Question on LinkedIn: Do I Put a Profile Picture On My Resume?

Others’ Responses:

- Unless a job candidate is going for a starring role in Hollywood, don’t offer a “head shot.” Ethical human resources professionals are tasked with finding the applicant that has the best skills, knowledge and ability to do the job. If a recruiter is looking to hire a programmer, an accountant, an engineer, or some other type of knowledge worker, relying on a “winning smile” is doing the applicant and the organization a disservice.

- The sites you visited seem to reflect the trend today. I have only received one resume in the last six months with a picture on it, but it is one out of thousands that I actually remember. Here is my concern: hiring managers and discrimination. While HR professionals will not apply bias to the recruiting process, hiring managers are more likely to pass over a resume if they feel a candidate is too young or old to fit in with their departmental culture. A qualified candidates who screens well might be burdened by a photo on their resume. Most of the managers who I pass candidates along to, do not check Facebook or LinkedIn since they figure that would fall under HR’s umbrella.

- I have very mixed feelings about posting a photo of yourself on your resume or your LI profile. By doing so you may satisfy someone’s curiousity about your appearance but, I think it invites bias and discrimination on other levels. There was a time when we as HR’s returned resumes that arrived with photos for that very reason. When I removed my photo last year to see the affect, I received a lot of messages from recruiters who advised I would generate more interest if I had a photo. Im conflicted about this and frankly, Id rather post a picture of my guardian angel and constant companion, my german shepherd :)

- Resumes should reflect relevant job experience, and knowledge, skills, abilities. Personal experiences and narrative goes in a cover letter. Unless you are applying to be a model or an actor/actress I really don’t want to see a picture and have actually removed them from resumes before sending them to hiring managers because I do worry that good candidates will be discarded unjustly.

- I am also conflicted regarding this topic as Jacqueline. I see where it can be open to discrimination, but have also been advised to add it to my resume while I was applying for positions. I agree that the point of the resume is for establishing skills, abilities, and work experience, but at the same time with times changing and technology advancing, where does that leave a written resume in regards to video resume submissions? Is that perhaps why they want you to submit a photo?The only purpose I can see in a photo added to your resume is just for them to see what the candidate looks like, a personal touch per say. A photo should not add any relevance to your consideration of the candidate for a position. But also to, as stated above, it only takes a google search to find someone’s photo between all the social media outlets.

- In France, where I grew up it is almost mandatory to put a picture on the resume. As Mr. Panet says, depending on the job you are applying for, it might me a good thing. Otherwise I noticed that it was subject to discrimination. Recruiters sometimes just look at the name and the picture without even taking the time to scan the resume and put it on the “no” pile if what they see doesn’t correspond to their personal taste.

A simple search on the web can give you access to a picture but I guess that if the recruiter takes the time to go look for a picture, he or she already has a little interest in the person skills, knowledge and experience.

- As a professional who has placed over 1.350 professionals, personal photos on resumes are European and considered needed. In the US, personal photos are not encouraged and highly discouraged. If I encounter a personal photo, I remove it before sending to a US client. However, as stated above if an individual is a member of Screen Actors Guild, or other areas of stage, I think the photo and personal prowess is necessary.

- In general, I think that a picture takes up more space where you could be providing more pertinent details about your work history, so I advise against putting pictures on a resume. If you want to show the world what you look like, I think a LinkedIn or Facebook profile would be more ideal. Or, if you work in a media/design-based occupation, then a picture might be a clever way to demonstrate your technical abilities.As a recruiter, I see them all the time. I note that this seems to be more of a trend amongst international consultants and older jobseekers. It doesn’t bother me nor does it have any bearing on my perception of their skills. As mentioned, it is doing nothing more than taking up space.

- In US churches, a photo on a resume is expected. As a HR professional who has also served on staff with two churches, I have had mixed feelings about this practice, but I know pastor search committees give more serious consideration to resumes with personal photos. And sometimes even family photos are used.

- Employers in the U.S. usually avoid asking for a photo for any job where appearance doesn’t fall into a BFOQ category (actor, model, shirtless fellow who stands outside of clothing stores greeting people in the mall, etc). A pastor/preacher could fall into the category where head shots are considered, since their appearance is often taken into account as a public speaker representing the organization.For positions where there is no direct and specific correlation established between job performance or competency and an applicant’s appearance, it would seem that asking for a photo would only work to increase the likelihood of possible discrimination by a hiring manager and strengthen a claim of discrimination from an applicant who was not selected.As was mentioned earlier, professional websites can be referenced prominently on a resume. This can work to insure companies aren’t turned off by a candidate who includes a photo when not relevant, and still provide a means for you good looking people to make sure you’re playing all the cards you’re dealt.

- Your resume should outline your relevant work experience which ultimately would lead to an interview where the candidate would sell him/herself on whether they are a good fit for the company. (Like Jack S. stated, only individuals in certain professions should have a picture on their resume.) This is why I won’t even entertain a candidate unless s/he has submitted an application first because that way I can use any discrepancies on their application as a means for weeding them out; this is especially helpful if they try to pull the “discrimination card” if they have a picture on their resume.

- I have to agree with others; photos on the twine does provide opportunities for discrimination and bias opinions. It’s already difficult enough to meet what I call the “6 terms of rejection” the new horn effects. Candidates who are not 6 feet and don’t have 6 packs rejected from 6 figures and give up after 6 chances.

- Here’s something I found shocking on this topic. Over the last few years, I have posed this question to local recruiters during .networking evetns The consensus has been that LinkedIn profiles must include a photo - or else they rule that person out! The logic behind it? This is an age of transparency in social media - so looks like the person is either not following the “social” expectations (therefore is hiding something) OR is not “in the know” ….about modern-day tools. And resumes? No photos on American resumes.

- I adhere to the “resume - no photo” and “LinkedIn - photo” policy. And all the previous comments are valid arguments. However, there’s another reason for excluding a photo from your resume - online applications.Most of the time an online applicant tracking system will require you to upload your resume in Word format - your photo is not going on that application. In fact, any special formatting is also eliminated. I have already reformatted my resume so that the online application programs will better read my resume and subsequently populate the data correctly.As for LinkedIn photos, most of the people responding to this discussion have professional looking photos - mine isn’t. Take a look at the photos of your good connections. You know them semi-well. Would you judge them on their photo? Would you want to work for someone that did discriminate on your looks? Besides, when you finally go on that interview, you’re going to be professionally dressed.

My Response:

- Never put a picture on your resume. The half of the hiring managers who find it creepy will pass you up. The other half who are intrigued would not make it the “X” factor that got you the interview. I doubt you will gain any interviews from it, but can guarantee you will lose some interviews. Now those hiring managers who are creepy guys might bring in the cute female candidate because they saw your profile picture, but probably won’t pay attention to a word you’re saying at that point; he was just being creepy and had some time to fill.