How to Write a LinkedIn About Section that Recruiters Actually Read (2026)

Most LinkedIn "About" sections are tragic. They are either empty, a copy-paste of the resume, or a wall of text starting with "I am a motivated professional..." In 2026, recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds on a profile. If your About section doesn't hook them in the first 2 lines, you've lost the opportunity.

This guide will teach you how to write a LinkedIn summary that acts as a 24/7 sales pitch for your career. We'll cover the psychology of what recruiters look for, SEO optimization strategies, and provide copy-paste templates for every career stage.

At PrepCareers, we help job seekers tell their story effectively. While your LinkedIn profile builds interest, your resume closes the deal. Make sure your resume lives up to your new profile by using our Free Resume Review Tool.

The "Above the Fold" Rule

LinkedIn truncates your About section after the first ~3 lines (mobile and desktop vary). You have roughly 200-300 characters to make them click "See more."

The Hook Strategy: Don't start with "I am a..." Start with a Hook.

• The Problem Solver: "I help SaaS companies scale from $1M to $10M ARR by fixing their leaky sales funnels."
• The Passionate: "I wrote my first line of code at 12, and I haven't stopped building since."
• The Authority: "10 years. 5 Product Launches. $50M in Revenue Generated."

The Perfect LinkedIn About Structure (The 4-Part Framework)

Use this structure to keep recruiters reading:

Part 1: The Hook (2-3 Sentences)

State your value proposition immediately. Who are you, and what big problem do you solve?

Part 2: The Proof (The "Meat")

This is where you expand on your experience. Don't just list job titles; list impact.

• "Currently leading a team of 10 engineers at Company X."
• "Previously scaled marketing campaigns at Startup Y."
• "My philosophy is simple: Data wins arguments."

Part 3: The Expertise (Keywords)

List your hard skills. This is crucial for LinkedIn SEO.

• "Core Competencies: Product Management, Agile, SQL, Python, Go-to-Market Strategy."
• Need help identifying your keywords? Use our Resume Keywords by Industry Guide.

Part 4: The Call to Action (CTA)

Tell them what to do next.

• "Open to connecting with fellow Product leaders."
• "Reach me at name@email.com."
• "Check out my portfolio at website.com."

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💡 Is Your Pitch Ready for the Interview?

Your LinkedIn About section is essentially your answer to "Tell me about yourself." Once you've written it, practice saying it out loud! Use the PrepCareers Mock Interview Tool to perfect your verbal pitch.

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Templates You Can Steal

Template 1: The "Data-Driven" Professional (Mid-Senior)

"I build products that users love and businesses rely on. With 7+ years in Product Management, I specialize in turning ambiguous problems into clear roadmaps.

Currently, I'm a Senior PM at [Company], where I led the launch of [Product], resulting in [Metric]. Previously, I cut my teeth at [Company], scaling their mobile app to 1M+ users.

My approach is rooted in data but driven by empathy. I believe the best products are built when you listen to the user, not just the stakeholders.

Skills: Product Strategy, A/B Testing, SQL, JIRA, Figma.

Let's talk product: [Email]"

Template 2: The "Career Pivot" (Transitioning)

"From [Old Role] to [New Role]: My journey is defined by [Transferable Skill].

After 5 years in [Old Industry], I realized my true passion lay in [New Field]. I spent the last year mastering [New Skill 1] and [New Skill 2], building projects like [Project Name].

My background in [Old Field] gives me a unique advantage: I understand [Unique Perspective] that most [New Role]s miss.

Tech Stack: [List Skills]

Open to Junior/Associate roles in [City/Remote]."

Pivoting careers? Ensure your resume tells the same story. Read our guide on Career Change Resumes.

Template 3: The "New Grad" (Entry Level)

"Recent CS Graduate with a passion for clean code and complex algorithms.

During my time at [University], I didn't just study theory; I built. My capstone project, [Name], used AI to solve [Problem], winning 1st place at [Hackathon].

I am hungry to learn and ready to contribute from Day 1. I am looking for software engineering roles where I can be mentored by the best.

Languages: Java, Python, JavaScript, React.

Check out my GitHub: [Link]"

New grad? Learn how to ace the interview with our Entry-Level Interview Guide.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Writing in the 3rd Person: "John is a marketing expert..." Stop. It's weird. You wrote it. Use "I".
2. Wall of Text: Use line breaks. Recruiters skim. If they see a block of text 10 lines deep, they skip it.
3. Buzzword Soup: "Synergistic thought leader driving paradigm shifts." This means nothing. Be specific.
4. No Keywords: If you want to be found for "Project Management," you need to say "Project Management."

Also, avoid being passive. While your "About" section is inbound, you should also be doing outbound networking. Once your profile is ready, use our Cold Email Templates to reach out to recruiters directly.

Optimizing for "Recruiter Search"

Recruiters use LinkedIn Recruiter (a paid tool) to find people. They search by:

1. Job Titles (Headline)
2. Skills (Skills Section)
3. Keywords (About Section)

If your About section lacks the right keywords, you won't appear in their search results. Use the same keywords you used for your ATS-optimized resume. Not sure what those are? Scan your resume for free at PrepCareers to find out.

Also, don't forget to Optimize Your LinkedIn Skills Section to maximize your search visibility.

Conclusion

Your LinkedIn About section is your opportunity to control the narrative. Don't leave it blank. Don't make it boring. Make it a story that compels a recruiter to pick up the phone.

Action Steps:

1. Draft your "Hook" (First 2 lines).
2. Bullet point your achievements.
3. Add your "Skills" block for SEO.
4. Copy-paste to LinkedIn.
5. Bonus: Update your resume to match.

Ready to turn those profile views into job offers? Once recruiters start reaching out, you need to be ready to tell your story verbally. Practice your "Tell me about yourself" pitch using our Mock Interview Practice Tool today.