The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of LinkedIn Profile Photos
Your profile picture is an important part of your LinkedIn profile. Your profile picture follows you everywhere on LinkedIn - when you comment, post, or apply for a job. Yet, many people miss the mark with the picture they show to the world. Your profile picture should show people not only who you are but also a bit of your personality. It forms the first impression people make about you, and they will get their cues about your personal brand from it.
Yet many people get their profile picture all wrong.
Here is what you should not be doing when selecting a profile picture
No Profile Picture
Are you guilty of one of the worst sins on LinkedIn - no profile picture? Is it because you can’t find a good picture of yourself? Well, the truth is that LinkedIn reports that profiles with photos get 21x more views and 36x more messages. So no photo at all harms your visibility and engagement on the platform. Think about it. If you were at a networking event and you had a bag over your head so people could not see you, it would be weird and potentially off-putting. The same on LinkedIn.
If you do not have a profile picture because you are concerned about bias against you, you probably have a fair concern. People do judge, that is for sure. They will make an initial assessment of you based upon how you look, including your hairstyle and what you wear. This is real and I do not want to trivialize it. You have to choose whether your concern will put you at more of a disadvantage as a job seeker (and this blog is primarily aimed at those looking for work). Someone will eventually see you in person and at that point, you are likely to be judged, so it is not completely avoidable in your job search. My personal opinion is if someone is biased against you based on how you look, you probably do not want to work for them anyway.
Other reasons to not have a profile picture can include if you are being stalked or bullied by someone. If you fear that providing a profile picture would compromise your safety, then you should not have one. That makes perfect sense. If you are concerned about your privacy and therefore do not want to show your profile picture, my response would be to stay off all social media, including LinkedIn.
Bad Profile Pictures
So what is a bad profile picture? A bad profile picture is one that does not portray you in a way that positively sells you as a professional. You see, LinkedIn is a professional network. What goes on Facebook or Instagram may not be helpful for your “personal brand” on LinkedIn. Let me give an example.
The Bad Lighting Profile Picture
Proper lighting makes a huge amount of difference when taking a photo. Now I am not a photography expert, but you want the lighting to enhance the picture and not detract from it. In the sample picture, the subject is washed out - something I see a lot on LinkedIn. You want to take the picture in soft light. A professional taking your headshot will make sure the lighting is correct. If you are having a friend take your picture, make sure that you have a broad light source that will fill in the shadows. You may need to move lamps around and bring them closer to you so that you can create a broad light source. If you are taking a picture outside, try to do so on a cloudy day when there is no direct sunlight. Here is an article on Popular Photography about lighting that may prove helpful.
Head Cut Off
This photo gets many things right - a smile on the face and looking at the camera. What is wrong is the cropping of the photo. The top of her head is missing. It looks odd. It makes you wonder what the top of her head looks like. Also, you want to look at her eyes, but they are at the top of the picture, making you forget the rest of the photo. Crop your photo so that all of your head is in the picture.
Busy Background
All eyes should be on you and not what is going on in the background. Here, something is going on in the background, and we cannot help but look there to try to figure it out. Therefore, always take your headshot in front of a neutral background.
Party Photos
Why do we need to see you at a party? LinkedIn is not Facebook. Keep the alcohol, sexy clothes, and other non-office-appropriate pictures off of your profile. Better yet, if you are in a job search, just delete them (or at least untag yourself) from all these types of photos.
Cropping Yourself Out
A solution many people use for their profile picture is to find a decent group picture and just crop out everyone else. The problem is that this rarely gives you the best photo. To remove any hint of another person’s clothes or body parts, you may have to severely crop your own image to make it work. Instead, take a new picture where you are the focus.
Side Profile Photos
A side profile shot can be interesting but should be left for other types of portraiture besides a headshot. Unfortunately, the message that a side profile picture can convey is that you do not want to engage with the viewer. With your eyes looking away, you do not connect with the camera. You want your headshot to convey who you are and not what you are hiding.
Good Profile Pictures
A good profile picture usually has all of these elements:
Three-quarters of the picture is of you (head and shoulders)
Have eye contact with the camera
Light is strongest on the face
The background does not distract from the picture
You get a sense of the person’s personality
Here are some other pro tips from Chris Paish at 99 Designs:
Shoot from slightly above
Lean one shoulder slightly forward
Drop your chin slightly
Stand up straight
Relax your head, neck, and shoulders
Try for a relaxed yet professional smile
While it is not always in the budget, investing in a professional headshot to use for your profile picture can be worth the cost. Tell the photographer how you want to be perceived, and s/he can help you achieve that look through their direction on poses, proper lighting in a studio, and high-quality lenses. If you cannot afford a professional headshot, have a friend with a good conventional or smartphone camera and a keen eye takes your photo. Ask friends and family which shot shows you in the best light.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. On LinkedIn, it is more apt to say that a picture is worth a thousand views.
Shelley Piedmont is a job search coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume preparation, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.