cook, then you are off to a good start, although you will need more education and training. If the only appliances you use are your toaster oven and pressure cooker, you have a way to go in amassing skills. It’s still possible, but the journey will be of a greater distance.
Want to climb the corporate ladder? You need to identify what skills you already have that make you the ideal candidate.
Want to start a podcast? What from your background will make for good content?
Want to grow your business or start a side hustle? Do you have the sales, marketing, or customer service chops to leverage to help you succeed?
Writing your biography will remind you of what you have done and what your capabilities are.
Your Biography
A bio is a document which runs anywhere from a few lines, to a couple paragraphs, to a page in length. This is where you share your accomplishments, experience, and expertise, along with your strengths and values. Unlike a résumé, it’s in narrative form and should be written in your tone and style, showing some personality along with your professional background. It’s the public’s first impression of you. And it’s a good way to remind yourself of all you have done and what you want to achieve.
You Are Here
Most people find writing their bio extremely challenging. I know writers who have literally spent hours upon hours writing and rewriting their biographies. Don’t do that. Yes, you want something good, but you don’t want to derail your road trip prep by getting stuck in Chapter 2.
Remember, you can revise your biography at any time. As you aspire toward your goals, you will likely need your bio for your business, website or blog, byline, query, etc. However, for the purposes of your road trip, don’t get stuck on the words. Do your best to capture who you are now.
To assist you, I have some simple tricks to make this process easier.
Go to a Networking Event
Whether it’s a breakfast mixer or evening event, networking schmooze-fests have the sole purpose of encouraging their attendees to meet a lot of people in a short period of time. Think of it as speed-dating with professional interest. Come to think of it, some cities even do speed-networking events. That’s even better.
When you’ve spent an hour or so introducing yourself to a bunch of new people, your background will be in easy-recall mode. Write notes as soon as feasible after the networking experience. Jot down the highlights or repeat your introduction to yourself via voice memo.
Ask Friends
Stumped as to which of your characteristics and experiences stand out? Ask your friends and peers. People you know and trust will offer a unique, unbiased perspective. Make sure your questions are open-ended.
For instance, ask:
•Do you remember your first impression of me?
•How would you describe me to someone else?
•What was your favorite/funniest/most-serious business/client/project experience with me?
Give people the opportunity to talk about you to you. They will definitely come up with stories that didn’t occur to you. And they may even want you to return the favor and help with their own bio.
Research Yourself
If you do no other prep for writing your bio, try this.
You likely have several versions of your résumé from over the years floating around. You may even have written a bio for your blog, company website, or LinkedIn.
Gather any and every version of your bio and résumé that exists. Search for old versions in your filing cabinet, on your computer, or online. Print out any computer documents or screenshots. Once you have everything together, read them.
Done? Awesome. Now put them away.
I want you to start with a clean slate. You can double-check the dates later. This research will help you paint a picture of the complete current version of you.
Road Trip Exercise 2A: Biography Highlights
Go to the next page in your dedicated notebook or document, and title it, “Current Bio.” Or use the worksheet in the back of the book.
Fill in the Following:
Employment History. Put an asterisk next to any career highlights. We want to pinpoint any outstanding work experience.
Education, Organizations, and Certifications. Note any leadership roles and local groups, whether or not they relate to work.
Successes. List any awards as well as your proudest accomplishments.
Strengths. Strengths need to go beyond what makes you good at your job. Also note what makes you a good friend/spouse/boss/employee/parent/child/person.
Challenges. You hate when they ask the “weakness” question at job interviews. Here’s your chance to change the language. What was your greatest challenge at work, and how did you prevail?
Skills. Can you bake a soufflé without it falling? Are you able to recall every book you’ve ever read? Can you do yoga on a standup paddleboard? These may sound like cooking, reading, and athletic skills, but I think these show patience, memory, and balance. When listing your skills, think outside the box.
Personal Details or Anecdotal Information. This is where you can list any cool stories that didn’t make it into the previous categories.
You are probably thinking this is too much information. And it is a lot. But it’s better to have too many details than too few. You have more to work with that way.
Road Trip Exercise 2B: Current Biography
Take the information you charted out and turn the high points into a bio written in the third person. For professional reasons, it’s good to have short (two- to three-line), medium (two- to three-paragraphs), and long (one page) versions of your biography. For this exercise, aim for 150 to 300 words. It should be something you would find in a pitch letter or on a book jacket, promotional material, or website “About” page.
Keep in mind that every bio is different, just as every person is different. The point is to enjoy the process and let your personality come out via your words.
Bio Hack: Investigate What’s Out There
Go online and find ten bios that are in or adjacent to your area of expertise. You want a mix of different types of bios, so be sure to include at least one or two industry celebs. Read through them and make a list of what you do and do not like about each one. Of course, you don’t want to copy someone else’s experience. Use this for inspiration of what to do and not do.
Biography Starters
Still stuck? Just fill in the blanks:
Professional Bio
A (current position), (name) is known for (fill in the blank). After (time) working at (job), he/she decided to take his/her aptitude for (skill) and (did this accomplishment). He/she also (did this). A (characteristic), (Name) is a
