About the About brief and extended bios

Remember the “WIFM”  Write your bio as if it were an advertisement about what you can offer a prospective employer.  Present yourself as a professional with skills first (rather than a student or someone who is only in a process of learning).  Avoid personal information that is not relevant to employment.

Things to Avoid Employers get nervous when you talk about any attribute that could involve discrimination (especially if you imply it’s a hiring asset). So, avoid references to any of the following: Ethnicity Age Gender Sexual orientation Also, avoid talking about yourself or others in slang or other language that could be considered unprofessional or even harassment in the work place—e.g.: Girl Chick Avoid potentially controversial subjects—e.g.: Religious Political... unless you held leadership positons in these areas.

Also Avoid: self-centered language (e.g., “my dream job”). reference to celebrity gossip, fashion tips, wedding obsession, fandom, social media or video game obsessions, or any other activities typically considered to be distracting from the job. references to motherhood, child-rearing, crafts, and domestic interests (these domains are commonly discriminated against in the workplace). anything negative about yourself (e.g., “I’m not an expert, but... “). anything too personal (e.g., “I have two cats and my brother’s in rehab.”).

3 Kinds of Bios  Brief Typically used in social media such as LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, Facebook  Extended typically used on home/about pages)  Long Sometimes used on “About” pages as supplementary background info, but the first info encountered should focus on skills and qualifications in a direct, concise way (e.g., either on the home page or as the first info of a long bio.

Brief Bio  A brief professional bio in a self-promotional web site concisely summarizes the skills and experience you have to offer a prospective employer or client—in one or two sentences.  Typically used in social media such as LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, Facebook  The next examples below are real student work for you to critique and imagine revising. The names have been changed.

 Critique This: John Smith is a student at The University of Tampa majoring in Graphic Design. He has learned how to use the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.  Critique: John looks like a student who only knows computer basics. Critique This

 Better: John Smith is a graphic designer with experience in page layout, image-editing and vector illustration and a focus on strategic problem- solving.  Critique: John now looks like a professional who can produce media with a strategic focus. Better

Extended Bios  Extended bios are usually a little longer but still focus on skills and experience employers can use for profit.  Extended bios are used on “About” pages, home pages, and info pages of web sites.  A rendition of this bio can also be used for your 30-second elevator speech.

 Critique This: Anna Talburt is an advertising and public relations major with a business administration minor at The University of Tampa. Anna has a passion for film and is skilled in communication, media writing, and event planning. She would eventually like to work in public relations in the entertainment industry. She has comopleted multiple internships, ranging from the 2012 presidential campaign to publishing, with focus on social media skills, gaining relationships with residents, and writing about upcoming events in the community.  Critique: Represents Anna as an inexperienced student who is more interested in film and entertainment than PR and could leave her first job soon, when she finds the job she really wants. Also, she needs to use A.P. style (comma before third item). Critique This

 Better: Anna Talburt is an advertising and public relations professional with experience in social media, community relations, media writing and publicity. Her experiences include internship work on the 2012 presidential campaign and in the publishing industry. She is completing a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Business Administration from The University of Tampa and is interested in public relations, film and event planning.  Critique: Anna is now “an advertising and public relations professional,” rather than a student. She concisely states skills and experience that will relate to a prospective job. As a last note, she’s completing a degree and has particular interests, but she keeps those interests broad so that she’s not limiting her job prospects. Better

Long Bio  A long bio can appear on an “About” page of a web site as optional supplementary background material, but the info encounter edfirst should involve skills and qualifications in direct, concise writing (e.g., on a home page or in the intro to a long bio).  Long bios can be difficult to write strategically. They incorporate personal background, but the background should still relate to professional goals, skill and character development.  You’ll want to project both enthusiasm and humility as you keep in mind the “WIFM.”  The purpose of the long bio is for prospective employers to get to know you as a unique person, rather than as merely an asset with skills--they want to know whether they will actually like you and want to work with you every day.

 Critique This: I was born on January 1, 1990, in Montana. I grew up on a farm and was a Girl Scout and Salvation Army volunteer. I always loved writing, animals, and movies. In grade school, I wrote poetry and fiction, as well as a family school newsletter. In high school, I was a cheerleader and worked on the yearbook. I was also class President. Now I am a student in Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Tampa, where I am learning media writing, graphic design, and video production. I also have a minor in Business Administration. I have particular interest in public relations and event planning, and would like to work in the entertainment industry one day.  Critique: This seems to be a list of facts rather than an engaging story. Also, the paragraph is full of overuse of the word “I” (making it sound redundant, and self- centered). The sentence structure also begins redundantly with subject-verb (I was born, I grew up, I loved, I was... ), so the sentence structure needs to be more varied throughout. In marketing, we would call this a list of “features,” when we are really looking for feature, benefits, and brand narrative. Critique This

 Better: As a media writer, and graphic designer, I grew up in snowy Montana winters, with plenty of time indoors to cultivate a love for writing and making art. By age 6, I was creating family newsletters. By second grade I was entering writing contests and dreaming up poetry and fiction. Working on a farm instilled in me a strong work ethic and a sense of responsibility to friends and community. I engaged in activities ranging from Girl Scout to a Salvation Army volunteer and cheerleader. My high school years were highlighted by work on the yearbook and a term as class President. By the time I entered college, I knew where my passions would flourish: in writing, communication, and publishing. As an Advertising and Public Relations major, I developed skills in professional writing, graphic design, and video production, with a focus on strategic problem-solving. A business administration minor provided a strong foundation in marketing and economics, and my internships in publishing and with the 2012 presidential campaign gave me experience in community relations and communication. Today, I am working to develop a career that utilizes these skills and experiences, with particular focus on public relations and event planning.  Critique: This writing is now an engaging story that weaves personal experience into an overall professional profile. The sentence structure is varied. We can see not only the “features” of this person’s life, but also the benefits to an employer—and a story that allows a reader to start to imagine a relationship with this person as a real, multi-dimensional human being. Better

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