LinkedIn Profile Photo? 5 Things NOT To Do

If you’re reading this article, the chances are you will already be on LinkedIn. Today’s tip sheet post is about a key part of the profile that all us have spent either too much or too little time thinking about – the Profile Picture. This post is about why you need to have one, and 5 basic rules on what not to do once you’ve decided to put it up. Let’s get started.

You need a profile picture

In today’s socialised and connected world, anonymity is in full retreat.
While we all care about personal privacy, it’s incongruous to opt in on
being on social networks, and yet be there not showing your face.
Humanising your account through a profile picture is the first step in
an exchange of information that you tacitly agree to by being on the
platform in the first place. And it communicates a great deal – by
simply having a profile picture, it’s telling the reader that you
actually use the platform, that you not a spammer with zombie account
and that you are serious about networking with others. You don’t need a
Hollywood smile, Terry Venables perma tan or a Donald Trump hair weave –
you just basically need to be you.

Now here are 5 things to avoid when selecting your photo.

1. A Non Human Avatar

This is not War of Warcraft. Putting a comedy/fantasy/sci-fi avatar on a professional network like LinkedIn is telling the world that you value your imaginary life more
than your professional life – its not the kind of image that will
encourage employers or recruiters to give you a call. It’s the digital
equivalent of turning up to an interview with a Bart Simpson tie on –
your attempt at comedic differentiation will succeed only too well, but
in a way you did not intend and with consequences that will not be in
your interest.

2. The Body Shot

The dimensions for the average profile picture is approx 150 x 150. In other words, they are thumbnails, designed to display a human face, not your Olympian physique. I’m sure
you look great in the ball gown or in that muscle Tee you like wearing,
but that’s not the point of this photo. It’s about your face. If you
must, I think it’s OK to have head & shoulders but any more torso
and you will reduce the resolution on your face making you difficult to
identify, whilst also raising questions as to you are selecting a shot
of your body when everyone else is going with the head shot.

3. Special Effects

You can do wonderful things with image editing software; emboss your face, X-ray your outline, put everything into sepia or reverse it all into film negative. Do none of these things
on your profile shot. It may look great – if you are in art school –
but there is a time and a place and this isn’t it. Remember the primary
reason why the photo is there in the first place – to humanise your
profile. The viewer needs to be comfortable that you are a real person,
that you use the system and that you pass the freak test. Embossing your
face in gold will probably not help you achieve any of these
objectives.

4. The Over Pose

I think I’ve just invented a term. Think David Brent and you’ll know what I’m reaching for here. Profile photo’s on LinkedIn should communicate personable plus professional – wearing a
white collar and smiling at camera is all you need to do. Anything more,
any attempt to add ‘character’ or gravitas and you will be entering
dangerous territory.

5. Change It All The Time

If LinkedIn is a online shop window for your skills, it will do you no favours to be switching your image around every day. The more you use LinkedIn, the more people will identify
with your image and too much change might well have damaging effects on
the nascent online relationships that you have been developing. Clearly,
there is an ethical imperative for currency – it won’t do to have a
picture that is no longer looks like you in real life, but if you’ve got
an accurate, up-to-date shot, stick with it.

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Comment by Pam J. Crouch on September 13, 2010 at 11:50am: I disagree with to some extent. Yes LinkedIn is a professional networking site, however I want to see the human side of people. Do I want to see you in a string bikini or shirtless flexing your biceps in your picutre, of course not. Do I want to see you with your family or friends sure, why not. I think it is a nice human touch to let people see the real you and not just some stock looking photo you put up on your profile. I would rather do bsuiness with someone who looks real and genuine than someone who looks stiff and fake.

Comment by Valentino Martinez on October 30, 2011 at 1:21am: Disagree. Go with something dramatic--like a BULL leaping onto the laps of unsuspecting spectators.

Leaves a memorable impression, but not even close to the expressions on the faces of those unlucky spectators.

Comment by Elise Reynolds on March 22, 2012 at 10:01am: I will add, be kind when talking to someone you only know by your linkedin photo. We all know tons of people professionally only by photo.

One partner of mine was told by another female partner that he sure was brave to put his photo on Linkedin since he was sort of bald.

Comment by Suresh on March 26, 2012 at 10:48am: Good advice. Since my looks could change over the years, I decided to add my logo in my profile picture (one constant).

Comment by stephenbooth.uk on May 1, 2012 at 12:51pm: I really need a new profile picture.

Comment by Mark on June 21, 2012 at 11:19am: Hung, this post should be required reading for anyone with an LI profile.

Well done!

Comment by Joshua Lee on June 21, 2012 at 6:24pm: Hung, I'm sorry, but I have to partially agree and partially dissent.

For the basic user, what you describe is accurate but no longer is it really the rule of thumb. First, what you described is rather elementary at best. You're not saying anything untrue, but you're about 5 years behind in the relevancy.

Today, most companies look for "distinguishing" factors. What the internet has done in general and what social media does to the nth degree is make the world much smaller, bringing a huge amount of data and information to the for front making everything and everyone more accessible. What needs to be done when the market place is so crowded is to be "unique" and different.

You completely ignored the creative industry (which is one of the larger sectors now a days). For instance, advertising agencies, film, marketing firms, tv, radio, print and web media, etc. On top of that take into consideration even Google. Do you think they hire "run of the mill" vanilla type techies? No they do not. Nobody wants that anymore. Web, internet, interactive companies look for creative hackers, designers and the like. Even CEO's (take for instance Gregg of Jib Jab http://www.linkedin.com/in/greggspiridellis) us avatars, something you think makes you look less serious? In today's market post MySpace, post Facebook, Post etc..... being taken seriously has more to do with how good they are at a certain skill set and having the balls to express their creative uniqueness.

Anyway, not a personal jab because I think you were well meaning. Your post is well suited to the Fortune 500 cookie cutter candidate, not to the top 20% of the field who aren't defined by boundaries of the average.

Comment by Mark on June 21, 2012 at 6:42pm: Joshua, good argument but, I'm not convinced.

It's just a picture on a LI profile and Hung wants to make sure we have one that doesn't make us look like dweebs. You're showing me, and others who look at your profile, your professional self. It's all about what kind of image you want to project. My image is kind of corporate ID card, yours is a laid back party.

I see your argument about creativity but, if that is what I want, an avatar is not gong to convince me. I'll want to see a real presentation of whizz-bang artistry for that.

I spend my days trying to find qualified engineers and technicians so, maybe we're after different candidates. I'll take a CCIE with a mug shot and do just fine. Maybe if I were looking for a web-page designer or a content consultant my attitude would be different.

Comment by Joshua Lee on June 21, 2012 at 6:47pm: Mark - I look for people who are at the top 20% or 10% of the field. They posses skills difficult to find and are bleeding edge emerging technologies for some of the top 5 firms in the entertainment, internet, social media and advertising industries. I'll tell you none of them have anything vanilla about their background which is why 90% of recruiters will completely miss them.

I find Security Engineers, Pen Testers, Architects, Unix/Linux/LAMP Engineers, Sys Admins, Mobile developers, Designers and the like. Yes a normal regular photo is fine. However, if you're natural inclination is to do something goofy, that reveals something about you. It's important to see the true person not some fabrication of what they "think" that others want to see. That's just a formula for false starts.