It’s important to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date even when you have your dream job. One pretty obvious component to anyone’s LinkedIn profile is the photo, which many of us would be happier to ignore. There are two common mistakes people make when it comes to the photo. Not putting one up or choosing one from 10 years ago. Neither of these decisions are useful because the photo represents the only visual reference to support everything you are saying about yourself in your profile.
Choosing an anonymous grey silhouette as your image in the top right corner of your profile does little to re-enforce your statement that you are a warm, friendly people-person who gets on well with her colleagues. Similarly posting a photo of you from 10 years ago probably won’t help support your stated values of honesty and will make it difficult to be recognised at events or interviews. Don’t get me wrong: looks aren’t everything but your photo is your one visual piece of supporting evidence in a world that loves imagery.
So what should you wear? This really depends on you, what job you do and who you are trying to target as an employer. If you teach sports then a photo of you in sportswear or an action shot of you scoring the winning points for your netball team could work very well. If you are an office based professional then you probably want to pull out that suit or smarter outfit rather than a close up of you crossing the finish line of the Melbourne fun-run. How smart your attire is depends on where you want to work and what attributes you are trying to emphasis. If you are looking to join a more relaxed, creative company then it’s worth thinking about adding individuality to your outfit. If you want to emphasis your professionalism in a conservative field then choose an outfit that supports that. Importantly though remember to be yourself: if you never wear suits, don’t wear one. If you don’t like jewellery don’t put it on. Choose an outfit that is authentic to you and that supports your personal employment brand.
Pose is important. How you stand or sit and smile again needs to reflect your personality and your profile. If you want to demonstrate you are an action orientated leader then think about a shot of you mid sentence gesturing, with open hands, and clearly engaged in a conversation. Looking animated and energised in a business context can help underline the energy you plan on bringing with you. Try leaning on the back of a chair to give you slightly different angle and the chance to use your hands differently. If you are looking to work in a relaxed environment then paste that smile on your face. But if your background is corporate law and you want to get across you are a serious person doing serious work then maybe a more restrained smile would be better. Take a variety of shots: at the end you can pick one that seems the best fit for you.
Remember to pick your backdrop. If you are not looking for an outdoor shot, a neutral white wall will work if it is well lit. If you want to include artwork then think carefully about the piece and why and also how your outfit will stand out against this. Unless you are trying to push a creative message you need to ensure you are the primary area of focus. There are a couple of other choice to take into account. Headshot or full body shot and colour or black and white? At the moment there is a trend for black and white head shots but it really is up to you. Whichever you choose where you stand and what you wear need to take into account these choices.
You can choose to pay a professional or just ask a friend with a good camera to come round and maybe have a bit of a giggle while you do it. As long as you take the time to think about what you want to say about yourself and how your outfit and pose can emphasis this you will come away with some great shots to choose from. And who knows, you may discover a new career too!