LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 722 million users worldwide as of August 2022. With so many professionals connecting on the platform, first impressions matter. For many LinkedIn users, their profile picture is the first thing viewers see when looking at their profile. This naturally leads to the question – can my LinkedIn profile picture be a selfie?
The short answer is yes, you can use a selfie as your LinkedIn profile picture. LinkedIn’s profile photo guidelines do not prohibit selfies or specify that profile pictures must be professionally taken headshots. However, there are some best practices to keep in mind when selecting a LinkedIn profile photo.
Benefits of Using a Professional Headshot
While selfies are allowed, using a professional headshot as your LinkedIn profile picture has some advantages:
- Looks more polished and put-together
- Conveys professionalism and attention to detail
- Allows you to make the best first impression on connections
- Pops more in the small profile picture icon
- Shows you are serious about putting your best foot forward
A professional headshot demonstrates you are thoughtful about presenting yourself in a business context. Especially for job seekers, a headshot can make you appear qualified, experienced, and ready to take on a professional role.
Downsides of Selfies as Profile Pictures
Using a casual selfie as your profile picture does have some potential downsides:
- May seem less serious or professional
- Quality may not be great due to awkward angles or poor lighting
- Does not stand out as much next to polished headshots
- Background environments may be distracting or informal
- Multiple people in photo can be confusing
While selfies showcase your personality, they do not necessarily put your best professional foot forward. Poor quality selfies may inadvertently undermine your profile.
Tips for Using a Selfie as Your Profile Photo
If you want to use a selfie as your LinkedIn profile picture, here are some tips:
- Take photo in well-lit, neutral environment
- Use rear camera for better quality
- Dress professionally as you would for work
- Make sure your face and eyes are clearly visible
- Check that expression is natural but friendly
- Double check background doesn’t include clutter or people
Taking some time to get the right selfie can help you put your best foot forward while still keeping an approachable and personable vibe.
Ideal Selfie Poses and Cropping
When taking a selfie for your profile picture, pay attention to your pose and angle:
- Hold camera at eye level or slightly above
- Lean in slightly towards camera
- Relax shoulders and tilt head
- Smile naturally if appropriate
- Take photo straight on rather than from side
- Crop photo to shoulders up for ideal framing
Avoid selfies from below nose level or excessive high angles. Make sure your eyes and smile are visible. Cropping out your shoulders and background creates a nicely framed headshot effect.
Examples of Professional Selfies
Here are some examples of selfies that work well as LinkedIn profile pictures:
- Photo taken outdoors in flattering natural light
- Warm smile looking directly at camera
- Professional clothing in neutral tones
- Simple background slightly blurred
- Head and shoulders cropped photo
This type of selfie comes across polished while still feeling warm and approachable. The lighting and profile positioning is flattering while the smile feels genuine.
Another example:
- Photo taken in front of plain wall indoors
- Pleasant but closed mouth smile
- Professional makeup and hairstyling
- Business formal clothing and accessories
- Cropped to upper chest and shoulders
This selfie has excellent lighting and background. Formal workwear and styling gives off an image of competence and professionalism. The cropping creates a nicely framed headshot look.
Examples of Selfies to Avoid
Here are some examples of selfies that may not make the best LinkedIn profile pictures:
- Cropped off top of head or too far away
- Camera held too low or high angle
- Distracting background environment
- Looking away from camera
- Unnatural facial expression
- Too dark or grainy/blurry
- Inappropriate clothing
Selfies with these characteristics can undermine your professional brand rather than strengthen it. Make sure your selfie is high quality, intentional, and appropriate.
Alternatives to Consider
If you don’t have access to take a quality professional style selfie, here are some alternative options to consider for your profile photo:
- Ask a friend or family member to take a photo for you
- Hire a professional photographer for headshots
- Use a flattering photo from a recent event or vacation
- Crop a nice headshot from a group photo
- Take a photo at a scenic outdoor location
Having someone else take your photo can help get more flattering angles and better quality. Using a pre-existing nice photo can also be a free option if cropped and edited appropriately.
Tools to Enhance Selfies
If you do opt for using a selfie as your LinkedIn profile picture, there are tools that can help enhance the quality:
- Photo editing software like Photoshop
- Mobile apps like Facetune for quick edits and touch-ups
- Photo filters that improve brightness, contrast, cropping
- Removal tools to eliminate blemishes or distracting backgrounds
- Portrait enhancement features to smooth skin
Subtle editing to improve lighting, framing, and other picture elements can go a long way in making your selfie look more professional. But avoid going overboard with editing filters.
Profile Picture Size and Specs
To make sure your selfie or profile picture looks its best on your LinkedIn profile, it should:
- Be 400 x 400 pixels minimum for proper clarity
- Be in a JPG, BMP, or PNG file format
- Have an aspect ratio close to 1:1 so it’s not distorted
- Have appropriate resolution of 72 ppi
- Be under 8 MB in file size
Meeting these technical specifications helps ensure your photo renders properly across desktop and mobile. A high quality selfie or headshot optimized for LinkedIn will look professional on your profile.
Updating Your Profile Photo
One benefit of using a selfie for your LinkedIn profile is that they are easy to update regularly. You can update your profile picture anytime by:
- Going to your profile and clicking the camera icon
- Uploading a new photo from your computer
- Clicking the profile photo and selecting “Change photo”
Refreshing your selfie every six months to a year can be beneficial. Just make sure any new photos uphold a consistent professional look and feel. A selfie makes it convenient to update your profile picture to stay current.
