How to Write About Me on Resume: When to Include It, Ideal Length and First or Third Person

If you are wondering how to write about me on resume, the answer is a short profile block of two to four lines, placed under your name, written without “I” and focused on what you offer this employer. Include it when it adds something your job titles cannot, and leave it out when it would only repeat the page.

This article is about that “About Me” or profile section only: when it earns its space, how long it should be, whether to use first or third person, and what students and career changers should put in it. If you want the wording of skills and bullet points, our separate piece on describing yourself with summary and skills formulas covers that side.

What is an About Me section on a resume?

It is a small block near the top of the page that introduces you before the reader sees your history. People call it a profile, a personal statement, a summary, an overview or simply “About Me”. The label matters less than the job it does: it tells a busy reader who you are in one glance. That is the real task behind how to write about me on resume.

Some countries and industries lean toward certain names. A “personal statement” is common in UK-style resumes, while “professional summary” is more common in the US. Use the word the employer or your industry uses. If the job post gives a template or form, follow that instead of your own.

When we bid for clients on Upwork, the first two lines of a proposal do the same thing. They tell a stranger who we are and why we are relevant before any detail. A resume profile is that opening, frozen on paper. Our guide to sending proposals on Upwork shows how the same idea works in a different setting.

How is it different from an objective?

An old-style objective says what you want: “Seeking a challenging role in a dynamic company”. A profile says what you bring. The reader already knows you want a job, so spend the lines on value instead.

How to write about me on resume: do you need the section at all?

Not always. A profile is optional, and a weak one is worse than none. Ask yourself one question: does this section tell the reader something the rest of the page does not make obvious in five seconds?

Include it in these cases.

• You are a student or recent graduate. You have little work history, so the profile can point to projects, skills and the kind of role you want.
• You are changing careers. Your job titles point the wrong way, and the profile can explain the move.
• You have gaps or a mixed history. A short framing line helps the reader see a pattern.
• You are applying across several roles. A tailored profile quickly shows fit for this specific one.
• You are senior. A line about your scope and focus saves the reader from piecing it together.

Leave it out in these cases.

• Your recent job titles already match the role exactly, and the page is short.
• The employer’s form or system does not have space for it.
• You can only fill it with general phrases that fit anyone.

It depends on the employer, so follow their instructions if they give any. If you are unsure, include a tight profile. A good one costs three lines and can lift the first impression.

Where does it go on the page?

Directly under your name and contact details, above experience and education. Some graduates put education first if it is their strongest point, with the profile still at the top. Do not bury it at the bottom, since its job is to guide the reading of everything below it.

How long should it be?

For how to write about me on resume, keep it to two to four lines, about 40 to 70 words. Past 80 words, most profiles start repeating the experience section. Past 100 words, readers skip it.

Think of three sizes.

• Short (about 30 words): good for a one-page resume with strong experience.
• Standard (40 to 70 words): the best choice for most people.
• Long (over 80 words): rarely worth it. Cut it, or move the detail into bullet points.

A resume profile is not a website bio. If you also need a longer one for a portfolio or social profile, read how long a bio should be for those lengths, and keep the two versions separate.

First person or third person?

This is the question people ask most about the section. There are really three styles, and one is the clear default.

• Implied first person: “Organised graduate with experience in event planning.” No “I”, no “she”, just a short phrase. This is the usual choice on a resume.
• Explicit first person: “I am an organised graduate who enjoys planning events.” It reads warmly, but it uses space and can sound chatty.
• Third person: “Maria is an organised graduate with experience in event planning.” It suits a website bio or a speaker introduction, but it can feel odd on a resume because you are the one who wrote it.

For a resume, use the implied first person. It is short, it is active, and it does not draw attention to the voice. Whatever you pick, stay consistent across the whole page. Mixing “I managed” in one place and “Managed” in another looks careless.

If you do need a third-person version for a website or a conference page, that is a different task. Our guide on writing a bio about someone else explains how to handle third-person voice well, and it works equally when the someone else is you.

A quick side by side

Take the same facts in three voices.

