5 Tips for How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Photo
Versión en Español: 5 Tips para optimizar tu foto de perfil de LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the most powerful tool in your job search. With over 600 million users worldwide, it plays a vital role in the career advancement of almost any professional, from entry-level to C-level executives. Our new reality of remote working and interviewing has driven LinkedIn to increased relevance. Your profile is the first point of reference for recruiters and headhunters, and your best tool for putting yourself out there. If you google your name, it’s highly likely that the first search result is your LinkedIn profile.
First impressions are powerful, and therefore it is important to optimize the impact of your profile picture, as it appears in your profile even above your work history. How you choose to present yourself speaks volumes: your attention to detail, care, thoughtfulness—all essential virtues of a high-achieving, productive professional.
The best part is that the profile pic is entirely under your control. While we at Azul Advisors can help you improve the impact of your profile with thought and consideration, a quick, well-composed cell-phone snapshot can dramatically improve your professional visual impact.
A visually impactful profile picture conveys a full sense of your potential: your confidence and your kindness are important whether you are actively looking for a job or not. No need to spend money on a professional photographer--the powerful cameras in today’s smartphones and free photo editing apps allow you to create a perfect profile pic at home.
The best ways to optimize your professional headshot are:
Smile: Smiles make us look friendly, approachable, and confident. Think of something that makes you laugh, which will make your smile appear natural and at ease. A true smile transforms not just your mouth, but your entire face. Make sure that your eyes are not wide open, but are involved in the smile too, but try to avoid a “laughing” smile with your mouth agape.
Crop: What you show is as important as how you show it. Research shows that closing up too much on your face is off-putting, and full-body shots are impersonal. If you have trouble deciding, focus on cutting the picture at your armpits.
Background: The focus of your professional headshot is your face. The background should not distract from your face but should add depth and a positive connotation. A bright, uniform background works best. If there is a lot going on behind you, it’s best to go for the “portrait” blur effect (called bokeh).
Attire: Choose an outfit that makes you feel comfortable and confident, and that is appropriate for your current company/position. This is 2020--no need for a suit.
Editing: There are endless combinations of brightness, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and color temp. Take advantage of the magical tech available: iPhone has an “Auto Adjust” feature that works great. Another fantastic tool is the “portrait” filter in Snapseed.
We at Azul Advisors can help you improve your profile to match your new and improved picture. We invite you to request a free consultation with us by clicking on the Get Started button or on the Request A Free Analysis button. Also, you can reach out to us directly at contact@azuladvisors.com. We look forward to hearing from you!