I have seen so many bad profile pictures on LinkedIn that I felt I needed to write a blog to provide you with implications and quick tips on the subject.
As I view LinkedIn profiles including those in my network, I cannot help but to think, “What was this person thinking when they selected this photo as their profile picture on the most popular professional social network?!?”
Why is your profile photo on LinkedIn important?
Professionals like myself tend to preach about why having an optimized LinkedIn profile is crucial in today’s job search market. One of the reasons is to have your LinkedIn profile rank higher, so that it can appear more often in search results; thus, being found for more opportunities.
What if your profile appears in some search results, but does not get clicked?
First impressions are so important in the professional ambiance and your profile photo is your first impression with regards to your physical presentation. Yes, a poor physical presentation can hinder you from being contacted.
First, let us talk about what makes a good profile photo.
✓ A clear image
✓ A headshot
✓ A slight tilt towards one side
✓ A smile
✓ Looking at the camera’s lens
✓ A professional suit or business casual attire
✓ Alone (Would you interview with your loved one?)
These tips might seem like basic tips everyone probably knows, but I have seem numerous profile photos that show the complete opposite.
Secondly, let us learn about what makes a poor profile photo.
X Unclear / blurry image with poor lighting
X A 3/4 or full body shot (It takes the focus away from your face.)
X A serious and unpleasant facial expression
X Looking towards another direction
X An unprofessional attire
X Wearing sunglasses
X A cropped photo
X Another being
X Neon color background (Better: beige, blue, white.)
X The appearance of a room at a
X A symbol (Defeats the purpose of placing a face to a profile.)
In all, keep in mind LinkedIn is the top professional social media site; it is not your Facebook profile.
Exceptions
If you are in the law enforcement field and believe it would be inappropriate to have a full smile, then try a semi smile or a mere curve of the lip. In all, try to express positivism, so that others can find you approachable.
If you are in the modeling industry and believe wearing a professional suit would be inappropriate, then wear a business casual attire. This way you will still be perceived as a professional within LinkedIn and elegant within the modeling industry.
Side Notes
LinkedIn provides the opportunity of uploading media within your profile. If you are a Fish & Wildlife Biologist, then you can upload a few images of you working with a large fish, rather than having a profile image of yourself with a fish.
Implications of a Poor LinkedIn Profile Photo
A picture is a thousand words and first impressions are crucial. Also, facial expressions can provide people with several ideas as to the type of person you might be. I believe your profile photo should answer “yes” to the question, “would this person be someone I and my team would like to work and spend time with for at least 40 hours each week?” and “would this person fulfill their responsibilities effectively?”
Take a look at your profile photo.
Does it answer those two questions?
Does your profile photo follow the “good profile photo” or the “poor profile photo” bullets?
Keep in mind that before someone clicks to open your profile, they will see your photo. Is your photo preventing people from wanting to view your profile to learn more about what you have to offer?
If you would like my opinion on how to improve your profile photo, please feel free to contact me and I would be happy to rate your profile picture within a scale of 1 to 10 and provide you a few tips of improvement.
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