The About Section Nobody Reads
Sarah had all the credentials. Ten years in B2B sales. Top performer at two Fortune 500 companies. A track record that would make most recruiters take notice.
But her LinkedIn About section? It read like every other sales professional's profile: "Results-driven sales leader with a proven track record of exceeding quotas. Passionate about building relationships and driving revenue growth."
Generic. Forgettable. The kind of summary that makes eyes glaze over before the second sentence.
The problem wasn't that Sarah lacked a story—it was that she didn't know how to tell it. Her About section was a list of attributes rather than a narrative. And on LinkedIn, where your linkedin about section is often the deciding factor between a connection request and a pass, that distinction matters.
Most professionals approach their About section like a resume bullet point dump. But the profiles that generate real opportunities? They use a storytelling framework that's been working in Hollywood for decades: the 3-act structure.
Why Storytelling Beats Resume-Speak Every Time
Here's what most people get wrong: they think their About section is about credentials. It's not. It's about connection.
When someone lands on your profile, they're asking three subconscious questions:
- Who are you? (Act 1: The Setup)
- Why should I trust you? (Act 2: The Journey)
- What's in it for me? (Act 3: The Invitation)
Answer these questions through story, and you've got their attention. Skip the story and go straight to credentials, and you're just another linkedin summary they'll skim past. The same narrative principles that make your profile about section memorable also apply to your overall positioning strategy.
Act 1: The Setup (Who You Are Now)
Your opening 2-3 sentences are your hook. This is where you establish your present-day identity and signal who this profile is for.
What to Include in Act 1
- Your current role and focus: Not just a job title—what you actually do and for whom.
- The problem you solve: Frame yourself as the solution to a specific pain point.
- Your unique angle: What makes your approach different from everyone else in your field?
Word count recommendation: 50-100 words (about 3-4 sentences)
Example: Before and After
Before (Generic):
"I'm a sales consultant helping B2B companies increase revenue. With over a decade of experience, I specialize in consultative selling and relationship management."
After (Story-Driven):
"I help B2B founders who hate 'selling' build revenue systems that feel authentic. Most sales advice tells you to hustle harder. I teach you to design a process where the right clients come to you—because your positioning and nurture strategy do the heavy lifting."
See the difference? The second version tells you who it's for (B2B founders who hate selling), what problem it solves (feeling pushy), and how the approach differs (pull-based vs. push-based). This is the power of using your linkedin bio strategically.
Act 2: The Journey (How You Got Here)
This is where you build credibility through your origin story. How did you become the person in Act 1? What shaped your perspective?
What to Include in Act 2
- The turning point: What experience changed your approach or perspective?
- Lessons learned: What did you discover that others in your field often miss?
- Your methodology: How do you approach problems differently because of this journey?
Word count recommendation: 150-200 words (about 5-7 sentences)
Example: Before and After
Before (Resume-Style):
"I've worked at companies like Oracle and Salesforce, consistently ranking in the top 10% of sales performers. I've closed deals ranging from $50K to $2M+ and trained over 100 sales professionals."
After (Story-Driven):
"After years of grinding through cold calls and cookie-cutter sales scripts at enterprise tech companies, I hit a wall. The tactics that 'worked'—the aggressive follow-ups, the manufactured urgency—left me feeling like a pushy stereotype. So I rebuilt my entire approach from scratch. I studied how buyers actually make decisions, how trust gets built in complex sales cycles, and what makes some salespeople magnetic while others repel. What I discovered: the best sales don't feel like sales at all. They feel like trusted advisors having valuable conversations."
The second version shows growth. It reveals vulnerability and a turning point that led to a better way. This is how you transform a profile about section into a compelling narrative. Use tools like ANDI to brainstorm different story angles that authentically reflect your journey.
Act 3: The Invitation (How You Help)
Now that you've established who you are and why you're credible, it's time to invite your reader into your world. This is where you get specific about how you work with people.
What to Include in Act 3
- What you offer: Specific services, frameworks, or approaches you use.
- Who you work with: Be clear about your ideal client or collaboration partner.
- The outcome: What changes after someone works with you?
- A clear CTA: What should they do next? Connect? Visit your website? Book a call?
Word count recommendation: 100-150 words (about 4-6 sentences)
Example: Before and After
Before (Vague):
"I'm available for consulting and speaking engagements. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to connect or explore working together."
After (Specific Invitation):
"Today, I work with service-based founders who want to grow without the sleaze. We focus on three areas: positioning that attracts your ideal clients, content that builds trust before the sales call, and nurture systems that convert without heavy lifting. If you're building a business that prioritizes relationships over transactions, let's connect. And if you want to see how AI can help you refine your messaging and strategy, try ANDI—I use it to brainstorm positioning angles and draft client-facing content all the time."
