I love getting jobs that are an unexpected challenge. So when a client decided that their LinkedIn summary needed some freshening up, I was happy to help.

Doing this also had the unexpected benefit of getting me to think about my own summary.

I set up my LinkedIn profile shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree. And, honestly, I haven’t really touched it since, other than sharing the occasional link. (I know — it seems counterintuitive for a social media manager. In my defense, I’m busy trying to find articles to share on my clients’ LinkedIns. Only so many hours in the day.)

Rereading my summary, I found that it was no longer reflective of who I was as a professional. It was too long, for one thing, with cute personal anecdotes to mask the fact that I didn’t really have any real work experience.

It was perfect when I wrote it, but today, it was outdated. It needed a complete overhaul. I debated whether or not I should just copy my about page, but in the end, I decided that my LinkedIn summary had to be its own, unique entity.

So I took the time to draft a new one. And to make it slightly more direct than the one that came before it, I wrote it with the goal of answering three simple questions.

What do I want this summary to say about me as a professional?

This was the main issue with my old profile. It didn’t really say anything about me as a professional because I really wasn’t a professional when I wrote it. I was just starting out my career, working with a single firm on contract. And because I was just starting out in the position (although I had interned with the firm previously), I didn’t really know what the job entailed.

Now, I have multiple clients of my own along with the ones I have with the firm, and I provide a wide range of services for them. I made sure to really touch on those services this time.

What do I want it to say about me as a person?

When sprucing up LinkedIn profiles for clients, my firm often gives the same advice — “Tell them who you are, not just what you do.” So I knew I wanted my personality to come through.

It’s difficult to strike a balance between the professional and personal in a summary. I did my best to put forth a clear image of who I am while still keeping things related to my work. I did this by trying to draw a parallel between my industry (which is constantly growing and evolving) and myself (as a passionate person who loves to learn)!

What impression do I want to leave the reader with?

A LinkedIn profile is not a blog post. You’re not necessarily going to end it with a call to action. But you should keep in mind what your ultimate goal is.

In my case, my goal is to get clients. So I made sure to end my summary by saying that I love connecting with other professionals and supplying them with the same enthusiasm that they have for their industry. I addressed the reader directly, but not with a sales pitch. Instead, I express a desire for a connection — something that’s also incredibly important to me.

I’m sure this won’t be the last time I edit my summary (after all, I’m going to continue to grow), but for now, I’m happy to have one that reflects who I am as a person, as a professional, and as a service provider.