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 definitely the image they will remember you by. Everybody claims that we should not judge a book by its cover but usually, this 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 matters! 

If you have a Linkedin profile or you just decided to make an account there, read this guide to know how to prepare a unique and great Linkedin Profile Photo and boost your career!

Why Should I Add a Photo to my LinkedIn Profile?

It is a fact that if a book lacks cover or a book cover is unappealing, believe it or not, it is common that we do not open it even if the book is very valuable and precious. Studies show that the labels on daily products are often a key factor in the purchase decision of average customers.

The same psychological mechanism applies to a LinkedIn profile picture which is a cover of your profile as well as a label of your achievements, skills and work experience. That is the direct 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! 

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

Why is it important to Upload the Right LinkedIn Photo?

The profile picture is very important because as humans we have a natural tendency to judge people very quickly by looks. Not just recruiters but each of us, consciously or subconsciously, reads the personality features and characteristics using the sense of sight. This is why it is crucial to not only have a profile picture but to make it 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 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 profile photo will raise some doubts. We have prepared a list of top 5 common mistakes for you 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. 
• Too colorful or bright background can be understood as carelessness of a 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 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!

Make 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 a great first impression.

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

Choose the right background colour

Did you know that the green background makes us perceive a person as more likeable, open and willing to cooperate? The office background indicates professionalism and corporate approach to work. On the other hand, the blue background means that + 30% of people will accept the invitation. However, it doesn’t mean that it has to be a boring uniform colour because you can stand 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 in the frame there should appear only your head, neck and possibly the top of your shoulders. Do not upload the whole body picture because people might not be able to recognize you.

Choose a proper facial expression

Often asked question is ‘Should I smile in a business photo?’ Yes! And here are the arguments for:

• 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 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 you might consider your brand a little more serious so it is okay to look serious or neutral in the Linkedin picture. 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 it the way it would be an interview. Linkedin is a professional career and business platform, not just a casual profile in social media. You have to pay more attention to the dressing because you will be judged as a 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 for men, a shirt will be the right choice, for women a nice blouse or a blazer or a suit jacket for both. Choose something uniform in one solid, darker color like blue or black. Stripes, dots, patterns, flowery or strapless t-shirts will not look good. Also, remember about not putting on too much makeup, wearing a lot of jewellery or 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 a Passport Photo Online service that changes the size exactly how Linkedin requires! 

Bear in mind that there are some not allowed background images and Linkedin has a list of them. You can’t add company logos, animals, words, phrases or landscapes so if you upload your own one using our Linkedin photo service, make sure that you do NOT download a forbidden background photo.

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 not like a professional but an amateur and on top of that it can show lack of digital skills or no attention to details! Pay attention to the light – we recommend shooting in daylight as the flash lamp may cause red eyes and that doesn’t look competently.

How to Take a Good LinkedIn 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 Linkedin photos at home! 

Start from finding someone who will be your photographer or put a tripod approximately 3 meters from the place you stand. Make sure that this place is well-lighted and that you stand about 1 meter away from the wall. It is better to face the camera, however, your head can be tilted a little on 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 look at them and get an impression of a confident and reliable employee. Make sure your face is visible and your facial expression appropriate.

After taking some photos, choose the best one and upload it to our Linkedin Photo Validator which prepares a perfect picture for the business account! Change your career today!

How the LinkedIn Photo Creator Works?

The LinkedIn photo maker is very simple and adjusts almost all photographs straight away to be right 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 colour from the ones available on our website or upload your own one - the Linkedin Photo Tool removes the original background and allows you to substitute it with your own one!
3. Download your new professional Linkedin picture and add it straight to your Linkedin profile!