What to Put in Your LinkedIn About Section When You
The First 2 Lines Rule
LinkedIn displays the first 2 lines of your About section without requiring the viewer to click "show more." Those first 2 lines are your only chance to create enough interest for a recruiter to keep reading.
Here's what typically happens:
Recruiter clicks your profile. About section loads. They read the first 2 lines in 3 seconds. If those lines don't signal relevance to the role they're hiring for, they leave.
This is brutal but true. Your About section could be brilliant, but if the first 2 lines are weak, no one reads the rest.
The 3-Part About Formula
Write your About section with this structure:
Part 1: Role Target (12-15 words) - What role are you seeking? What type of role matters to you?
Part 2: Proof (40-60 words) - What's the most relevant outcome or experience that proves you can do this role?
Part 3: Ask (15-20 words) - What are you looking for in your next opportunity?
Here's a template:
"I'm a [role target] seeking [type of role/company] at [stage/size/type].
Background: [quantified outcome]. Before that, [second relevant outcome]. I [specific strength or domain] and I'm looking for roles where I can [what you want to do]."
The formula uses plain language, leads with specifics, and tells recruiters exactly who you are and what you want.
Why This Works
Recruiters scan for three things in an About section:
1. Role clarity - Are you a PM or a marketer? Be unmistakable.
2. Proof of relevance - What outcome shows you can do the role you're seeking? Numbers matter. "Scaled product to 50M users" is better than "drove growth."
3. Clear intent - Are you actually looking for this role or are you open to anything? Clarity increases response rate.
If your About section delivers all three in the first 2 sentences, recruiters keep reading and are more likely to reach out.
Before/After Example 1: Product Manager (SaaS)
Bad About Section:
"I'm a strategic thinker with a background in product management and a passion for solving customer problems. I have 6 years of experience in technology and I'm always learning. I'm interested in product leadership roles and I believe great products start with understanding user needs. In my free time, I enjoy reading about startup culture and mentoring junior PMs."
Why this doesn't work: Generic. Uses motivational language. No specific outcome. No clarity on what role you want. A recruiter reads this and learns nothing actionable.
Good About Section:
"Senior Product Manager seeking my next role in B2B SaaS. 6 years at Stripe and Figma, where I shipped 30+ features and grew user base from 50k to 2M across payments and design collaboration products.
I specialize in SaaS product strategy, user acquisition, and building for developer platforms. I'm looking for roles where I can own product roadmap end-to-end and directly impact company metrics."
Why this works: Role target is crystal clear (Senior PM, B2B SaaS). Proof is specific (6 years, recognizable companies, quantified outcomes: 30+ features, 50k to 2M users). Intent is clear (want ownership of roadmap and impact).
A recruiter reading this immediately knows: you're mid-level or senior, you have scale company experience, you've shipped products, and you're serious about product roles.
Before/After Example 2: Account Executive (Enterprise Sales)
Bad About Section:
"Driven sales professional with a track record of success in technology. I'm passionate about building relationships and delivering value to enterprise clients. Looking for opportunities to grow my sales career and work with a dynamic team. Strong communicator, natural leader, and results-oriented."
Why this doesn't work: Generic sales language that applies to 10,000 profiles. "Driven," "passionate," "track record of success" are empty. No numbers. No specific outcome. Could be inside sales, outside sales, self-serve, SMB, enterprise. Too vague.
Good About Section:
"Account Executive seeking my next enterprise sales role. 4 years at Twilio selling communications APIs to 200+ enterprise customers in financial services, logistics, and healthcare. Consistently 120%+ quota achievement.
I specialize in enterprise sales motion: 6-month cycles, technical procurement, building champion relationships with C-level. I'm looking for roles where I can own large enterprise accounts and build long-term customer partnerships."
Why this works: Role target is explicit (AE, enterprise sales). Proof is specific (4 years, Twilio (recognizable), 200+ customers, industry verticals, quota data). Intent is clear (want large enterprise accounts and partnership focus).
A recruiter now knows: you have enterprise experience, you know the sales motion (long cycles, technical), you've hit quota, and you're serious about enterprise sales, not SMB or self-serve.
Before/After Example 3: Marketing Manager (B2B SaaS)
Bad About Section:
"Marketing professional with 5 years of experience driving growth through digital marketing and brand strategy. I'm excited about marketing in the tech space and I love collaborating with cross-functional teams. Open to marketing roles and eager to contribute to a forward-thinking company. Let's connect!"
Why this doesn't work: "Marketing professional" is vague. "Growth through digital marketing" could be paid ads, content, social, or product marketing. No outcome. "Forward-thinking company" is meaningless. No clarity on what type of marketing.
