Things “Not” to include in your online bio
January 24, 2012 
12 Comments
Stop saying you’re innovative—and/or unique!
When I read online biographies about communicators, I start banging my head against the wall.
Here’s an example:
FaBio Madeup is the senior financially concentrated marketing professional assistant to the assistant vice president in the public relations department for Long Name Company Incorporated in Big Town, IL. She also serves as governing co-director of the social media rules foundation. Her innovative and unique leadership in the field has revolutionized the world of health care communications. She graduated with Very High Honors from Random University. She has won awards from Who Cares.com and I’m The Best Committee. In other words, she is just the most amazing, most talented, perfect health care communicator in the western hemisphere (if not the world).
Sound familiar?
Here are five things not to include in your professional online biography:
A job title longer than two words
Are two or more words really necessary in describing your job? I’m overwhelmed by the amount of superlative descriptions from communicators to describe their title. They make me feel as if I’m in the presence of royalty. However, instead of “Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of the House of Windsor, Duke of Cambridge,” I bow down to “senior financially concentrated marketing professional assistant to the vice president in the public relations department for…”
The words “innovative” or “unique”
Many communicators describe themselves as “innovative” or “unique.” But this is meaningless. Just like a snow flake, every communicator is “unique” because no two people are the same. All communicators are “innovative” because their jobs constantly involve thinking up new ideas. A really “unique” and “innovative” communicator wouldn’t write a bio.
Stop the revolution
Many communicators “revolutionize” their niches in communications. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “revolutionize” means to “change fundamentally or completely.” Unless a communicator has suddenly trained real birds to deliver tweets, “revolutionize” isn’t the right verb to describe what communicators do.
Listing accomplishments
Communicators shouldn’t list all of their awards, especially if most of them are unknown. Even though most bios are written in the third person, we all know you wrote it yourself—so don’t be arrogant. Unless, of course, you were recently voted as the “Empress of the Communication Kingdom,” we don’t really care about your accolades.
Being awkward, professionally and personally
Little snippets of personal information can add humor and personality to an online bio. But, be careful when you transition from your professional to personal life. Don’t go straight from “FaBio leads thought-provoking and challenging seminars on the use of social media in contemporary communication departments” to “FaBio enjoys watching turtles swim through the river. She loves eating red licorice and roller skating (especially at the same time).” One minute, she’s a great leader, but then she turns into a normal (?) human being, with likes and dislikes. Cue the head banging
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LOL. Cute – and it makes the point. Good article!
Wow, how things change. I wouldn’t know this stuff if I didn’t read the blog. Thanks RB.
Amen and how true. Whatever happened to “KISS”?
Wow! Makes me what to turn on the shredder and run it wide open!!
don’t diss red licorice
Susan Critelli recently posted..Twitter Tip #6 – Use Twitter to Direct Traffic
So I take it FaBio Madeup is a secretary. Not that there is anything wrong with being a secretary, she should have just said so, kind of like the article suggests.
Great imagination.
Gary Gile recently posted..Reaching Out
I was the roller skating Queen when my kids were in Elementary School!! I Won All the races but I would “NEVER” put that in a Resume.
Were is people’s common sence anymore?
Although it’s a great way for employer’s to weed out people who put stupid stuff in their resumes!!!
Another Great Article!!
When I was a recruiter, I once received a resume from a man in his 50′s, who proudly included his achievement of Eagle Scout rank about 35 years previously. Now, Eagle Scout is a very fine thing and represents substantial effort on a boy’s part. But, I was left with the impression that this man didn’t believe he had accomplished anything else worth mentioning since then.
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Another thing people should stop saying on resumes/online bios is how “hard-working” they are. EVERYBODY says that about themselves! Good article, as always!
The thing many people do not do is to read their CV / resume as if THEY were the person receiving that CV.
One of my biggest pet hates is when someone states in their hobbies and interests ‘socialising with family and friends’!
Firstly it is so bland, I think most people socialise with family and friends. Also to many it is a euphemism for going out and partying! Leave it off your CV please.
Blah, Blah, Blah. Keep it simple. Good article.
Thanks for the humorous spin, as you usually deliver. Great laugh, and the tips are great, too. Sadly, it seems there are no right words to use anymore.