Professional Biography for Faculty, Staff, and Administrators
Think of a professional biography as an advertisement for yourself, keep it brief, relevant, and engaging. Audiences are more likely to read a shorter and more relevant bio than longer, drawn-out paragraphs. Ideally, five to ten sentences are best.
- Start with your full name.
- Explain what you do and how you do it well. Also include some information about your early life. It's important to get your reader's attention quickly here.
- Describe a core professional belief or value. Community members, parents, and readers want to know that you truly care about your work.
- List relevant employment experiences and successes. You've got your reader's attention - now it's time to prove that you are unique and exemplary in your field. Be specific.
- Include certifications, credentials, training, awards, or other practical experiences.
- Add your relevant degrees and schools. It's good to leave your audience with a sense of your educational accomplishments.
- You can end with a bit of humor, but keep it short.
Write your professional biography in third person, as if you are writing about someone else.
