Professional Bios

Being aware of your audience is key to writing business messages. And being aware involves knowing what to say & how to say it so your audience understands your message. Audience awareness will be a major factor throughout ENG 302 because it applies to all business communication.

The first audience you’ll be writing for will be business professionals, including recruiters. Project 1: Professional Bio is your opportunity to present yourself to the business world & persuade the audience to learn more about you. If recruiters are impressed with your Professional Bio chances are they will be contacting you for a resume or an interview.

Before writing your own, you’ll need an understanding of what a Professional Bio is & how it functions. The following articles provide definitions, explanations, & examples of Professional Bios:

“6 Must-Haves for Writing a Compelling Professional Bio,” by Marta Steele.

http://www.people-results.com/6-must-haves-for-writing-compelling-professional-bio/ (Links to an external site.)

“Professional Bio Writing 101,” by the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation

https://www.pullmanfoundation.org/professional-bio-writing-101/#.VXRbw1aXwXI.mailto (Links to an external site.)

 “How to Write a Professional Bio,” by Kenna Griffin

http://www.profkrg.com/how-to-write-a-professional-bio (Links to an external site.)

NOTE: The venue & audience will determine the length of a professional bio. One for a social media profile will be significantly shorter than one for an application to graduate school or an internship.

ASU President Michael Crow’s professional bio is an excellent example of a university leader’s long, formal version for the institution’s website:

https://isearch.asu.edu/profile/66195 (Links to an external site.)

For Discussion:

Part A: After reading the articles on Professional Bios above, find an example of an individual’s Professional Bio from a company’s or a government agency’s website & discuss how it does or doesn’t meet the recommended guidelines. Make sure everyone can access your example (i.e., provide the link or copy/paste the text in your post). Support your comments with specific examples to explain. (Minimum 200 words.)