Did YOU See that LinkedIn Profile Picture?
Posted on December 23, 2017 by Jeannine Bennett, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Job Seekers: If you are serious about using LinkedIn for your search efforts, you must make sure your profile is in order, starting with your picture!
“Did you see THAT LinkedIn Profile picture?” Have you ever made that comment to another person while looking up people on LinkedIn? There you are scrolling through the list of people trying to make connections to build up your network when you spot it, a profile picture that looks odd. I am not sure if odd is even the right word. The point is the picture stands out but NOT for the right reasons! The picture causes you to pause and wonder, what on earth was that person thinking? A picture that causes you to pause to ask a question like that is definitely not making a good, first impression. A lasting one perhaps, but not a good one!
Do NOT mess up YOUR branding efforts by posting a picture that does not align to your professional image or your career objectives. You have worked hard to produce a branding package worthy of showcasing YOU at work, to clients, or with potential employers so don’t blow it now. I have had some clients ask me if they even need to have a profile picture? The answer is YES!
REASON 1: According to LinkedIn, users with profile pictures get 7x more views when they include a profile photo then those that do not include one. Why? By having a professional photo, you are showing the world, yes, WORLD, that you mean business. You are a serious LinkedIn user looking to make the right connections not the wrong ones!
REASON 2: Also according to LinkedIn, a photo helps people recognize you which increases those profile views mentioned above up to 21x more than those without pictures. It also results in up to 36x more messages and up to 9x more connections.
So let’s see how your profile picture is doing. Take a look at the questions below. If you answer yes to any of them it is time to update that photo!
Is your picture old? More than 2-3 years? Was your picture taken at a family function? Wedding, Reunion, Sporting Event Does your picture contain another person or an animal? Did you use a picture that had someone else in it but you cropped them out? Does your picture have anything in the background? Are you wearing sunglasses? Are you wearing a hat? Are you smiling but not showing any teeth? A smile is important. Is the quality of the picture poor, i.e., too light, too dark, grainy, shadowy (is that a word?) Are you wearing a shirt with wording?Again, if you answered yes to any of the questions above then it is time to update that profile picture! You do not need to get a professional photographer but make sure your new picture is worthy of a GREAT first impression!
I am cheering for you!
Jeannine
Article Source: LinkedIn Official Blog. (2017).
Dr. Jeannine Bennett is the founder and CEO of Vision to Purpose, an organization dedicated to helping individuals and businesses succeed through the offering of tailored career, life and business solutions.
Need a LinkedIn expert? How about a resume writer? Perhaps a career coach? Look no further, Dr. Bennett and the Vision to Purpose team can help! Sign up for the Vision to Purpose newsletter and get 10% off a LinkedIn profile update, resume or career coaching services. Offer ends January 1, 2017 so sign up today on my Vision to Purpose web site.
