Executive Bios: A Nice Ego Booster, but What Are They Really Good For?

I write executive bios for the majority of my clients nowadays, and occasionally run into questions regarding what some potential uses for the document might be. A bio can be extremely useful for an executive in a surprising variety of situations:

* in networking, as a “softer” alternative to the executive resume, when you don’t want to be perceived as a job hunter or seem “needy”

* as a meeting or interview follow-up, especially if you’ve already provided your resume

* as supplementary info for a job opportunity or newly won position–where Boards of Directors, hiring committees, investors, clients, and other outside parties have an interest or role in the decision

* as an introduction piece to be handed out or read before you take the podium as a speaker

* as background for you as a contributor to a professional event or publication

* for retained recruiters – they will use or modify it to submit to the potential employer

* for display on your personal website

* for display on job sites or professional networking sites

* on websites where you are a contributor or are being featured

* for press inquiries or interviews

* to provide to corporate, nonprofit, community, or other Boards of Directors of which you are a member

It can be useful to have both a full (one-page) executive bio and a shorter (one or two paragraphs) version. The condensed version can be especially useful for LinkedIn Profiles or to provide a quick summary for your introduction at a conference or meeting.

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