Photo for LinkedIn

Make a great first impression with your LinkedIn profile photo

The LinkedIn photo is one of the most important parts of your Linkedin profile. Most often, the profile picture is the first thing people notice, and it is definitely an image they will remember you by. Everyone claims that we should not judge a book by its cover, but usually that is exactly what we do. The profile picture is the first impression you give to your future employers or hiring managers, like in an interview – your appearance, attire, and attitude matter! 

If you have a Linkedin profile or you’ve just decided to create an account on the website, read this guide to learn how to prepare a unique and great Linkedin Profile Photo to boost your career!

Why should I add a photo to my LinkedIn profile?

It is a fact that if a book lacks a cover or the book cover is unappealing, we are less likely to open it even if the book’s content is very valuable and precious. Studies have shown that the labels on daily products are often the key factor in purchasing decisions of average customers.

The same psychological mechanism applies to the LinkedIn profile picture, which is the cover of your profile as well as a label of your achievements, skills, and work experience. That is the exact reason why we have a photo on our social media accounts, and why the quality of a LinkedIn photo may have an impact on the whole recruitment process and making the right impression at your job interview! 

Regarding the Linkedin data, profiles without photos are clicked on less often, and invitations sent from people whose profiles lack photos aren’t accepted by 93% of users! This means that more recruiters will look for candidates with photos on their profiles. 

Why is it important to upload the right LinkedIn photo?

We humans have the tendency to judge others very quickly by looks, and this also applies to professional social media platforms, such as LinkedIn. Not just recruiters, but all of us, consciously or subconsciously, read the personality features and characteristics using the sense of sight. This is why it is crucial to not only have a LinkedIn profile picture, but to have one that will make others associate you with only positive qualities, such as attention to detail or confidence. 

The profile picture is like a showcase for hiring managers, so you have to pay a lot of attention to make it a good one. Otherwise, a recruiter who views hundreds of job seekers’ profiles daily may draw an unfavorable conclusion.

What are the most common mistakes in LinkedIn photos?

For an experienced recruiter, just a glimpse at an unprofessional LinkedIn profile photo will raise some doubts. We have prepared a list of the top 5 common mistakes for you to avoid to make sure your photo presents you as a confident, detail oriented, digital native!

• Blurry, shaky or pixelated photos may give away lack of digital skills. 
• A background that’s too bright or colorful can indicate a careless person 
• Uneven lighting and shadows on the face might show one is not detail oriented
• Not looking directly into the camera lens will not advocate for you being confident
• Photo that does not include your shoulders nor any space above your head may indicate lack of interpersonal skills

Bear in mind that a photo on social media accounts tends to give the first impression for someone who doesn't know you. Keep reading to find out how much more likely you are to get viewed or receive a message if you have a profile picture!

Take a professional photo for your LinkedIn profile

The LinkedIn research proves that just having a picture makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by others and you have 36 times more chances to receive a message.

Therefore, there is no doubt a professional photo on LinkedIn is a must-have. Not only will it make your profile more complete and get you more views and messages, but will also give the recruiters the right impression.

Do you already know how to take a profile pic that will increase your chances in the eyes of the recruiters or raise the profile's prestige among other members of the LinkedIn community?

Choose the right background color

Did you know that a green background makes us perceive a person as more likeable, open, and willing to cooperate? An office background indicates professionalism and a corporate approach to work. On the other hand, a blue background means that +30% of people will accept the invitation. However, it doesn’t mean that it has to be a boring uniform color, because you can pose against grass or a blue painted wall – show your creativity to gain extra points right from the start!

The right frame is the basis of a good photo

The background, as well as the frame, really matters. You have to position yourself appropriately in the photo. This means only your head, neck, and possibly the top of your shoulders should be visible in your profile photo. Do not upload a whole body picture, because it’ll make it difficult for people to recognize you.

Opt for the proper facial expression

A question that is often asked when it comes to LinkedIn profile photos is ‘Should I smile in a business photo?’ Yes! And here are the arguments in favor of it:

• You’re building more trust
• You seem approachable and warm
• You’re making a genuine connection with the viewer
• You don’t look threatening to work with
• You show confidence

The LinkedIn profile picture is already your personal brand, so make sure that you present yourself appropriately regarding the industry you work in. Although, a lot depends on your profession. This means that if you consider your brand a little more serious it is okay to look serious or neutral in your LinkedIn profile photo. But usually smiling wins! Studies prove that when choosing from two identical faces that only differed in their facial expression, people preferred the smiling face.

Dress casually but professionally

While choosing the right outfit, think about the way you’d dress for a job interview. Linkedin is a professional career and business platform, not just a casual profile on social media. You have to pay more attention to the dress code, because you will be judged as a potential candidate for a future employer. 

Of course, do not pretend to be someone else – be yourself, but show the best side of you! A lot depends on the industry you work in, but usually for men, a dress shirt will be the right choice, and for women a nice blouse, and a blazer or suit jacket for both. Choose something uniform in one solid, darker color like blue or black. Stripes, dots, patterns, and flowery or strapless tops will not look good. Also, remember about not putting on too much makeup, wearing a lot of jewelry, or sporting extravagant hairstyles.

Upload the correct LinkedIn photo size

The standard LinkedIn profile picture size is between 400 (w) x 400 (h) pixels and 7680 (w) x 4320 (h) pixels, where the head should cover about 60% of the frame. You can upload a larger photo and LinkedIn will resize it, but it can't be bigger than 8MB. This is why your best bet will be choosing the Passport Photo Online service that changes the size exactly to fit the Linkedin requirements! 

Bear in mind that LinkedIn has a list of some background images it doesn’t allow. You can’t add company logos, animals, words, phrases, or landscapes, so if you upload your own one using our photo service, make sure that you do NOT download a forbidden background image.

Take a professional photo

If you want to be treated like a professional, prove that you are a professional in all ways! Show a great quality of your business image. The LinkedIn profile picture is the first thing to be rated by your future employer. This means that the quality must be good, it can’t be blurred, or have patterns, because it will potentially make you look like an amateur instead of a professional, and on top of that it can show lack of digital skills, or no attention to detail! Pay attention to the lighting – we recommend shooting in daylight as the flash lamp may cause red eyes, which doesn’t look competent.

How to take a good LinkedIn profile photo at home?

Going to photography studios might be too much effort - it is better to choose a fully free of charge option and take your LinkedIn profile photos at home! 

Start from finding someone who will be your photographer, or place a tripod approximately 3 meters from the place you stand. Make sure that this place is well-lit, and that you’re standing about 1 meter away from the wall. It is better to face the camera, however, your head can be tilted a little to the side if you prefer. There are no strict rules, but it is good to look directly into the lens so that the recruiter thinks you’re looking at them, thus getting an impression of a confident and reliable employee. Make sure your entire face is visible and your facial expression is appropriate.

After taking some photos, choose the best one and upload it to our photo app, which will prepare the perfect picture for your business account! Change your career today!

How the photo creator works

Our photo maker is very simple and adjusts almost all photographs right away to be appropriate for the LinkedIn social network. Just open the Passport Photo Online website and follow the LinkedIn photo tips on how to take a good LinkedIn profile photo. 

Follow the 3 steps below to know how our Linkedin photo tool works:

1. Upload a picture.
2. Choose the background color from the ones available on our website or upload your own one - the photo tool removes the original background allowing you to substitute it with your own!
3. Download your new professional LinkedIn picture and add it straight to your LinkedIn profile!

You don’t need a professional photographer to take your professional LinkedIn photo - you can do it yourself today and get ready to land jobs with your dream employers!

Last update: 8/15/22