I recently interviewed a client in order to write a bio for him. As it turns out, he has the most awesomely unique hobby I have ever heard in over 17 years of writing bios: He is a competitive carnivorous plant grower. That little tidbit certainly added interest to his bio!

This got me thinking about how difficult it can be to write an interesting professional bio. Sometimes you only have 100 to 150 words to convey your background, qualifications and personality. What can you do to communicate the basics and also make it interesting?

I think the answer is to add in a little “spice.” Here are some ideas:

An interesting fact about how or why you got started in your field 

For example, I kick off the “about me” page on my writing business website by highlighting the fact that my paid writing career began when I was in third grade. Here’s a picture of little me, with my esteemed publication, “My Magazine.”

Your unique business philosophy or approach 

Is there something about how you approach your work that is different than the industry norm? Perhaps you use cutting-edge technology to improve the delivery of your low-tech product. One of my clients has a mission of positively impacting one million people, one at a time. How many people can say that?

Something that ties together different parts of your expertise

My friend Catherine Balck is a real expert at taking pictures – both as an ultrasound technician and as a fine art photographer whose beautiful landscape, travel and nature images have won dozens of awards. The bio I wrote for her ties these two together.

A fun fact that no one would guess 

When I wrote a bio for Jeff Zaret of payment processing provider PayProTec West Coast, I ended with the fact that he is a professional stand-up comedian who has performed nationwide. 

Something that identifies you as someone who “gets it” 

People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. Sharing something to show that you truly understand you prospect’s perspective can make you more likeable and interesting to them.

For example, my client Susan Marshall is an Investment Advisor Representative. One of her specialties is helping women who find themselves suddenly single achieve financial independence. Why? Because she has “navigated the challenges of being suddenly widowed when her three children were young.”