Good About Section:
"Product Marketing Manager seeking my next role in B2B SaaS. 5 years at HubSpot and Notion managing product launches and go-to-market strategy for enterprise segments. Led 8 product launches that drove $12M+ in new revenue.
I specialize in go-to-market strategy, sales enablement, and positioning. I'm looking for roles where I can own the product launch motion and directly impact sales and customer acquisition."
Why this works: Role target is specific (PMM, B2B SaaS). Proof is quantified (5 years, recognizable companies, 8 launches, $12M revenue impact). Intent is specific (want GTM ownership and launch focus).
A recruiter now knows: you're product marketing focused (not demand gen or content), you have launch experience, you can impact revenue, and you're looking for roles with clear GTM ownership.
Common Mistakes in About Sections
Mistake 1: Leading with Personal Motivation
Bad: "I'm passionate about helping companies solve problems through technology."
This tells a recruiter nothing about your skills, experience, or what role you want. Passion is assumed. Skip it.
Better: "I'm a Product Manager seeking my next role in fintech."
This tells a recruiter your role and your target industry in one sentence.
Mistake 2: Burying Your Target Role
Bad: "I have 8 years of experience in tech, and I've worked on both strategy and execution across various product lines. I'm interested in several types of roles and I'm open to new opportunities."
This profile is unfocused. A recruiter doesn't know if you want PM, operations, strategy, or something else.
Better: "Senior Product Manager seeking my next role in B2B fintech."
One sentence. Clear role. Clear industry. Recruiter immediately knows if you're a fit.
Mistake 3: Using Clichés Instead of Outcomes
Bad: "Results-driven professional who loves solving problems and driving innovation."
Every third LinkedIn profile says this. It's meaningless.
Better: "Led product team that scaled marketplace GMV from $0 to $50M in 3 years."
Specific. Quantified. Tells a recruiter what you can deliver.
Mistake 4: Vague Proof
Bad: "I've worked on several successful product initiatives and have strong cross-functional relationships."
Vague. Unmeasurable. Doesn't prove anything.
Better: "Shipped 20+ features to mobile app (100M+ users) and improved retention from 25% to 42% month-over-month."
Specific. Quantified. Demonstrates impact.
Mistake 5: Unclear Intent
Bad: "I'm open to roles in product, marketing, or operations at startups or large companies."
Too broad. Recruiters don't know if you're serious about any particular path.
Better: "I'm looking for PM roles at Series B-D startups in the healthcare SaaS space."
Clear. Focused. Recruiter knows exactly what to source for.
The Role of About in Your Story Pillar
Your About section is the core of Your Story pillar. It works best when aligned with your headline and role descriptions.
If your headline says "Open to Opportunities" but your About says "Senior PM seeking PM roles," recruiters notice the mixed signal.
If your headline says "Senior Product Manager | SaaS" and your About starts with "I'm a strategic thinker," they don't align.
The strongest profiles use consistent language across:
- Headline: States your role and context
- About (first 2 lines): Restates role + proof + intent
- Current role description: Shows you doing that role now
When all three align, recruiters trust you're serious.
The About Section Length
Your full About section can be longer than 2 lines (and it should be). After you nail the first 2 lines with the 3-part formula, you can add:
- A paragraph on your specializations or strengths
- A paragraph on what you're looking for in your next role
- Your contact info or link to your website
- A call to action
But nothing changes the weight of the first 2 lines. Get those right and the rest is supporting detail.
Quick About Section Audit
Answer these questions about your current About section:
1. Is your role target explicit in the first sentence? (PM, marketer, engineer, etc.)
2. Do you state your target industry or company type in the first 2 lines? (SaaS, startup, enterprise, etc.)
3. Is there a quantified outcome in your first 2 lines? (Numbers, scope, impact)
4. Is your intent clear? (What type of role are you seeking?)
5. Could a recruiter understand who you are and what you want in 3 seconds?
If you can't answer "yes" to all 5, rewrite your first 2 lines using the 3-part formula.
The Complete Story Approach
Recruiters don't just read your About section. They scan your entire profile looking for alignment:
- Your First Impression (headline, photo, banner) signals you're serious
- Your Story (About, current role, experience) backs up your role target with proof
- Your Proof (recommendations, featured work) validates what you claim
- Your Visibility (recent activity, engagement) shows you're actively job searching
If your About section is strong but your headline is vague, the effect is weakened. If your About is strong but you have no recent recommendations, recruiters assume you're not actively seeking.
All 4 pillars need to work together.