Your profile picture speaks a lot about you. It can act as your first impression on the interviewer.
If you are looking for a job or want to build a professional network, LinkedIn is the most important social media platform for your career growth.
Having a good profile picture is a key element of your LinkedIn profile. The right profile picture can help increase the visibility and reachability of your profile.
Research shows that just having a profile picture makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by others.
When people visit your profile, the first thing they see is your profile picture, based on which they may judge you. Therefore, it is important to pick the right, decent and professional photo.
The following tips will help you to pick the right photo for your LinkedIn profile:
1. Pick a photo that looks like you:
It might sound obvious, but your photo should be natural and clear so that a person can recognize you if you meet him/her in person. Upload recent photographs only. Avoid uploading very old photos, photos from ceremonies, photos with fancy backgrounds, etc. Pick up a decent photo preferably taken in a formal outfit and which has enough natural light and a plain background. Avoid photos with filters. Keep it simple and real.
2. Use a high-resolution image:
Introducing an update, LinkedIn increased the ideal profile picture size from 200 x 200 pixels to 400 x 400 pixels. The large file sizes up to 8 MB are now acceptable. So, try and avoid low-resolution and small images. If the profile photo is less than 400 x 400 pixels, the image will look a bit blurry. The best way is to upload the latest and clearly identifiable photo on the LinkedIn profile.
3. Be the only person in the picture:
Your LinkedIn profile photo should be a picture of yourself. You may love to upload a photo with your family or friends or with your pet but remember, this profile of yours sometimes acts as a resume. The recruiter might get confused if he sees a number of people on your LinkedIn profile photo. Trying to crop the group photo is cannot be the solution either. The best practice is to choose a solo photo.
4. Make sure your face takes up at least 60% of the frame: Stick with a standard headshot photo and make sure that your face takes up at least 60 percent of the frame. Crop the picture from the top of your shoulders to just above your head so that your face will fill the frame. Make sure the photo is not a close-up shot or taken from a very long distance. A photo of you during trips, standing on top of a hill, or taken in a function will be pretty impressive, on other social media platforms. But it's not ideal for your LinkedIn profile which is a lot more of a professional profile.
5. Choose the right expression:
Your profile picture conveys your personality. Try to look professional and approachable. People view you as more competent, likable, and influential when you smile in your photo. Take care while choosing the photo. Select a photo in which you look happy and have a decent smile on your face. The employer may see your profile picture for the first time so make sure your photo should speak about your personality. Practice in front of the mirror to see which expression looks professional and then click a natural photo.
You can test your photo with applications like Photofeeler. It tells you how you look, whether it looks attractive, confident, smart, funny, or trustworthy.
6. Avoid distracting background:
The background of your picture matters. If you choose an interesting background it's okay but make sure that it isn't way too fancy. It should not include anything that can be distracting. The simple background will help you to draw attention. You can take a photo against a painted wall or in the natural background to make it look better.
7. Wear a professional dress code:
Since Linkedin is a professional social media platform, your attire should be professional. Wear a formal dress code and try to avoid wearing unnecessary jewelry. Try to match your dressing sense with the corporate culture. Solid colors look best on camera. Make sure that you avoid photos clicked at weddings and trips.
8. Take the photo in soft and natural light:
Lighting can change the look and feel of your photograph. The photo taken in dark shadows may look weird and make it difficult for someone to recognize you. Standing beneath fluorescent light can change the tint of your pictures and you might look unprofessional. You can use natural light for the best effect. Click the photo in daylight and a slightly shady area to avoid direct sunlight. You can also stand nearby windows to illuminate your face and give your skin a natural-looking glow.
Now that you know how your LinkedIn profile picture should be like, go and check your LinkedIn profile picture and make the necessary changes in it.
LinkedIn acts as a very powerful tool for career and professional growth. You need to have a strong LinkedIn presence in order to get noticed by recruiters, employers, or your potential clients.
You need to make sure you maintain professional ethics which will portray you as a reliable and trustworthy person.
The more the people notice you, the more are your chances of being benefitted from them in some way or the other. Make sure you impress them with your virtual presence, your profile, and your profile picture by taking care of above mentioned small things.
The better you look on LinkedIn the better will they be able to see you and will definitely come to a step closer to make a professional connection with you to help you grow your career.
So? Is your LinkedIn profile photo an impressive one?
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