LinkedIn Profile Do’s and Don’ts

Can the right LinkedIn profile photo make or break your chances of job success? Maybe not, but as your primary self-marketing tool, it can’t hurt to select the best photo of yourself. Here are eight snaps to avoid.

It was always a key dilemma for job hunters of a certain era: should I include a photo of myself on my CV or resume? Now of course that dilemma has shifted to the much wider online world. LinkedIn has become the primary tool to market yourself to potential employers. Whether you believe you need to have a photo to land a job is entirely up to you – it seems unfortunate that your experience and qualifications won’t speak for themselves.

However, tellingly, a LinkedIn profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed if it has a photo.

But there’s a catch. You should select your profile photo with care; the wrong photo can send decidedly mixed signals to an employer. Remember, LinkedIn is considered a professional network – as opposed to a social network like Facebook. LinkedIn is also all about passive recruitment – employers stumbling across your profile without you necessarily actively looking for a new job – so it pays to always be well presented.

What sort of photos should you avoid? Canadian social media educators Sales for Life highlighted these eight as snaps to avoid.

1. The retro shot: It’s 1997. Oasis is riding high on the music charts, Titanic is about to break box office records, and you’ve hit your professional peak. That’s great, but it’s not particularly useful for someone who wants to see what you’re like today. Make sure your photo is up to date and portrays the person you are today, rather than two decades ago.
2. The party pic: Most people want to be viewed as having an active social life – a life outside of work. But it might be wise to limit those drunken 21st party shots for your social networks like Facebook and Instagram.
3. Hiding in the shadows: There’s almost no point loading a photo if no one can see your face. Keep the arty shots for your bedroom walls. Take care to choose a photo that is properly lit – natural light is best to avoid harsh shadows.
4. The dating profile snap: Don’t use anything too alluring – or revealing – that might be best suited to attracting others on a dating site.
5. Turn that frown upside down: Most people like to work with colleagues who have a laid back, positive, get-up-and-go attitude. A smile can speak volumes about who you are, so flash your pearly whites and invite people into your world.
6. The proud pet owner: The most viewed videos on YouTube involve cute pets. We understand you love your pet, and Timmy the Boxer is just so adorable. However, does it reveal anything about your professional life (unless of course you’ll be working with animals?)
7. The selfie: You’ve tried 10 different angles and you like how your nose looks from the left. Unfortunately ‘over-posed’ selfies rarely have a professional look, especially if it’s taken in your bathroom. Keep them for Instagram.
8. Anonymous: Almost any of the above would be better than anonymous Mr Silhouette Man. The first thing you should do on your profile is ensure the default greyed out image is replaced by an actual image of you.

Remember, LinkedIn’s stats are impressive: it has over 400 million members worldwide; two new members join every second; and it has a presence in over 200 countries and territories around the world. In an era of information overload and limited attention spans, you want to grab the attention of your dream employer before they move onto the next possible star. Catch their eye – and remember a picture speaks a thousand words!