Writing an autobiography can be a difficult task that sometimes causes a creative block. Do you want to impress the readers? We’ll tell you how to write an autobiography that will grab their attention.

The question of how to write an autobiography can arise for a variety of reasons, but most often, it is required to write such a life story while looking for employment. If it happens that you need to do this, then it is better to immediately figure out how to write an autobiography essay correctly and increase your chances of getting a job.

The first thing to consider when figuring out how to write an autobiography essay is that it is not a duplicate of a resume or a questionnaire. We are talking about a sample that, in any form, tells about the main events of a person’s life from birth to the present moment. We can say that this is a mirror that tells about how much a person has managed to succeed, what they have achieved, whether they have made a career and to what extent.

Let’s consider how to start an autobiography essay, and what the basic rules for writing one are. Knowing all this, you will be able to make fewer mistakes or even write the sample correctly the first time.

By the way, we also have other guides on our blog that will help you deal with other types of writing successfully. You can find answers to more specific questions like, “What is acknowledgement in a research paper?” and learn more broad topics like, “How to write an argumentative essay.”

How to Write an Autobiography: A definition

An autobiography is a story about yourself in a free form, but with a certain structure. Government agencies often ask job seekers to write an autobiographical essay. In commercial companies, it is extremely rarely required – mainly in large semi-state corporations and banks. When writing your autobiography, you may also wonder, “How many words is my essay?” The length of an autobiography can vary depending on the purpose and guidelines provided. 

What Is an Autobiography Format?

An autobiography is a chronological description of one’s life. Candidates briefly describe their life and professional path. Questionnaires are sometimes used as autobiography examples, but this is not entirely correct. Candidates write autobiographies in any form, focusing on a given structure.

When writing, you may consider how many words to time it will take to properly convey your story, or what elements to include in the text. Usually, the employer provides a sample autobiography that answers these questions. It also includes a description of the important milestones that the candidate should mention. However, no general form has been approved at the state level.

Why Do They Require an Autobiography?

Often, being asked to write an autobiography leaves candidates stumped. The employer already knows almost all the required data – it is collected through a resume.

Why, then, do they require an autobiography?

There are two main reasons.

1. A story about yourself shows how you think and make logical chains.
2. An autobiography allows employers to catch any contradictions. A potential liar can make a mistake in the resume, and an autobiography can highlight it.

It is important to know how to write an autobiography correctly. For example, if you are a student, you may demonstrate self-reflection and goal-setting through your academic performance. Tools like a GPA calculator for students can help you with that. 

How to start an autobiography essay: Basic information

If you want to know how to start an autobiography about yourself, first of all, you should know for whom and why this document is needed.

In fairness, it should be noted that an autobiography may not always be required everywhere. Usually, a person may need to present it when applying for a job in large commercial organizations or government agencies. In fact, government employees, teachers, and doctors may often be asked to tell about themselves in full.

If you want to learn how to write a short autobiography, you need to answer the following questions:

• What am I like? Who am I?
• What is my family status, the environment from which I came?
• What is my level of education, experience, and list of achievements?
• What are facts from my life that may be interesting?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What are my hobbies? Do they relate to the job position?

All this provides very valuable information. It serves as a sample for drawing up a person’s psychological profile. In essence, an autobiography is a document that can describe life. The task of the author of their own autobiography is to show themselves from the best angle.

How to Write an Autobiography Essay Correctly

In terms of clear standards and templates for writing an autobiography, there are none as such. An autobiography is written using a free form, by hand, on regular A4 sheets. Here, you need to focus on the requirements of the specific employer by whom you are hired. You need to choose the style in which you will narrate, but it is important not to get too “creative.” 

Often, candidates are asked to write their autobiographies on the spot – by hand or on a laptop. Some organizations allow you to print them in advance. As a rule, they offer the candidate an autobiography structure for the presentation. If there is none, stick to chronological order and only include important information.

In the document, be sure to mention:

Your full name, as well as your place and date of birth. Your biographical story should begin with this personal information. 

