Biographical Sketch Tips
A BIO is simply a portal into your life's experience. It is a condensed version of your career
history and provides your readers with insight into who you are. It is in essence a short story of your
life.
The general point of a BIO is to highlight your experience in such a way as to demonstrate your
credibility.
The true purpose of a BIO is to convince those who are reading it that they should be interested in
you. Primarily it should inspire the reader to feel confidence in your ability and encourage their
involvement with you.
- Begin your essay with a quotation you find meaningful, a philosophy you have in life, or even your goals in life. It's not a good idea to begin by saying, "My name is…."
- Tell your readers about your character--strengths and areas needing improvement.
- Illustrate how you decided to enter Study Abroad.
- Mention some of your goals and successes. Include your education or any specialized training.
- Show if you've won awards or been acknowledged.
- Most importantly, write about what sets you apart from everyone else.
- Write about anything else you would like your readers to know about you.
When you’ve finished writing, check:
- Did it move at a good pace?
- Is spelling correct?
- Is grammar correct?
- Is punctuation correct?
As you prepare your BIO remember that you are making yourself more credible in the eye of the public so
begin by making a list of things that are relevant to your experience. Think about what might appeal to
your readers or what might be of interest to someone.
In a world where there is so much competition to contend with you want to show good reason why
someone would choose you.
Take a look at this sample
biographical sketch.
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