Your LinkedIn profile photo is often the first impression hiring managers will have of you. Having an appropriate, professional photo can help you stand out in a positive way during your job search. On the other hand, an inappropriate photo can immediately disqualify you for jobs. So what exactly makes a good or bad LinkedIn photo? Here are some tips and best practices to follow.
Should your photo be formal or casual?
In most cases, your LinkedIn photo should lean more formal than casual. Remember that LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, so your photo should convey professionalism above all else. Some specific tips:
- Wear professional attire like a suit jacket, dress, or button-down shirt. Avoid casual clothings like t-shirts, tank tops, etc.
- Look directly at the camera with good posture and a pleasant facial expression.
- Avoid casual backgrounds like your living room, kitchen, etc. Opt for a solid color background or an office setting.
- Steer clear of any props like pets, alcoholic drinks, silly hats, etc. Keep the focus on you.
The exception is if you work in a very casual industry like tech startups or creative agencies. In those cases, a more casual style may align better with company culture. But when in doubt, formal is safer.
Headshots or full body?
A professional headshot is the standard recommendation for LinkedIn. It puts the focus squarely on your face, expression, and upper body. Make sure it’s high-quality, well-lit, and shows your full head and shoulders.
Full body shots are okay too, as long as you maintain a professional appearance from head to toe. The potential downside is that you appear further away and smaller in the frame. Stick to headshots if possible.
Portrait or landscape orientation?
Stick with a portrait style vertical photo. Landscape mode can awkwardly crop and zoom in on your face. Your photo should match the vertical orientation of the rest of your LinkedIn profile.
Good lighting
Proper lighting is key for a quality headshot. Here are some tips:
- Outdoors: If taking your photo outside, do it during sunrise or sunset when the light is softer. Midday sun can cast harsh shadows.
- Indoors: Position yourself facing a window to utilize natural light. Otherwise use ample artificial lighting and check for shadows.
- Avoid backlight from a source behind you, which will make you appear dark and hard to see.
- The light source should be in front of you, above and slightly to the side to avoid shadows under your eyes or chin.
- Diffused, even lighting is best. Avoid patches of light and dark.
Background
As mentioned earlier, casual backgrounds like your home or outdoors don’t send the right message. A few good options include:
- A solid color backdrop or blank wall. This puts the focus on you.
- An office setting. If photographing indoors, a professional office background aligns well with the LinkedIn brand.
- Subtly blurred background. A shallow depth of field can gently obscure the setting while highlighting you.
Just steer clear of busy, distracting backdrops. Remember that solid colors or an office setting tend to give the impression you want for LinkedIn.
Expression and body language
Your posture, facial expression, and eye contact all matter:
- Stand or sit tall with good posture. No slouching.
- Look directly into the camera with a pleasant, natural expression. Avoid blank stares.
- A slight smile looks good, just avoid exaggerated grinning.
- Keep your arms relaxed at your sides or hands gently clasped. Don’t cross your arms.
- Mouth closed and no gum, always.
You want to look poised, confident, warm, and approachable. Avoid nervous energy or overly stern expressions.
Framing and composition
Proper framing ensures your headshot looks professional:
- Fill most of the frame with your head and shoulders. Don’t appear small and distant.
- Leave a little more space above your head than below your chin.
- Eye level should be about 1/3 down from the top of the photo.
- Ensure both your eyes and full face are visible. No sunglasses.
- Focus should be crystal clear on your eyes/face, not blurred.
Check that there is no distracting clutter in the frame. You should be front and center.
Clothing and styling
As mentioned earlier, stick with formal business attire in neutral tones:
- Men: Wear a professional suit or button-down shirt. Tie optional but encouraged.
- Women: Professional blouses, blazers, dresses, or skirt suits work well.
- Solid colors or subtle patterns are best. Avoid loud prints.
- Darker colors lend a sophisticated vibe. Whites and light shades also look crisp.
- Minimize accessories that draw the eye away from your face.
You want to look polished and put-together. Make sure your clothing is neatly pressed and fits well.
