Your photo: the important who element of your LinkedIn message

My son-in-law and I had dinner at my daughter’s home this week, and of course, I wanted to check up on his LinkedIn profile.

I didn’t really gasp when I saw his profile without a picture, but I made sure he understood how it was needed to improve upon the gray cartoon box LinkedIn gives those who don’t upload a photo.

LinkedIn experts note that most people will not want to engage with someone who doesn’t have a photo.

I told him a story about how Abel, a coaching client of mine, changed his LinkedIn outreach with his photo.

After Abel had his girlfriend shoot a photo with her iPhone 8, he uploaded it into his profile. Abel, who had left the military with highly desirable skills in information security, told me he had two phone calls from prospective employers within several days.

The LinkedIn photo anchors the rest of one’s profile. My good friend, Don L. Gleason, suggested that it’s one of the three key elements in what he terms “above the fold.” For younger people, the term was created for newspapers when they were sold in coin-based stands. The thinking was that people would look at the photo and want to part with the change needed to purchase the paper.

A great photo sells newspapers. So should someone’s LinkedIn profile picture. After seeing Abel’s updated image, I believe it sold him to prospective staffing professionals.

LinkedIn photos, especially for those like my son-in-law, a master’s degree candidate at Texas A&M, are needed not only to sell but to inform others of the “who” element.

Zachary said he hopes to get a job in public housing. With a future degree in public administration, he is working this summer in an internship for a non-profit that funds low-income homes. I would suspect that he’ll go to a conference or seminar where he might interview for a job.

A prospective employer will now know how to find him in a crowded convention room or in a waiting room.

For younger people, I would tell them their high school graduation photo will work for a year or two. College students change their looks in 24 months. They add a little weight. They may add a different hair color. They may have a beard or mustache. Some have significantly changed their hairstyles as well.

Most career services offices now provide photos to their students at no charge. The University of Texas at San Antonio, my second alma mater, provides this and a wardrobe as well. Students can borrow a coat and tie for their LinkedIn photo.

I tell people I coach on their LinkedIn output that their profile will evolve with time. Of all the elements that make up the critical part of one’s profile, the photo takes one of the most important roles in defining that “who are you” aspect of networking.

Not having one provides a significant handicap to those who want to build an interactive network. Even a temporary fix of one’s profile picture such as what Abel did for his profile is much better than the gray balloon.

Zachary also has a temp photo in his profile. In time, I hope it evolves to something better than his current photo. Still, it can help him in identification processes.

(Matt Scherer coaches those from the age of 16 to 96 on the best ways to create LinkedIn profile and other public relations outreach.)