• Implied first: “Bookkeeper with six years in small-business accounts. Fast with reconciliations and VAT returns.”
• Explicit first: “I am a bookkeeper with six years in small-business accounts, and I work quickly on reconciliations and VAT returns.”
• Third: “Sam is a bookkeeper with six years in small-business accounts, known for fast reconciliations and VAT returns.”

The first one is the shortest and the cleanest for a resume.

What should students put in their profile?

When you are a student, how to write about me on resume mostly means choosing your best two or three facts. Students and recent graduates often feel they have nothing to say. In fact you have more than you think. Education, projects, group work, volunteering, part-time jobs and software skills all count. The profile just has to select the best two or three and point them at the role.

A strong student profile has four parts.

1. Your stage: “Final-year computer science student” or “Recent geography graduate”.
2. Two or three relevant skills or strengths.
3. One concrete example, such as a project, society role or job.
4. The kind of role you want, matched to the employer’s wording.

Weak: “I am a hard-working student who loves learning and wants to gain experience.”

Better: “Final-year computer science student with experience building a booking app in a team of four. Comfortable with Python and SQL, and used to explaining technical work to non-technical people. Seeking a junior developer placement.”

The better version names a project and a real skill, and the last sentence makes the goal clear. A student with a weekend job can use the same method: “Part-time barista for two years, trusted to open the shop alone” says more than “reliable and punctual”.

What if you have no projects or jobs at all?

Then use coursework, volunteering, clubs, languages, certificates or anything you have finished. If you are just starting out and want broader context, starting freelancing with no experience shows how people build their first proof from scratch, and the same logic works for a first resume. Small paid projects, even unpaid ones for a local group, give you something real to write.

If you are building the document on a phone, you can still produce a clean result. Take a look at how to create a resume on your phone for the practical steps.

What should career changers put in their profile?

For career changers, how to write about me on resume is a framing task, and the profile is the single most useful tool you have. Your job titles tell one story, and the profile lets you tell the right one. Its job is to reframe, not to apologise.

Use this order.

1. Name the destination first. “Customer service professional moving into project coordination.”
2. Name the skills that cross over. Planning, scheduling, stakeholder communication, budgeting, training.
3. Add one piece of evidence. A relevant course, a side project, or a result from the old field.
4. End with what you offer. One short clause.

Weak: “After eight years in retail, I am ready for a new challenge.”

Better: “Retail manager moving into operations coordination. Skilled in rota planning, supplier follow-up and training teams of up to 15. Completed a project management certificate this year. Ready to keep your schedules on track.”

Do not hide the old career. Hiding it raises questions. Show the link instead, and let the experience section prove it with rewritten bullet points.

The BidStaff team sees the same pattern in freelancing. A freelancer from a different field wins jobs by stating what carries over and attaching a relevant sample, which is the idea behind the wins we track. The tool does not write resumes, but the lesson on specific, relevant proof holds on any page that must convince a stranger quickly.

Resume profile or website bio?

People often mix up the two, and that leads to a resume profile that reads like an essay. This table keeps them apart.

Feature	Resume profile	Website or social bio	Cover letter opening
Purpose	Quick fit check for one job	Introduce you to any visitor	Explain why you want this job
Typical length	2 to 4 lines	1 short paragraph to several	2 to 3 sentences
Voice	Implied first person	First or third person	Direct first person
Tone	Factual, compact	Warmer, more personal	Personal, specific to the company
Changes per job?	Yes, lightly	Rarely	Always

If you are unsure whether a letter belongs alongside your resume, the difference is covered in what is the difference between a cover letter and a resume. In short, the resume profile gives facts and the letter gives reasons.

How do you write the section step by step?

Here is the routine I use for how to write about me on resume.

1. Read the job post and mark the top three requirements. These shape your profile.
2. Write one rough sentence per requirement. Use your own words and real facts.
3. Pick your proof. One project, number, course or responsibility that backs the top requirement.
4. Combine into two to four lines. Drop “I am” and start with your role or stage.
5. Cut adjectives. If a word cannot be tested, remove it or replace it with a fact.
6. Read it aloud. Your ears will find long and clumsy sentences.
7. Check it against your page. Every claim should be supported lower down.
8. Save a master and tailor a copy per application. Change the first line and the order of skills.