The second version is actionable. It tells you exactly what to expect, who it's for, and how to take the next step. This specificity is what converts profile visitors into meaningful connections. For more on effective CTAs, explore our guide on optimizing your About section.
Common Mistakes That Kill Your About Section
| Mistake | Why It Fails | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Leading with credentials | Feels like bragging; doesn't establish connection | Start with who you help and what problem you solve |
| Using buzzwords | "Results-driven," "passionate," and "innovative" mean nothing | Use specific language: what results? Passionate about what? |
| Skipping the story | Reads like a resume; no emotional connection | Share the journey that shaped your approach |
| No clear CTA | Readers don't know what to do next | End with a specific invitation: connect, book a call, visit a link |
| Too long or too short | Loses attention or lacks substance | Aim for 300-500 words total across all three acts |
Putting It All Together: A Complete Example
Here's how a complete About section looks when you use the 3-act structure:
Act 1 (The Setup):
I help introverted founders build LinkedIn presence without feeling like they're performing. Most LinkedIn advice assumes you love being the center of attention. My approach is for the people who'd rather do great work than shout about it.Act 2 (The Journey):
I spent five years avoiding LinkedIn entirely. As a designer running a small studio, I thought the platform wasn't "for people like me"—too corporate, too self-promotional, too loud. Then I lost a major client and realized I had no network to fall back on. So I forced myself to show up. But instead of mimicking the extroverts, I found a quieter way: writing thoughtful commentary, sharing behind-the-scenes process, connecting one-on-one. It worked. In 18 months, I tripled my client base—without a single cold pitch.Act 3 (The Invitation):
Now I teach other introverts how to build the same kind of magnetic presence. We focus on positioning that reflects your actual personality, content that feels like journaling (not marketing), and relationship systems that don't drain your energy. If you're an introvert who wants LinkedIn to work with your nature instead of against it, let's connect. I also use ANDI to help brainstorm content ideas and refine my tone—so I can stay consistent without burning out.
Total word count: ~240 words. Fits comfortably within the 2,600-character LinkedIn limit. Tells a complete story in under 60 seconds of reading time.
How to Write Your Own 3-Act About Section
Ready to rewrite your about me linkedin section? Here's a step-by-step process:
- Brainstorm your story: What's the turning point in your career? What lesson changed how you work?
- Draft Act 1 first: Who do you help? What problem do you solve? Write 3-4 sentences.
- Then write Act 2: Tell the journey. What shaped your perspective? 5-7 sentences.
- Finish with Act 3: What do you offer? Who is it for? What should they do next? 4-6 sentences.
- Edit ruthlessly: Cut jargon. Remove clichés. Read it aloud—does it sound like you?
- Test keyword placement: Ensure your linkedin profile keywords appear naturally in Acts 1 and 3.
If you're stuck on any step, use ANDI to generate story angle ideas, test different tones, and refine your narrative until it feels authentic. For more profile optimization strategies, check out our headline formulas guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should my LinkedIn About section be?
Aim for 300-500 words (roughly 1,500-2,600 characters). This gives you enough space to tell a complete story without losing your reader's attention. The first 300 characters are especially critical—they appear before the "see more" button on mobile.
Should I write in first person or third person?
First person ("I help...") almost always works better. It's more personal, more authentic, and feels like a conversation rather than a bio. Third person can work for executives or public figures, but for most professionals, first person is the way to go.
Can I use the 3-act structure if I'm early in my career?
Absolutely. Your "journey" doesn't have to span decades. It can be about a realization during an internship, a project that changed your perspective, or a problem you became obsessed with solving. The structure works at any career stage—it's about framing your story, not about the length of your experience.
How often should I update my About section?
Review it every 3-6 months or whenever your focus shifts significantly. Your About section should evolve as you do. If your services, target audience, or approach changes, your story should reflect that. Set a reminder in ANDI to revisit your About section quarterly and keep it aligned with your current positioning.
Your About Section Is Your Storefront
Most people treat their LinkedIn About section like an afterthought—a quick paragraph dashed off between meetings. But it's one of the highest-leverage pieces of real estate on your entire profile.
When someone clicks through to your profile, they're asking: "Should I trust this person?" Your About section answers that question. Not with credentials or buzzwords, but with story.
The 3-act structure—Setup, Journey, Invitation—gives you a proven framework to transform your linkedin about section from forgettable to magnetic. Use it. Test it. Refine it over time.
And if you need help brainstorming story angles, testing different narrative approaches, or refining your tone? That's exactly what ANDI is built for.
Next step: Rewrite your About section using the 3-act framework — Try ANDI Free.
