abilities. This includes professional accomplishments and any contributions that shed light on your ability to lead others. For example, if you led the company into driving a huge increase in profit for the last year, you could give some general numbers around this and what you did to achieve this feat.

Here are 5 things to keep in mind:

1. List your responsibilities as an executive in your firm: Here you would list your job tasks. If you have won any awards, list them and perhaps what you accomplished to receive such an honor.
2. Outline your education, college, special training, and certifications: Don’t just list them. Make them come alive by engaging the reader.
3. Use third person narrative when writing the executive bio: Since this bio may go onto a company website, be sure it is written in the third person. Also, make sure you include links to accomplishments. For example, you were a keynote speaker at a conference, write the name of the conference and include a link to the conference website.
4. Ask yourself — as an executive, how have you helped mankind? This sounds a little weird, but being an executive isn’t all you do. Think in terms of being a humanitarian within the executive title. Perhaps you have made the company more sustainable, or you created an event to feed the homeless that the company participates in.
5. Include some personal details: This way, the reader feels that they know you. For example, let’s say you run marathons. Include any small details that would make the reader paint a mental picture about you; for example, maybe you and your spouse love to run the Boston Marathon. This immediately engages the reader and helps them learn more about you as a person as opposed to just a candidate for a job.

Remember, the personal details come at the end. Keep them short and not too personal. Most of all, be sure to engage the reader. The executive bio should be written like you are telling a story about yourself and your interesting career.

Need some help writing your executive bio? Email us at hello@wewritebios.com or call us at 818.488.1543.