Do You Really Want to Use THAT LinkedIn Photo?

April 7, 2011

by Gary Heitman

I found this posting and loved it! 90%+ of HR professionals say that a picture adds credibility to your profile. There are actually pictures that can lower your credibility though. Please check out this great story from Laura Smith-Proulx, founder of An Expert Resume.

Some time ago, I ran across a LinkedIn profile picture of a job seeker who was holding a very specific political sign over her head.

In bright letters.

In shorts (and no, they did NOT become her).

Curious about this phenomenon, I surveyed my fine resume-writing, coaching, and careers industry colleagues at Career Directors International on the subject of inappropriate LinkedIn photographs.

As a result, I came away with a very interesting list of purported job seeker LinkedIn photos that:

Were taken from such a distance that no one would recognize them
Included the candidate posing in a bikini on a beach
Showed the candidate’s GARDEN – without her in it
Displayed a major league sports cap (a turnoff to the recruiter that contacted him, who noted that it was the ”wrong city, wrong team”)
Were snapped at a party where the subject obviously had too much to drink
Resembled a mug shot – no smile, just a grimace that did not put the candidate in the best light
Job hunters, PLEASE! It’s time to think carefully about the image you’re projecting online.

It’s an employer’s market, and the best opportunities WILL pass you by if others believe you aren’t serious about your career.

Take that picture down (the one where someone else’s shoulder can still be seen next to you, with that big shadow!), and succumb to a professional headshot. This is a big one because no one is so good at photoshop to completely remove that over person.

At the very least, let someone adept with a digital camera take your photo in a suit, with a smile, and use it to put your best foot forward.

When I agree to do an informational interview with someone I have never met, I like the idea of going into a coffeehouse and actually knowing the person from their picture. And remember, this is for business reasons only.