This is also how we work on proposals. We keep a base version in our own voice, then tailor the top lines to the job, which is why writing in your own tone matters more than any template.

Which mistakes make the section weaker?

• Writing a life story. A resume profile is not the place for your hobbies, your values or your journey. Keep it to what helps you get this job.
• Using the same text everywhere. A profile that fits every job fits none.
• Praising yourself. “Excellent”, “outstanding” and “passionate” are claims. Facts are proof.
• Going over length. More than five lines is a paragraph, and paragraphs get skipped.
• Mixing voices. Pick implied first person and stay with it.
• Adding personal details the employer did not ask for. Age, marital status and photos are not expected in many countries, and norms differ. Check local practice and the employer’s instructions.
• Leaving typos in the most visible block. Proofread the profile twice, since it is the first thing read.

For help with grammar and tone, the Grammarly blog publishes plain advice on writing clearly. For layout and wording of a resume as a whole, the Purdue Online Writing Lab is a dependable reference, and CareerOneStop offers tools from the U.S. Department of Labor.

A short note from our own desk

I should be clear: BidStaff is software for Upwork freelancers and agencies, and it does not write resumes or letters. But the craft is the same. A profile, a cover letter and a proposal are all short notes to a stranger who decides in seconds. In our tool, every job gets a match score from 0 to 10 against the profile you pick, so the first question is always “does this fit?” before any writing starts. You can see how that works on the features page, or look at the pricing page if you apply to Upwork jobs often.

The same filter helps with a job hunt. Before you spend an evening tailoring a profile, check that the role fits you and the employer is real. Reading the posting closely, as in our guide to checking an Upwork client before you apply, saves time in any search.

Frequently asked questions

Should I write “About Me” as the heading?

You can, but “Profile” or “Professional Summary” is more common and sounds more professional. Pick one heading and keep it plain. If the employer’s template uses another label, use theirs.

Can I use “I” in the section?

Yes, it is not wrong, but most resumes drop it to save space. Implied first person, such as “Organised graduate with…”, is the usual choice.

Is third person acceptable on a resume?

It can be, but it is uncommon and can feel stiff. It is better suited to a website bio or conference page. It depends on the employer and industry, so check what similar candidates use.

How many sentences should it have?

Two to four short sentences or phrases. That usually equals 40 to 70 words.

Do students need an About Me section?

It is optional, but it often helps. With little work history, a profile lets you point to projects, skills and the role you want.

Should a career changer explain why they are changing?

Briefly, yes. Name the new direction and the skills that transfer. Keep reasons short and positive, and save the full story for the cover letter or interview.

Should I write a different profile for each job?

Adjust it lightly each time. Change the first line and the skills order to match the job post, and keep the facts the same.

Does the section need keywords for applicant tracking systems?

Use the exact terms from the job post where they are true for you, in plain text. Do not stuff words in. Readability for a human still comes first.

Conclusion

When people ask how to write about me on resume, the best answer is short: decide whether the section earns its place, keep it to two to four lines, use implied first person and prove every claim. Students should lean on projects and skills, and career changers should lead with the new direction and the skills that carry over.

Your action list:

1. Decide whether your resume needs a profile, using the cases above.
2. Draft 40 to 70 words in implied first person.
3. Add one real proof point and one clear goal.
4. Remove every adjective you cannot back up.
5. Save a master version and adjust the top line for each job.
6. Keep a separate longer bio for your website or portfolio.

Other related articles

• How to describe myself in a resume
• How to write a letter introducing yourself
• How to write an application
• Do you need a cover letter for a resume
• How to write a resume for a writing job

About the Author

Muhammad Shahzad is the founder of BidStaff and Leadslancer. He runs Upwork accounts for a freelance and agency team, and builds BidStaff around that daily work.