A Great Headshot Can Get You Noticed On LinkedIn

You might be surprised to learn your tiny LinkedIn profile head shot is an immensely powerful tool that can help get you noticed. It might be worthwhile investing in a 1/2 hour professional shoot to create this powerful little tool.

"LinkedIn profiles with photos get 21x more views and 36x more messages." ~foundationinc.co

I recently invested in a professional photo shoot. Why? My previous photo was a few years old. I was not looking directly at the camera. I wasn't dressed for my occupation. The background was too busy and there was too much of my body in the photo. I've been getting more engagement with my new head shot.

The first step in creating a great head shot is to find a photographer that takes head shots you like. That draw you in, and make you want to meet and do business with the person in the photo.

Now narrow that down to head shots that will work on a LinkedIn profile. Remember to look for photos that are cropped from shoulders to just the top of the head. The background must be clean, and the subject should be 60% of the photo. The ideal size is 400 x 400 pixels, and your photographer can do that for you.

Next make a file on your phone so you can show your photographer head shots you like. This saves time and, as they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words. Especially in visual arts.

You'll have more fun and therefore project your best you when you feel confident your photographer is capturing the shots you want.

So now that you've researched the head shots you like and found a photographer you're ready, right? Not quite. There are a few more things you can do to make the magic happen:

??Make this a branding moment by wearing your brand colors, even something small like a piece of jewelry or a tie

??Contrasting colors ( opposites on the color wheel) make the most dynamic photos

??Dress for a client meeting so they recognize you when you do meet

??Take some selfies to assess if the clothes work

??Iron or steam your outfits and carry them on hangers to the shoot

??Hair colored and cut the week prior so everything has time to soften up

??Getting a blowout and makeup show the stylist and mua the inspiration photos

??Barbering, same thing a few days prior to shoot, look sharp but not too done

??Be Intentional look at the camera like it is your client and you are greeting them

??Find that calm, quiet, confident place in your mind and show that

??Smile! that "I'm excited to work with you smile" we want to see teeth

As human beings we are hardwired to look for faces. Sometimes our brains even find faces where they don't exist. Have you ever seen faces in rock formations or a piece of wood? That is your brain, helping you find faces. Our brains are so hard wired that it goes searching for faces.

"The basic pattern of features that defines the human face is something that our brain is particularly attuned to..." - Dr.Colin Parker, UNSW Science of Psychology

Hopefully by now you are getting the picture. A great head shot is a worthwhile and small investment in your career. It will help you get found in the 675+ million users on LinkedIn.