We all know the importance of social media websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for business in the modern age. But surprisingly, so few of us have good portraits of ourselves posted on these sites. While it may be fine to post family snapshots on sites like Facebook, it’s becoming increasingly important that our LinkedIn profiles have professional looking headshots attached our career profiles. J.D. Gershbein even goes as far as to say in an NBC post that not having a profile photo attached to your LinkedIn in account can be a deal breaker for people looking to promote themselves or their business.
According to LinkedIn, you are 40 times more likely to receive business opportunities if you have a complete profile on LinkedIn, and that includes having a profile photo of yourself. And to top that off, a LinkedIn profile with a professional headshot is 7 times more likely to be viewed than one without – now there’s a solid business case for getting your LinkedIn profile photo done right.
Having your headshot done professionally, with the right lighting and shot without all the usual distractions you get with an everyday snapshot, can make the difference between getting the right opportunity or not. It should be no surprise that a business portrait done right attracts attention. It tells your prospective clients or employers that you have put a face to your credentials, and that you are serious about your career. It also shows your commitment to quality and getting things done right. Compare that to someone who posts a vacation photo as their LinkedIn profile photo. With all else being relatively equal, which one of these two candidates would you want to do business with?
It’s clear from the social media studies that have been done that attaching real faces to profiles helps you to stand out in the social media jungle. It doesn’t take much time to get your headshot done, and done right – and the benefits can great!
