LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for professionals, especially when looking for a job. Did you know that LinkedIn profiles with images up to
21 times
more profile views than those without? And more views means more visibility, more chance to attract a recruiter’s attention and more interest in your product, service or talent.
Choosing the right photo is essential: it creates the all-important first impression and is the only thing, apart from your name and headline, that will appear in a search. So how do you choose the best
LinkedIn profile image? CV Shed has some top tips.
Do not be shy!
You would never put your picture in your picture
CV, for good reason. It can lead to prejudice and discrimination because it can reveal personal information such as age, skin color, religious beliefs and so on. However, as we’ve seen, a photo is a non-negotiable to maximize your visibility on LinkedIn. While it can potentially cause the same problems as including a photo on your resume, the difference is that LinkedIn is a social network. People do business with people. They meet you and get to know you, and your professional image is an important part of that. So don’t be shy, choose a decent photo of yourself – don’t hide behind avatars, logos or images!
How to choose your LinkedIn profile photo
Choosing your favorite photo may not mean choosing the best photo for LinkedIn. I’m sure you looked beautiful on your wedding day, all dressed up and beaming from ear to ear, but LinkedIn is a professional networking site, not a party. Keep these guidelines in mind when selecting your LinkedIn profile photo:
Use a main photo
LinkedIn profile pictures aren’t big! A full-length shot, or one with a lot of background, means no one can see what you really look like: your face is shrunk down to a few tiny pixels. Most advice says that your face should take up about 60% of the frame. Remember: people will feel more comfortable communicating with you if your profile seems authentic, and knowing what you look like can help your cause in that regard.
Dress appropriately
Dressing appropriately means dressing for the job you want, whether that’s smart office wear, personal protective equipment or uniform. If people can see you in the role, you’re already part of the way to getting it.
Choose your background
Ideally, you want a plain background so that your face stands out and there are no distractions. There seems to be a trend at the moment to choose brightly colored backgrounds, but why jump on the bandwagon? It will quickly go out of style when people realize that everyone else is doing it, and that it’s better to do your own thing.
Keep it accurate
Your LinkedIn photo should be an accurate representation of what you really look like. That means it must be fairly recent, without filters.
Only you!
Your LinkedIn profile photo should never feature anyone other than yourself. No friends, children, wife or colleagues. No group photos and no pets. This is your career and it’s about you and no one else. People want to know who they are working with.
Making a face
This means that you need to check your expression in the photo. You must appear friendly, approachable and completely yourself. No duck faces or frowns, please! A smile should never be missing if you want to attract new clients or a new job, but a neutral expression is fine – just avoid the miserable passport photo or mugshot look.
Check the quality
Make sure the image is high enough resolution to look good on a large screen. If you zoom in infinitely to crop out other people or the background, the quality will decrease.
Should you call in the professionals?
Many people on LinkedIn pay for a professional photo shoot, which gives them a consistent set of images that they can use on their LinkedIn profile, website, and social media posts. While there are obvious benefits to having a series of well-lit and carefully posed photos, it’s really not necessary. Smartphones these days have such high-quality cameras that a fun session with a friend or family member can produce equally beautiful photos. Do what’s best for your budget, your confidence, and your ultimate goals.
Example LinkedIn profile photo
Here’s an example of an ideal LinkedIn profile photo: It’s mine! We’ll talk about the banner image behind it in another post…
Reference By: www.cvshed.co.uk
