5 Tips for the Perfect Linkedin Headshot

Today, your Linkedin Profile is the cornerstone of your career image and personal brand. And, while it’s wrong to simply judge a person by a headshot, we would be foolish to think it doesn’t matter. The research is clear: Effective images are key to making yourself appear competent, influential, and trustworthy. In fact, recent Linkedin research shows that LInkedin profiles with photos get 11 times more views and 40% more inMail responses than profiles without a photo.

With Nashville booming – and competition heating up, you need to be on you're A-game today. So, now is the time for you to improve your personal branding by adding or upgrading your corporate headshot.

CORPORATE HEADSHOTS TIPS:

1. Choose a background that isn’t distracting. You don’t want anything to detract from your face. Keep the background simple so that you are the focal point. I recommend either white or light grey. A light colored office setting will also work, as long as the background isn’t too complex and is blurred (photographers call it bokeh). This will allow your face to pop.

2. Wear what you’d wear to an interview. Wear clothes that match the level of formality in your chosen profession. If you’re an attorney, that probably means a suit. If you’re a web designer, don’t dare wear a tie. In short, you don’t want to be over or underdressed. Also, note that solid colors tend to do best on camera.

3. Choose a photo that looks like you – so always use an up-to-date (within the past few years) image that reflects how you look on a daily basis – same glasses, hair, makeup, etc.

4. Use an image that fills the frame and shows off your smile. Make sure your face takes up at least 60% of the frame. Avoid full body shots or face-only close-ups. The recommended size given by LinkedIn is 400 x 400 pixels. If you have an image smaller than this size - forget about it, it’s going to be way too stretched and look pixelated. If it’s smaller than that – it’s time to go get a better photo taken in high resolution.

Our recommended go-to headshot photographer provides a wider original photo size to cover all the options on social media – from profile pics to images used in articles. You can always crop – but it’s very difficult to add background to a close-up shot.

5. Hire a professional headshot photographer. Invest in your career brand photo. It’s your first chance to communicate that you are friendly, likeable, and trustworthy. These attributes are crucial when initially engaging with prospective clients, business partners or employers. Avoid the temptation to crop a photo of yourself from the last wedding you attended or to have your spouse take a police line-up shot of you against your den wall. If you live in the Greater Nashville Area, the “Go To” Corporate Headshot guy is Peter Newsom (www.peternewsom.com). He is affordable, reliable and makes people look great. You’ll thank me later.

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Are you a job candidate in need of an awesome resume or upgraded LinkedIn Profile? While executive recruiting has been at our core since 2003, we’re also known for having some of the top professional resume writers and personal branding experts in the nation. They know how to create job search tools that result in interviews - from early career candidates to C-level executives, regardless of vocation or industry. No matter where you live in the U.S., drop them a line [email protected].  - NOTE: If you include “Get Me Noticed” in the subject line, they’ll not only provide a free resume and personal branding analysis, they’ll also throw in a cover letter, if you decide to use them. [email protected].