Okay, so I see it all the time on LinkedIn: a selfie photo taken with a camera phone as the primary profile photo. Seriously? LOL! It happens to all of us, you don’t have a good picture to post so you just take a selfie quickly and then move on. If this is you, don’t feel bad, not too long ago, Adam had a selfie posted on LinkedIn for his profile picture too. Like I said, it happens to the best of us. Below is the before and after picture of what was posted. I know, right?!?! What a difference!

Your profile on LinkedIn is what potential employers see. Your LinkedIn profile represents you and your brand. Why wouldn’t you want to show a professional photo that is visually appealing and professionally represented? Your LinkedIn profile is your chance to sell yourself, communicate who you are, your value, your accomplishments, and your brand to the business world. I know hiring a professional photographer to take a couple of headshots can be a little pricey but here are a couple of reasons why you should have a photographer take your professional photo.

A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words

Your picture is the first thing a recruiter notices. I know you spent hours writing fabulous content and have exceptional experience but the first impression your profile will yield is from your picture. In fact, LinkedIn quotes statistics that for simply having a picture your profile is “14 times more likely to be viewed”. Okay, so you must have a picture, check, but does the quality of the picture really matter? Yes, very much so. According to the Association for Psychological Science in the article, How Many Seconds to a First Impression, it only takes 1/10 of a second for someone to form an opinion of you based off your picture. Crazy, right? Not only that, but people want to be right about their initial opinion so they look for points to validate that position. That means once a first opinion is made, it is not likely for a person to change it as that opinion is now coloring anything else they read or see about you. This pertains to who you are, your work ethic, your professionalism, expertise, leadership abilities … the list goes on and on, and all just from your picture.

So what makes a good professional photo? Well, there are a couple of recommended boxes you will want to check.

• It needs to be a close up. Either shoulders up or waist up is best
• You should be the only person in the photo
• You should take up roughly 60% of the image
• You should be looking into camera so the viewer can connect with your eyes
• You should have either a welcoming smile or a relaxed expression
• You should have a solid or non-distracting outdoor background
• You should be wearing a solid color or a non-distracting pattern, but not an overly bright color

A professional photographer will take all these things into consideration for you as well as positioning you to capture you in the best light and at your best angle. For example, for women, I love taking the picture from a slightly down angle because I feel this angle is really attractive for most women since it makes the chin a little more pronounced and the eyes a little bigger.

Manage Your Brand

You are your own brand. It’s who you are, your personality, how you dress, how you speak, it’s everything about you. All of these things contribute to how others see you, their opinion of you, and how they interact with you. All of this comes to together to create your image or your brand.  Take control of your brand and put some thought into what you want your brand to represent. Be choosey about who you associate with, what you wear, how you apply your makeup, and what you say. Most professionals want their brand to read confident, professional, approachable, and trustworthy. This does not mean you have to wear a stuffy suit. Wear something that looks nice, is well-fitted, but still professional. This can be a nice shirt or blouse. You do not have to wear a suit to take a professional picture. In fact, I would recommend wearing something similar to what you would wear to your current workplace on a daily basis and something that is in alignment with the industry standard. Different industries have different dress codes and I think that you should fit the part for the position you want. For example, most people in IT do not wear a suit to work so a polo shirt and some slacks would be appropriate for an IT professional.

Another part of managing your brand is taking a couple of different variations of your photo so that you can change your picture periodically to keep your profile fresh and interesting. Also, make sure your picture is current. This may mean that you schedule professional pictures every other year to ensure you always have the most current and accurate representation of your brand. You do not want to meet someone when they have only seen your picture and then look vastly different in person. This can change their perception of you and relay mistrust in who you are and what your brand represents. Think of getting professional headshots as an investment in your brand.

Having a professional take your professional picture helps to ensure you are putting your best face forward to manage your online presence and brand. To view my work visit my Professional Gallery or for additional details, visit: Headshot Pricing.

What are your thoughts on professional photos? What kind of photo do you have posted to LinkedIn right now? Please comment below!

Additional Reading / Sources:

LinkedIn Talent Blog, 5 Tips for Picking the Right LinkedIn Profile Picture

Association for Psychological Science, How Many Seconds to a First Impression