How important is your LinkedIn profile photo?

6 tips to help you look your best on your LinkedIn profile picture

Whether you’re looking for a new job or trying to position yourself or your company as a thought-leader in your industry, maintaining a top-notch LinkedIn profile is imperative. Along with carefully curating your experience and content, you also want to choose an appropriate photo for your profile.

Even though you look really great in the photo from your beach vacation or in the stands at the baseball game, you should hold off on using these types of photos for LinkedIn. While you want to look approachable and friendly, it’s important that you appear as a professional who takes work seriously.

Here are some guidelines for looking your sharpest in your LinkedIn profile picture:

1. Dress the part.

While a business suit is usually the go-to for business photos, you should consider how people dress in your industry. For instance, creative industries tend to dress more casually, so you should wear something slightly more casual. On the other hand, if you’re a mortgage broker, a suit may be more appropriate.

2. Use a recent photo.

You should look like you. If your headshot is decades old, it’s time for a new one. If you meet your LinkedIn connections in person, you want them to make the connection to you, right?

3. Think about setting.

While traditional headshots are often taken on a backdrop in the studio, you may actually want to consider a different setting to add in more personality. For instance, an architect may be sitting at a drafting table. Take advantage of natural light by heading outdoors, and be careful of tree limbs and other elements that may appear to be growing out of your head!

4. No group photos.

Don’t use a group photo, and don’t crop others out so that it’s just you in the photo. It’s typically very obvious, and you sacrifice the quality when you crop in very small.

5. No selfies.

Sure, selfies are the norm now, however, they aren’t appropriate for LinkedIn. Even if your attire and setting are suitable for LinkedIn, selfies are selfies. They’re obvious, and in the eyes of a recruiter or important business contact, they’ll probably feel unprofessional.

6. Ask for help.

Since the selfie is out, ask for some help to capture the perfect LinkedIn profile picture. You can hire a professional if you want; and if you’re on a budget, just ask someone you feel comfortable with to take your photograph.

Want more tips and tricks to get your social media presence to be the best it can be? Download Axia Public Relations’ e-book The Essential Social Media Management Guide today.

Julie Miller is a marketing and communications professional with more than seven years of experience in the industry. She specializes in technology, digital marketing and communications. Julie has worked for Axia Public Relations since November 2015. Connect with Axia on Twitter @axiapr or tell us what you think in the comments below.