What is the perfect profile photo for LinkedIn, Xing or your personal branding?

When you want to apply for a job, it is normal that you send your resume or your online profile (e.g. Xing, LinkedIn, Indeed, etc …) to different recruiters. In addition to your experience and training, you can attach your profile photo.

While this is no longer required in fairness, it is highly recommended that you

Add your profile photo to your curriculum vitae, résumé or online profile (LinkedIn, Xing, Indeed) (Learn how to create the perfect Linkedin profile by reading my guide). The reason is simple: a good profile photo very often makes all the difference and piques the recruiter’s interest. So why do you forego a tool that facilitates contact between the job seeker and the recruiter?

In this article, I’ll try to answer the most important questions you ask yourself so that you can add the best possible application photo or profile picture to your resume or your LinkedIn, Xing, Indeed profile.

What is important for a good application or a good profile photo?

The only subject of a photo of this type must be the candidate. No other element of the photo should disturb the recruiter’s attention. He / she needs to be able to focus on what is really important: the impression the candidate is making.

“If you suggest subtly through the photo that you are already an employee of the company, the application chances increase noticeably “
— https://karrierebibel.de/

The art of creating an effective application photo, profile picture, business photo lies in the ability of the application photographer, headshot photographer, business photographer to focus on the finer points, the smallest details that recruiters perceive subliminally, and which ultimately influence their decision, time for to spend reading a résumé or online profile (e.g. LinkedIn, Xing, Indeed …).

Success, achieving goals, comes down to one word: impression.

The impression that the candidate will make on recruiters is made up of various factors, such as appearance, pose, outfit or background.

How should I look on my application or my profile picture?

Authenticity is the key! A good headshot (To learn more about headshot, read this article on my blog.) Application photo, online profile photo should show an authentic look and at all costs avoid the cold and distant look we still see too often.

However, it’s not that easy to get comfortable in front of a camera. Some people will be very comfortable … very good … too good. The result will be the impression that the candidate “plays” a role, not himself, not authentic.

This impression is very often prohibitive as the impression that will leave the recruiters is a person who is difficult to identify, understand or manage.

But more often the opposite will happen. Without the correct instructions from a special photographer from Modern application photo, headshot, the look conveys no emotions, it is cold and distant.

This is the art of a job application photographer, headshot forographer. Through his experience, his explanations, his instructions, he will be able to give an authentic, original and genuine expression to his subject. By creating slightly deeper eyelids, the photographer instantly gives the candidate a more attractive and intense look. This expression will make a positive impression on recruiters.

Also note that the position of the head can affect your expression. A job or headshot photographer can not only capture the right look, but also find the right pose so that the candidate comes as close as possible to the ideal facial profile for a position.

What is the right pose for an application photo or a profile picture?

Did you know that everyone has a preferred facial profile? To be precise, most of the people on earth have a preferred facial profile. We don’t show ourselves in our best facial profile, whether we’re looking left or right. It is the responsibility of the photographer for application photos to find the right facial profile ……… for the candidate.

Whether you aim your head to the right (for most people), to the left, or even to the front, the impression on the left is completely different, and you should especially not neglect this criterion, otherwise the photo will not help achieve the goal .

However, it is not enough to find the right facial profile for the candidate.

Slightly tilting the head to the right or left changes the impression almost subliminally.

From a more personable, empathetic, gentle attitude that is suitable for jobs like customer relations or the medical field, one can easily switch to a more questioning attitude, a suitable inspector for management and leadership positions. To do this, it only takes a few centimeters on one side or the other.

Clothes

The clothes you plan to wear should be tailored to the position you are applying for. When applying to be a sales manager or CEO, you should look like a sales manager or CEO.

In this particular case it is necessary to wear a suit and tie in the appropriate colors. If you’re applying for a job as a computer developer, a suit is required, but this time it might not be a tie.

The IT world is known to be more relaxed than, for example, the financial sector.

If possible, find out about the dress code of the company you are targeting on the Internet, for example using the LinkedIn, Xing, or Indeed profiles of company employees. There should always be different business photos, headshots, for the job and the company you are targeting.

There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for a good job application photo, and if so, the Headshot and Job Application Photo specialist can provide you with valuable advice.

Even if there is no recipe for a good application photo, you shouldn’t neglect your profile photo. In fact, some mistakes can be fatal.

Women should avoid excessively deep necklines or wear an outfit that leaves the shoulders uncovered.

Men, on the other hand, avoid wrinkled or stained clothing.

Jewelry

In general, jewelry on application photos can be accepted, but under certain conditions. You need to be as discreet as possible and most importantly not to distract the recruiter’s attention. Remember that the main theme is YOU! not your jewelry.

Avoid (too) large earrings, necklaces and piercings that are too visible. Glasses that are only meant to be used for decorating should be left aside. Only glasses that you wear every day and that are useful for reading or seeing can and should be in the photo.

Make up

The same goes for makeup. It has to be there to serve you. The goal of makeup is therefore to give you more beautiful, more even skin. Again, make-up shouldn’t be used to “decorate” you.