First Impressions Matter / Skills for success

A great LinkedIn headshot is very important.

  • A LinkedIn headshot is part of your personal brand. It is a visual story, a virtual “hello”. It shows that you are making the best professional impression possible.

  • The purpose of a good LinkedIn headshot is to highlight your personal brand and to showcase you in a knowledgeable, skilled, trustworthy, confident and approachable way.

  • A great headshot will make you feel good about your personal brand. This will impact what other professionals are thinking when they see your photo.

  • A professional headshot gives you credibility. It shows that you take your career seriously.

  • A great LinkedIn photo helps to increase your confidence as well as the confidence that an employer has in your professional abilities. You will take yourself seriously and others will, too.

    Did you know?

  • Your LinkedIn headshot attracts attention. Having a professional photograph on LinkedIn makes your profile more likely to be viewed - 21 times more profile views and 9 times more connection requests (source: LinkedIn Talent Solutions).

  • Studies have shown that it only takes 1/10th of a second for someone to have an impression of you based on your photo. A first impression can open or close doors in your job search journey.

  • Over 90% of hiring managers and recruiters will look at your profile photo before contacting you.

  • Your photo should convey credibility and trust. These traits are top criteria for accepting connection requests.

    What constitutes a good LinkedIn headshot?

  • Ideally, a LinkedIn photograph should be taken by a professional photographer. It will make a difference. A photographer will take care of the many important aspects of the process (lighting, angle, expression, touch-ups, cropping, framing etc.). You do not need to worry about these technical details.

  • How you look and dress on the day of the photo is very important but how you feel is just as (or even more) important.

  • How we see ourselves is not how the world sees us. A professional headshot will capture you and present you with a perspective of yourself that you may not be accustomed to. It is important to trust the photographer’s ability to convey you in a manner that you like but also from an outsider’s view.

  • Your headshot should be recent. An outdated photo might create confusion. If you look very different in real life than you do from your photo, it creates a misleading message of not being trustworthy.

Other important facts/tips about LinkedIn to keep in mind:

  • LinkedIn allows you to have an online personal brand which makes you visible. When your name is put into a search engine (ie. Google) you have an online personal brand and you are appearing in search results.

  • LinkedIn has a great job board. You can find new job posts based on your previous searches, alerts and profile.

  • Use LinkedIn as a research tool. It is filled with articles and helpful information. Before you submit a job application you can research companies, interviewers, recruiters, and hiring managers, which will be very helpful.

  • LinkedIn is also great for researching organizations and people that work at them. Use it to look for or connect with people that work for organizations that you are interested in.

  • Networking is important. Your professional connections can help you find new opportunities.

  • Engage and connect with other like-minded professionals. This will help you keep on top of trends and be a part of a professional community.


Tips when building your LinkedIn profile

1. Always use a closely cropped professional portrait for your headshot. Never use a photo that was taken at a social event, a wedding or on holiday with your family. Keep your photograph professional, natural and authentic.

2. Create a professional headline highlighting yourself. Try to highlight at least three specialties using your own personal keywords. This should be 'who you are', not just your job title, or what you do.

3. Use keyword rich content when building your summary and experience categories for your profile page. The list of keywords should include words that describe you, your talents, your personality and the qualities that you aspire to.

4. Use external links to your website, blog and major social media properties, like twitter and your professional facebook page. LinkedIn can help you share your personal brand and your story, but it can also drive traffic to your website.

5. Include any volunteer or extracurricular work you participate in, as it's an excellent way to share more personality and the type of professional you are.

6. Seek and give recommendations. It's a big ask and an important commitment for others to endorse you, so it's best to first ask your long standing and trusted connections.

Preparing for your headshot

Getting ready and being prepared for your headshot portrait will help you be happier with the results from your photography session and to also enjoy the process. That said, it can feel a little overwhelming to know how to prepare yourself. So many questions. "What to wear? Do I need special make-up? Should I get my hair cut or styled?" We believe the right preparation and a positive mindset can really make a difference when you show up for your portrait shoot. How you present yourself will impact the final photograph and help you better present your personal brand story!

Use this link for some specific tips: www.dwaynebrownstudio.com/preparing-for-your-linkedin-headshot-portrait