Should I include a picture on my CV?

When you're job hunting, you're focused on making the greatest impression possible on the prospective employers you meet. You are aware that your resume is an employer's first impression of you, and as such, you may be tempted to add a picture to give them the best indication of who you are. At this moment, pause and consider how your look relates to your career. In this essay, we'll discuss how to address photographs on your professional resume in the appropriate manner.

When is it OK to add a picture to a resume?

Your resume's main aim is to present an overview of you as a professional - your abilities, credentials, and experience - to assist employers in determining if you're qualified for the position for which you're seeking. Generally, your appearance has little influence on your ability to execute the job.

There are, however, a few rare circumstances where having a professional headshot on your resume may be suitable. These examples are often confined to resumes of actresses or models, for whom their appearance is perhaps their most valuable asset. In some instances, adding a headshot with a résumé is subject to additional regulations.

With that stated, whether an organization is recruiting salespeople, public relations professionals, or other large-scale public-facing professions, they want to ensure that the individuals they pick have a specific appearance: they want them to be beautiful, accessible, and trustworthy. When the position you're looking for requires you to represent the firm via your appearance physically, employers are likely to appraise you based on how the public will see you.

If an employer cares about your look, attach a link to your LinkedIn page or website on your CV. You may also include your business card with your résumé. If you pick one of those paths, keep the following photography fundamentals in mind:

Wear a simple shirt.

When it comes to a professional headshot, logos, slogans, patterns, and stripes are all possible failures. The greatest option is a simple top that draws attention to your dependable grin. Certain photographs may also be converted to black and white, so ensure sufficient contrast to ensure that nothing appears strange in that format.

Get your hair done

Your professional photograph should resemble shampoo advertising, so ensure that you've just had your hair cut and that your hair is nicely combed and seems healthy. Avoid updos and other unconventional styles, which do not transition well to film.

Wear natural makeup

This suggestion is equally applicable to men and women. To prevent seeming washed-out, slick, or pallid, spend a few moments concealing your under eyes and blotting your nose, chin, and forehead with powder or a tissue.

Select the appropriate height

When it comes to creating a pleasing portrait, angles are critical. To prevent double chins, protruding noses, or an unfavorable perspective, aim to be level with or slightly below the camera lens.

Smile

When you grin honestly into the camera, your approachability increases by 100%; ensure that your grin reaches your eyes to give it a more natural appearance.

When to exclude a picture from a resume

While it is allowed or even required in a few nations for candidates to include an image of themselves on their resume, most of the globe views photographs as redundant at best and damaging at worst. The greatest way to increase your chances of finding your dream job is to emphasize your desirable qualities and credentials. The following recommendations are based on United States standards.

Employers generally agree that photographs on resumes are unacceptable for the following reasons:

Bias

In the United States, it is very criminal to discriminate against someone based on their appearance. It includes their gender, race, age, and any other characteristic discernible from a picture of the applicant. Include a picture on your CV to avoid accidental prejudice and protect your prospective employer from a discrimination lawsuit.

First impressions

A first impression is just once. In general, you're considerably more likely to generate a favorable first impression in-person than your picture would on paper. Seeing a candidate's face might instinctively eliminate objectivity from the process of picking resumes for interviews, so losing any possibility to create an excellent first impression in person.

Constrained by space

In general, your resume should not exceed one page in length. It may take some effort to cram all relevant information into one page while maintaining a clean, readable, and uncluttered appearance. Adding a picture to the mix might eat up to 25% of your available workspace. It is much more efficient to utilize that area to highlight your credentials and abilities to do necessary everyday activities.

Google exists

Suppose an employer is interested in your credentials and contemplating asking you to interview. In that case, they are likely to do a background check online to search for red flags such as arrests, unlawful or dubious social media posts, badmouthing prior employers or coworkers, or other warning indicators. They're going to view your images throughout the process, making it entirely unnecessary to squander important resume space on a picture.

Recruiters will not pass them on.

Generally, recruiters will delete any photographs from a CV before sending them to prospective employers for the above reasons. Utilize the area to showcase your achievements.