How to Write and Use An Executive Brand Biography

My c-suite and senior-level executive clients often ask me why they need an executive brand biography and how to use it.

A biography is a storytelling tool that breathes life into an otherwise flat rehash of your resume. It’s an opportunity to reinforce your brand through storytelling, in a way that’s more difficult to accomplish in a resume.

What a Career Brand Biography Does Better Than a Resume

Showcases your leadership and management acumen through softer skills and “good fit” attributes. And links them to your value proposition.
Personalizes your C-A-Rs stories and uses them to reinforce your brand attributes and key strengths.
Generates chemistry around how you use your key personal attributes, passions, strengths, and motivated skills to benefit employers.
Helps employers connect with you and envision you on the job, having a positive impact.

Take a look at a fictionalized biography I created for an actual client — a senior executive in real estate acquisitions and business development.

When I create LinkedIn profiles for clients, I use pieces from both their resumes and bios. I mix it up a bit to distinguish profiles from each other, and provide additional info in each. If you look at my LinkedIn profile, you’ll see that the content is not duplicated.

4 Ways To Use Your Executive Brand Biography

1. Re-purpose “brand bites”, or important points, from your bio to use elsewhere. Pop a paragraph or two into email messages/cover letter. Use some of it for your LinkedIn profile About section.

2. Bios are essential introductions for speaking engagements. When making a presentation or giving a speech, give your bio ahead of time to whomever will be introducing you.

3. Provide your bio for corporate board or association work, to give those assessing you a more personal 360 of your value.

4. Use your bio for the About page on your employer’s website, or your own personal website.

Get My Worksheet for Executive Biography Development

My biography worksheet is the actual proprietary document I use with my clients. This worksheet has helped me create robust, vibrant biographies that help my clients land jobs they covet and deserve.

In all, you’ll get 10 pages of DIY tips and advice to help you tell your story and create your biography.

Along with the worksheet itself, here’s some of the other information included:

What a biography does better than a resume.
Several ways to propel your bio from bland to brand-solid.
10 ways to use your biography.
When to use your bio INSTEAD of your resume.

Get my full biography worksheet (with all the extras noted above) . . . OR the complete package of my 4 proprietary executive job search worksheets.

Along with the Biography Worksheet, the complete worksheet package includes my 3 other proprietary worksheets and so much more:

Personal Branding Worksheet
Job Search Targeting & Research Worksheet
Career History Worksheet
Each worksheet above contains numerous resources and DIY tips and strategies to help you land the job you want.