If you had another citizenship, indicate the circumstances. If you changed your last name, tell the employer about the reason and the time frame.

Place of residence – registration address and residential address separately, if they are different.

Level of education. Usually, they ask you to indicate all the educational institutions you’ve attended, even those from which you did not graduate. In this case, also state the reason why you did not finish your studies.

Work experience. Here, briefly summarize your resume. Indicate when and where you worked, as well as why you quit. If you have not worked for some time, indicate the reason.

Additional training. Remember where you studied, why you did it, and what skills you acquired.

Indicate service in the armed forces, including dates, military unit, and rank.

Marital status. Only official marriage is important. Enter information about the husband or wife, as well as their date of birth and work.

Close relatives. Write their personal information, including their place of study or work.

Staying abroad. Sometimes, they ask that you mention all trips – both for tourism and long-term residence. Also, write about any close relatives who do not live in your country of residence.

Access to state secrets. Some government agencies ask for this information. Everything is simple here – if you had a state secret, indicate which one and when. But do it only if you are not bound by nondisclosure agreements or security clearance rules.

Criminal liability. Provide all cases in which you or close relatives were involved.

Hobbies and achievements. Include any knowledge of foreign languages and sports categories, as well as certificates and incentives that you received.

It is always worth checking the details with your employer, but if you don’t have such an opportunity, you can rely on the data provided above. Take the writing of your autobiography seriously. Of course, not everyone likes to write it, but sometimes, you can’t do without it.

If you have the ability to prepare your autobiography in advance, you can do so in the form of a colorful presentation that will interest the employer. We have a guide that will help you with that. It will answer questions like, “What is the size of a PowerPoint slide?”, “How can I change slide dimensions in PowerPoint?”, “How can I customize PowerPoint slide size?”, and many others. 

Autobiographies for Men and Women

If you want to learn how to write an autobiography, we should mention the differences in texts for men and women. Most of the points are the same, but there are a few things that are worth paying attention to. 

A woman needs to provide information about any changes in her surname: indicating both her maiden and current names. When providing information about close female relatives, both surnames must also be indicated. If a woman was on maternity leave, she should write about this on a separate line. However, not all organizations ask for this information.

Men should pay close attention to information about military service. In case of a deferment, indicate the reasons for it and enter the registration certificate details.

Examples of Autobiographies

If you want to learn how to write an autobiography correctly, it is essential to check out examples first. By the way, we have samples of writing for different purposes. For example, check out our poem analysis essay examples or surf through our blog for other templates.

Autobiography examples

Example #1

John Michael Anderson. Born January 1, 2000, in Chicago, Illinois. Registered at the address: 123 Main Street, Apartment 2, Chicago, IL. I have not changed my residential address. Native language – English, Spanish at B1 level. 

I started attending Lincoln High School in 2007. In 2018, I graduated from school, entering the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2022, I received a bachelor’s degree in finance.

I was called up for military service in 2022. From 2022 to 2023, I served as a rifleman in Military Unit 999 in the US armed forces. Having completed my military service, I am temporarily unemployed.

My key qualities are perseverance, attentiveness, and the ability to learn.

Marital status – single.

Father: Michael Robert Anderson. Born January 3, 1980 in Chicago, IL, registered at the address: 123 Main Street, Apartment 2, Chicago, IL. He works as a surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Mother: Sarah Elizabeth Anderson. Née: Carter. She was born on May 6, 1980, in Chicago, IL, and registered at 123 Main Street, Apartment 2. She married and changed her last name in 2000. She is currently unemployed and a housewife.

Sister: Emily Anderson. Born June 7, 2010 in Chicago, IL, registered at the address: 123 Main Street, Apartment 2, Chicago, IL – a student at Lincoln High School.

I have been involved in freestyle wrestling since I was seven years old. In 2016, I received my first youth rank.

I have never been or lived abroad and have no immediate relatives outside the USA.

Neither I nor my closest relatives have a criminal record.

Date, signature.

Example #2

I, Veronica Nicole Thompson, was born on January 15, 1978 in Denver, Colorado, into a family of farmers.

