The following is an excerpt from our guide “Global Guide to Personal Branding for Executives”
While all of your career documents should consistently reinforce your personal brand, the executive bio is your strongest opportunity to focus on your brand. You can think of your executive bio as your marketing brochure. The cover letter is your value proposition and the resume or CV is your product spec- we’ll cover those next.
The executive bio goes beyond just the facts in your resume of CV and presents an opportunity to inject personality into your career story. Your executive bio should provide the reader with a sense of the human being behind it, evoking what it would be like to work with you.
Components of the Executive Bio
BlueSteps recommends an executive bio of 100-150 works. Your bio should be succinct, easy to read, and include captivating and compelling information about your background and expertise. To craft a bio that best reflects your brand, include the following six sections:
In your opening paragraph, you need to outline your current roles and responsibilities in a way that will capture the attention and interest of your audience. Start with a clear branding statement that encapsulates what makes you unique. Be sure to highlight your value proposition, key accomplishments, and expertise throughout this section.
Aside from what you do in your current role, it is important that your audience doesn’t lose sight of what you have accomplished in your previous roles, too. Use this section to explain your past achievements, both inside and outside of the prior organization. Remember, you can also use hyperlinks and supporting data to provide the audience with more information on these. You should integrate statistics and measurable successes throughout.
If you have been recognized in your field of work, by way of awards, honorary degrees, or in alternative ways, this is the section where you can elaborate on them and make sure that they are known to the reader. You can also use this section to include details of any board positions, press interviews, or published works.
Alongside their busy work schedules, many executives volunteer their time for the benefit of worthy causes. This can help to demonstrate leadership qualities, personal strengths, and passions outside of the office environment and can be integral to a successful executive bio.
Like with any career marketing document, it is important to include details of your educational background and qualifications. Be sure to include not only where you went to school, but also your academic honors, certificates, and other work-related training courses.
Once you have provided the reader with your career story, at the end of an executive bio, many executives choose to wrap up with information that will make them more personable, such as mentioning their spouse and/or children. This will highlight to the audience that you have a successful work/life balance. Discussing other hobbies and other leisure activities can have the same effect.
Download the complementary guide “Global Guide to Personal Branding for Executives”.
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