Even more than in real life, snap judgments people make about one another online forever shape the way they see one another. A one or two-sentence bio you post about yourself on Twitter or elsewhere can make you seem intriguing, irritating or boring. And the latter two groups probably always assume they fall into the former.

On her blog, social media pro Rachael muses about all the poorly written profiles she sees on Twitter and offers tips and pitfalls to keep in mind. The advice applies not only to social networks but resumes and cover letters:

*Don’t write in the third person. It sounds pretentious and only famous people can get away with bios written that way, probably because their bios were actually written by others.

*Use your own words. You make fun of jargon and meaningless catch-phrases you hear in ads, so don’t present yourself in a similar way. Be conversational rather than stiff.

*Provide a glimpse into your personality. In general, the less seriously you take yourself, the better. Express your interests, and be specific about activities that differentiate you from others. No one cares that you like food or sunshine.

Is Your Twitter Profile God-Awful? [Rachael G. King]

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