Marital Status: Married. I changed my last name from Anderson to Thompson in 2012 due to marriage. I have one child.

My Closest Relatives

Father: Nicholas John Anderson, born in Denver, Colorado, on May 10, 1943. He currently resides and is registered at 1234 Oak Street, Apt. 77, Denver, CO. Retired.

Mother: Nina Valerie Anderson (née Stone), born on June 25, 1949, native of Chicago, Illinois. She resides at 1234 Oak Street, Apt. 77, Denver, CO. Retired

Sister: Anna Nicole Carter. Born July 15, 1985. She is registered and resides in Los Angeles, California. She changed her last name from Anderson to Carter in 2015 due to marriage. She has one child, Alexander James Carter, born in 2018.

Spouse: Jonathan Michael Thompson, born May 14, 1977, in Austin, Texas. Holds a Juris Doctor degree and works as a lawyer. He resides with me at 789 Grand Avenue, Apt. 88, Denver, CO.

Child: Brandon Jonathan Thompson, born in 2017.

Education & Work Experience

In 1985, I started first grade at Lincoln High School in Denver, Colorado, and graduated in 1996. In 1997, I moved with my parents to Los Angeles, California, and enrolled at UCLA, School of Law.

I speak English fluently and have intermediate proficiency in Spanish.

In 2002, I began working as an attorney at Justice & Co. I left the company in December 2010 at my own request. In January 2011, I became a legal consultant at Fair Solutions LLC, where I am currently employed.

Travel History

I have traveled outside the United States for family visits and vacations. The countries I visited are the following:

• Canada (Toronto) – annually from 2010 to 2019
• Mexico (Cancun) – July 2012

• Greece (Athens) – 2015
• Spain (Barcelona) – 2017
• Italy (Rome) – 2019

Additional Information

• No criminal record
• No immediate relatives with criminal history
• Current residence: 789 Grand Avenue, Apt. 88, Denver, CO

Date: 08/27/2024

Signature

Remember that these are approximate examples, as there are not strict rules on how they should look. We have presented them to make you better understand how to write an autobiography about yourself. We also have other samples and guides that can help you with any kind of writing. For example, you can learn how to cite a quote from a movie.

How to Fill Out an Autobiography Correctly

The most common problem is writing about yourself in a free form. Not everyone can express their thoughts correctly and in a structured manner.

Sometimes, you can write an autobiography in advance. Otherwise, sketch out a plan and learn it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you don’t know how to write an autobiography. The old-fashioned way is to ask friends and acquaintances to assist you, while the modern way uses writing services or neural networks.

How to write an autobiography: Tips

Write briefly and to the point. The employer is interested in specific facts and their chronology.

Indicate key advantages. Often, in an autobiography, they ask you to mention achievements and results. Highlight one thing and use measurable indicators. For example – “the number of errors decreased by 30%”, “the speed of processing customer data increased twofold”, “profits increased by a third.”

Write what is expected of you. Imagine what kind of employee employers want to see and create this image in the text. For example, if the vacancy requires perseverance and attentiveness, write that these are your strong points.

Tell the truth. Before you try to deceive the employer, think about how easy it is to verify your words. In the modern world, this can almost always be done even without access to official databases.

Be brief. Ideally, an autobiography should fit on one page, maximum – two. You do not need to write about hobbies that are not related to the activity. For example, if you want to get a job in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, any sports-related achievements are important, but participation in a drawing club in preschool is not.

Another problem when writing an autobiography is mentioning relatives you know nothing about. It is better to say honestly that you have no idea where the person lives or what they do. As a rule, private organizations treat this with understanding.

To Sum Up

If you want your future employer to see you from the best side, it is important to think about how exactly to describe your life story and in what autobiography format you want to present it. A skillfully composed autobiography will be an additional plus, as it will tell the employer about your strengths and allow you to see yourself as a valuable employee.

If you like this post, also check out our other articles in our blog, for example, these PowerPoint presentation topics.

Photo by Olivie Zemanova from Unsplash