Conclusion
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to use a selfie as your LinkedIn profile picture as long as it presents you in a professional, thoughtful manner. A high quality selfie taken purposefully for your profile can enable authenticity and approachability while still looking polished.
However, a professional headshot is still the standard recommendation for LinkedIn as it most effectively conveys professionalism at a glance. A clean, well-composed headshot commands respect and gets the best results. But a properly taken selfie does have unique upsides like approachability and the ease of updating it regularly.
So in summary:
- Yes, you can use a selfie, but a pro headshot is still the gold standard
- Make sure your selfie background, clothes, and quality are appropriate
- Angle camera intentionally for most flattering perspective
- Edit selfie photo to perfect lighting, framing, and touch up
- Refresh selfie periodically to keep profile picture current
Your LinkedIn profile picture is your chance to make a strong first impression, so select whichever option – professional headshot or enhanced selfie – will allow you to put your best foot forward. Use your photo strategically to convey exactly how you want to present your personal brand to the LinkedIn community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about using a selfie as your LinkedIn profile picture:
Is a selfie unprofessional?
A selfie does not have to be unprofessional. If composed intentionally for LinkedIn with a professional appearance and background, a selfie can still look polished. However, casually taken party selfies for example would not be appropriate.
Do selfies make you less likely to get hired?
Poor quality, informal selfies could potentially undermine your perceived professionalism and make you less likely to get hired. But a thoughtful, well-composed selfie can convey personality while still showcasing you as hireable.
What is the best selfie pose for LinkedIn?
The best selfie pose includes tilting your chin down slightly, leaving extra space above your head, keeping shoulders relaxed, and holding the camera at eye level for the most flattering perspective.
Can I use a selfie on other professional networks?
It is acceptable to use an appropriate professional style selfie for other business networking platforms like corporate directories, intranets, and professional mentorship sites. Follow the same principles as crafting a selfie for LinkedIn.
What background should I use for my LinkedIn selfie?
A solid neutral wall, office, or natural outdoor setting make ideal backgrounds for LinkedIn selfies. Make sure background is tidy and not distracting. Blurring background can also create a nice framing effect.
Table Comparing Professional Headshots vs. Selfies
Professional Headshot | Selfie | |
---|---|---|
Cost | Expensive, $100-$300+ | Free |
Quality | Highest quality | Varies greatly |
Convenience | Requires photographer | Fast and easy |
Authenticity | Less personality | More approachable |
Professionalism | Very polished | Depends on selfie |
First Impression | Authoritative | Relatable |
Tips for Taking the Perfect Selfie
Here are some summarized top tips for taking the perfect selfie to use for your LinkedIn profile picture:
- Look directly into camera lens with pleasant expression
- Angle camera to slightly above eye level
- Ensure full face and head are in frame
- Use rear camera for higher quality over front camera
- Take photo outdoors in natural daylight when possible
- Wear professional or business casual attire in neutral tones
- Shoot against clean, solid background like wall or sky
- Take multiple photos and review to compare
- Crop out shoulders and background clutter
- Touch up lighting, color, and other elements as needed
Putting in the small effort to take a thoughtful, well-composed selfie can really pay off with a LinkedIn profile picture you can be proud of.
Example Selfie Photo Shoot
Here is an example shoot to capture a professional selfie for your LinkedIn profile:
- Select outfit – Pick professional attire in neutral, solid colors. An button down or blazer often photographs well.
- Style hair/makeup – Style your hair neatly as you would for work. Apply natural makeup if desired.
- Choose location – Photograph outdoors in shade for most flattering light. Or indoors near large window.
- Set up camera – Use rear camera. Prop up camera against books on table to steady. Make sure tilted slightly down.
- Compose framing – Stand about arm’s length away. Crop in frame from head to shoulders.
- Perfect expression – Relax shoulders and neck. Look directly into camera lens with pleasant smile.
- Snap photos – Take a series of 10-20 photos. Subtly pose head at different angles. Maintain same smile and gaze.
- Review photos – Review all photos taken and delete out any with eyes closed or other flaws.
- Edit and filter – Open best photos. Edit color, contrast, cropping as needed. Add subtle filter if necessary.
- Final selection – Select single best photo showcasing professional, polished look. This will be profile picture.
Investing the time in this intentional photoshoot process will deliver a high quality selfie perfect for your LinkedIn profile.
Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when taking a selfie for your LinkedIn profile picture:
- Poor lighting like shadows or backlight
- Busy or distracting background environment
- Opening eyes or mouth too wide
- Camera tilted incorrectly causing distorted perspective
- Hair or clothing looking disheveled
- Clothing too causal like t-shirts or tank tops
- Blurry or pixelated resolution from low quality camera
- Taking photo from too high or low an angle
- Visible clutter or people in background
- Not having full face and head centrally in frame
Review your selfies closely before uploading to LinkedIn to catch any of these errors that could undermine perceived professionalism.
Key Takeaways
To sum up key learnings on whether a selfie can successfully be your LinkedIn profile picture:
- Yes, selfies are allowed if they present you professionally
- Pro headshots still look most polished and authoritative
- Quality selfies show approachability and personality
- Photos should be well-lit and intentionally posed
- Warm smile and eye contact make best impression
- Touch ups and filtering can polish selfie’s appearance
- Refresh selfie periodically to stay current
Choosing the right LinkedIn profile photo takes strategy. But a thoughtfully composed selfie can strike the perfect balance of approachable yet professional if done right. Use these tips to take an optimized selfie or headshot that makes the best first impression.