For hair and makeup:
- Neat, professional hairstyle. Well-groomed facial hair.
- Subtle, natural-looking makeup.
- Minimal jewelry. Avoid distracting ornamentation.
- No hats or sunglasses that cover your face.
The focus should remain on you. Clothing and styling should enhance, not distract.
Cropping
Once you’ve taken your photo, you may need to crop it square for LinkedIn:
- Use photo editing software to achieve an evenly framed square aspect ratio.
- Crop symmetrically to keep your face centered and both shoulders visible.
- Don’t cut off the top of your head. Leave equal spacing on all sides.
- Zoomed in headshots usually look best and make efficient use of space.
Maintain clarity and image quality when cropping. Save a high resolution copy.
No group shots
While you may have some great photos with your friends and family, group shots don’t belong on LinkedIn. Your profile photo should feature only you.
Having multiple faces can be distracting and confusing for those looking at your profile. It also leaves ambiguity about who exactly the profile belongs to.
Solo headshots are standard for LinkedIn. That said, you can potentially add some candid group photos in your media gallery on your profile. Just not as your main image.
Avoid selfies
While selfies may be fine for personal social media, try to avoid them for your LinkedIn profile pic. Selfies risk looking unprofessional or sloppy, especially considering the importance of good lighting and framing.
You’re better off having a friend or colleague take your photo, or hiring a professional photographer. The small investment could pay off significantly in making the best impression with your headshot.
That said, if you have to go the selfie route, use the rear/good camera on your smartphone. Use a selfie stick for proper framing and to avoid any outstretched arms in the shot. Take the photo outside for good lighting. And crop it neatly and professionally.
No photos of your kids or pets
It’s natural to be proud of your family and pets, but resist the urge to use them in your profile photo. LinkedIn is meant for portraits of you alone.
Photos with your children, pets, or partner can inadvertently give the impression you lack professional judgement. Stick to headshots of only yourself.
That said, you can potentially display family photos elsewhere on your profile, just not as your main image. The profile picture is prime real estate reserved for your most polished, professional-looking portrait.
Mirror selfies are a no
Mirror selfies should be avoided on LinkedIn even more than regular selfies. Photos taken in a mirror with a smartphone risk looking distorted or low quality.
They often show messy rooms and bathrooms in the background too. Stick with a straight on selfie or better yet, have someone else take your photo.
Mirror selfies are too casual and can undercut perceptions of your professionalism. Take the time to capture a proper headshot instead.
No inappropriate gestures
Keep your body language and gestures appropriate and tasteful. Avoid any hand signs, poses, or expressions that could be seen as lewd, aggressive, political, etc.
You want to look smart, approachable, and confident. Keep your hands relaxed at your sides or clasped gently. Any suggestive gestures could lead some employers to make negative assumptions. Play it safe.
Update it regularly
Plan to update your LinkedIn profile photo every few years, or when you change jobs. You want it to reflect what you look like currently.
Having an outdated photo from 5, 10+ years ago can make you seem disconnected. Aim to keep it no older than 2-3 years.
Updating it more regularly allows you to look your best and put your most qualified foot forward during a job search.
Image quality and size
For optimal quality:
- Save your photo as a high resolution JPG or PNG file, at least 400 x 400 pixels.
- Use the highest resolution camera available to you to capture the most detail.
- Avoid excessive JPG compression when saving the file.
- Minimal touch-ups are okay, but avoid excessive airbrushing or filters.
LinkedIn will compress images, but starting with a high-quality original ensures it still looks great.
Do: Summar
To summarize, a strong LinkedIn profile photo:
- Is a professional headshot of just you
- Has good lighting with no shadows
- Was taken by a quality camera and cropped neatly
- Shows you smiling, with good posture
- Has a solid, professional background
- Is an up-to-date portrait from the last 2-3 years
Following these best practices will ensure your photo represents you in the best possible light.
Don’t: What to Avoid
To avoid:
- Group shots, pets, kids, or excessive props
- Selfies, mirror selfies, and casual backgrounds
- Outdated photos more than 3 years old
- Blurry, pixelated, or low quality images
- