Linkedin is becoming more of a social media portal these days.
All sort of content gets published on it.
However, the fact remains that Linkedin is a professional networking site first and foremost.
And the content you publish on it must remain professional.
These days, more and more companies review your Linkedin profile to get an idea about you as a professional before they extend an offer.
And one of the first things they notice about your profile is the profile pic.
How to ensure your Linkedin profile picture projects you well as a professional?
Here are some tips:
- Don’t use unprofessional pics – You know the type. Don’t use selfies, cropped versions of holiday pictures, photos with someone’s hand over your shoulders, underdressed or overdressed images, those that have shadows over your face, etc. Your face should be clearly visible.
- Smile – You don’t need to laugh uncontrollably, but a smile immediately makes you appear warm and approachable. People tend to hire those they feel they can share a warm connection with.
- Spruce up your picture a bit – Nowadays, there are tons of free software available that will help you improve the quality of your profile picture without forcing you to learn editing techniques. Here are a few:
- PFP maker – this is a free profile picture editor tool that lets you upload your image and adjust the background, shadows, colours and more.
- Photofeeler – this tool lets you upload your picture and have others grade it on a few parameters like competency, likeability, and influence. Of course, this is a subjective measurement, but then so is a hiring manager’s impression of you just by seeing your profile pic.
- Revisit your picture every 6 months – Update your picture every 6 months to keep it current and consistent with your face.
