Apparently your LinkedIn profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed if it has a photo, but this doesn’t mean any old photo.
As a professional network, your profile image should represent the professional you. First impressions stick and a large part of the judgement people make when visiting your profile will be based on the photograph, so you want it to portray you in a positive light. You never know when a potential client/employer/business contact may stumble across you profile and you don’t want to lose out on opportunities based on a sloppy choice of picture.
So what kind of photos should be avoided on LinkedIn? Here are 8 examples that are best avoided, provided by SalesforLife.com.
1) The retro shot:
People don’t care if you peaked in the 90s, they want to build an idea of what you are like now. So make sure you choose a photo that is up to date and portrays the person you are today, rather than 20 years ago.
2) The party pic:
It’s healthy to have a social life outside of work, but keep the photographic evidence to more personal networks like Facebook or Instagram. I’m afraid this rules out pictures of wild nights out, holiday snaps, etc.
3) Hiding in the shadows:
People want to see what you actually look like, not just a face distorted by shadows, so make sure your photo is properly light. Natural lighting is best for avoiding harsh shadows.
4) The dating profile snap:
Don’t use anything too alluring, that would be better suited on a dating profile.
5) Why so serious?
People want to work with individuals who are easy to get along with have a positive attitude, so a photo of you smiling is much more effective than a stony-faced one.
6) The proud pet owner:
Yes we get it, they’re just SO cute! But this doesn’t mean your pets should get a feature on your LinkedIn profile. Your photo should represent your professional life, so unless you work with animals, no pets allowed I’m afraid.
7) The selfie:
Having a 30 minute selfie photoshoot to find the best angle may produce the most flattering photo, but overly posed selfies don’t really give off a professional vibe, so keep them for Instagram.
8) Anonymous:
The first thing you should do is change the default image on your profile, bye bye Mr. silhouette man!
