How to Present Yourself Through Online Channels

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1. Problem

It can be challenging to write in general and especially about yourself. The fact is that the market requires us to have a sharp narrative regarding our profile in order to find a match for a potential opportunity. This doesn’t apply only to employment but also to explore networking opportunities, collaborations & partnerships or to build up our personal brand. This aspect is particularly relevant if you want to work as an entrepreneur, freelancer or create your own company. When you learn to write about yourself it can be also easier to promote a product or service because the mindset is similar.

When starting, it is possible that you struggle to find the right words to write your written presentation. Keep in mind that you will have to make several attempts in an iterative process in order to have a well written version. Additionally, sharing the text with your friends, colleagues and a few contacts from your network, can help you to gather useful feedback that will improve your result.



Finally, this type of work is a constant work in progress. You might have a ready version for a certain purpose but it might be the case that you will have to update it often according to the current need.

2. Solution

Being able to professionally write about yourself is necessary in order to build a Job application, CV, Cover letter, LinkedIn profile or when applying for training or a professional certification.

On LinkedIn profile, a written presentation is usually named as a professional profile or more broadly “the about” section. Most of the application processes or online profiles require a well-written text that can express the best version of yourself, and most importantly, that can engage readers to read more about who you are and what you can offer.

2.1. Before you start


Here are some some suggestions to keep in mind before starting to write.

Play with words
Make it funny and engaging for the reader to be interested in starting and finishing to read your content.
Share your experience
A possible strategy when writing a personal presentation for your CV header can be to include information about your past, present and future. You can start by wrapping up about your background, experience and relevant activities. You can secondly explain where you are currently and lastly you can share with the reader what is your goal, intention or area that you would like to specialize in
End with a call-to-action
It can be particularly relevant to end the text with an invitation for a conversation when you are writing a direct LinkedIn message or your LinkedIn public header section
Share other Information
You can consider different categories when writing about yourself such as: Industries that you have worked with, International experience/ profile, Hobbies, Side projects/volunteering, Key skills/strengths, Personality traits, How are you as a colleague, Academic background, Work experience, Future goals/What are you looking for.


2.2. How to do it

You can write a personal presentation to be used in the following ocasions or applications:

About section on LinkedIn
Header section of your CV
Sending a Direct Message on Linked

2.2.1. About section on LinkedIn

Here you should be able to sum-up your experience in about 5-7 lines.

Start by summing up your background according to the relevance regarding the position you are applying for. This text should be customized to each position. This is particularly applicable when you are looking for a job within the same career track and have former work experience.
%EXAMPLES:2%
Focus on tailoring your experience or skills with the job you are applying for. This is relevant when you are in a career shift or when you don’t have work experience.
%EXAMPLES:3%
You can also opt for describing yourself in a more disruptive and innovate way. Here is a longer example:
%EXAMPLES:1%
Resources you might use when writing:
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Zety
Online resume builder with multiple templates. To use fro free you can download in TXT

2.2.2. Header section of your CV

The examples above are also valid to be used when writing your CV. You can have a longer text on this medium, as long as you stay focused and don't describe things in excess. Don't forget that people analyzing your CV will spend a minimum time and will tend to judge you based on tghe firts lines they read.

Here are some tips you can follow:

Start strong
Use a strong starting sentence to engage readers about your profile. You can use humor or a referral to popular terms used in your role or specific industry. You can also use a catchy phrase that provokes the reader.
Express your passion
What are you passionate about professionally? What is your purpose? Explain with specific arguments including numbers or facts as support. Here you can give information about your background, past experiences and about your current situation.
Skills time
What are you really good at? Write about your skills and competencies.
What are you looking for?
If you are looking for a job, express your areas of interest. If you are recruiting, give more details about how to apply. Focus this topic on future prospects of your career.
Finish as you started: strong!
Utilize action verbs and invite your audience for further contact. Ex: Reach me out, Let’s talk!


2.2.3. Sending a Direct Message on Linked

Direct messages on chat shoud be more sumarized and specialized thand profile and CV introductions. Just choose an acceptable salutation and try to be as concise as possible in referring to you and what you do. Then let the conversation flow.



Don't forget:

Start with a message title
What is the context that you met this person? Ex: Lisbon Career Fair follow-up, Web Summit follow-up, Tech Recruiter opportunity, Volunteering meetup etc. It is important that the other person can know the context of the contact.
Introduce yourself
Mention your name, your role or interest areas and briefly describe yourself. Ex: Hello! My name is Miguel and I am an experienced Project Manager.
Collaborative proposal
Here you will write about why you are contacting this person and give some arguments. Ex: I have found your profile through LinkedIn search and you have an impressive professional background. I would like to specialize in your current role and hear more about your career shift.
Invite for further contact
Here you will suggest a meeting, call or something similar. Ex: I would be grateful to have the opportunity to hear more about your experience. Will you take 15minutes of your busy schedule for a quick call? I have a flexible schedule, Let me know! Thank you :)
Follow-up!
This is probably the most important aspect of LinkedIn direct messages and the most forgotten. It is common that people read your message but forget to reply. If you don’t get a reply in 4-6 days, you can send a LinkedIn follow-up message. Ex: Dear Michael, I am sending this kind reminder regarding my last message. I hope to hear from you soon, thank you! It might take a couple of follow-up messages to hear a reply. If after two or three follow-up messages you don’t have a reply and you see that the person viewed your messages, it might be a good idea to stop because the person is either too busy to reply or not interested

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LinkedIn
Social network that nables you to showcase your your experience, education, work history, past projects, and skills to businesses looking for new talent.


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