Ask Amanda How to Pick the Right LinkedIn Profile Photo

Ask Amanda How to Pick the Right LinkedIn Profile Photo Ask Amanda What Should My LinkedIn Profile Photo Look Like?Each week, TopResumes career advice expert, Amanda Augustine, answers user questions like the one below from Quora and the Ask Amanda form. A certified professional career coach (CPCC) and resume writer (CPRW), Amanda has been helping professionals improve their careers for over 10 years. Have a question for Amanda? Submit it here.Q What are some tips for picking the right LinkedIn profile photo?Do I REALLY need a profile picture on LinkedIn and, if so, what are some tips to choosing the right photo? Richard L.First off, kudos for understanding the importance of having a LinkedIn profile. Whether youre looking for a new job or wanting to expand your network of contacts, LinkedIn has become an essential tool for the career-minded professional.While including a headshot on your resume is frowned upon by employers, uploading a photo to accompany your LinkedIn profile is no w commonplace. In fact, studies have found that your LinkedIn profile is 40 percent mora likely to be clicked on if it contains a headshot. However, bedrngnis just any profile picture will do. Its important to pick your LinkedIn profile photo strategically so that it helps, rather than hurts, your job prospects.Use the tips below to pick the right LinkedIn profile photo that will benefit your career.Use a high-resolution image that meets the new size requirementsSince LinkedIns update and redesign in December 2017, the ideal profile picture size increased from 200 x 200 pixels to 400 x 400 pixels. However, its OK to upload a larger picture as long as its square, no larger than 8MB in file size, and does not exceed 20,000 pixels in height or width. If you select a LinkedIn profile photo that is less than 400 x 400 pixels, you can assume the image will look teeny tiny or blurry.Select a current photo of youIt may sound obvious, but your LinkedIn profile photo should be a picture of yo u and only you. Your dog or your children may be adorable, but your LinkedIn profile picture is not the right place to show them off. Also, avoid using a group picture where the viewer would have to guess which person is you. Using a photo where youve tried to crop out the other folks in the image isnt good either. Chances are, youll end up either cropping off too much of your own image or leaving in an arm or another body parte of another person. The end result is an unprofessional photo that should not represent you to a network of potential connections.In addition, make aya your LinkedIn profile photo is up-to-date and reflects how you typically look think hairstyle, glasses, makeup, etc. on a regular basis. While you may love that photo of you from your cousins wedding 8 years ago, chances are you dont look exactly the same anymore. Theres nothing worse than setting hiring managers up with false expectations because of an outdated LinkedIn profile picture and then showing up for the interview looking completely different.A little filtering never hurt anyoneWhile its never advisable to edit your photo so that your image doesnt look like you, a little photoshopping is OK. For instance, slight changes to the tone and lighting and the softening of blemishes can improve the overall look and feel of your photo without drastically altering your image. If youre interested in testing a few tweaks to your image beyond your phones edit features, try an app like FaceTune.Consider your facial expression in the pictureYour goal is to appear professional, yet approachable, so its important to select a photo for your LinkedIn profile where you genuinely look happy. You should be smiling in your picture with your eyes, if not with your whole face. Remember, this picture is often the first time a prospective employer will see your face. Make sure it makes the right first impression.Not sure if your profile picture will send the right message to prospective employers? Con sider testing it with Photofeeler. This free app tells you how youre coming across in pictures if you look attractive, smart, trustworthy, fun, confident, and so on.Your face should be the focal point of the imageStick with a standard headshot for your LinkedIn profile photo where your face takes up approximately 60 percent of the frame. Crop the picture from the top of your shoulders to just above your head so that your face fills the frame and places the emphasis on your smile.Avoid using an image that is too close up or too far away. Prospective employers and those in your professional network are not interested in inspecting your dental work, and a photo of you standing on top of a cliff, while pretty impressive, wont help them identify you at an event or interview.Make sure the hintergrund isnt distractingWhile theres nothing wrong with choosing a LinkedIn profile image that has an interesting background especially if imagery is relevant to your line of work make sure its no t so interesting that it takes center stage. The background should complement your headshot, not draw all the attention away from your face.Avoid bad lightingAs with any photo, you want to be cognizant of the use of light. Dont use a photo where there are dark shadows hanging over your face. In addition to making it difficult for someone to recognize you, a LinkedIn profile photo with weird shadows looks unprofessional.If youre short on funds or simply not interested in investing in a professional headshot, try taking a selfie in a renovated dressing room at Marshalls or TJMaxx. These rooms tend to have simple, white backgrounds and great lighting to show off their merchandise. If you choose this option, be careful with the angle of your camera to ensure you dont catch your arm in the image. When done well, the viewer should have no idea that you took a selfie to produce your LinkedIn profile photo.Dress for the job you wantIf you work in an office setting, avoid using your wedding photo for your LinkedIn profile picture. The goal is to dress in an outfit youd typically wear to work. If youre searching for a new job, consider the companies youve added to your list of ideal employers and select your outfit based on the company culture of those organizations. For instance, if you find that youre gravitating toward tech startups, youd likely opt for an outfit thats a bit more casual than what youd select if you were targeting traditional financial institutions.RelatedHow to Dress for the Job (and Company Culture) You WantAdd a LinkedIn background photo that complements your profileFor a background photo, select an image that is 1584 x 396 pixels in dimensions. Similar to the background of your profile photo, your LinkedIn background image should complement your personal brand without stealing its thunder. If you are an entrepreneur or freelancer, you may choose to create a custom image using tools like Canva to incorporate your logo or the name of your business i nto the image. If youd prefer to go with an existing image, check out the selection on Stocksnap, Pixabay, and this site, which are free to use.Your LinkedIn profile picture isnt the only thing that should stay up to date. See where your resume stands with a free resume review.Recommended ReadingHow to Use LinkedIn to Get a JobIs Your LinkedIn Sending the Wrong Message?Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writing How Different Should They Be?Related Articles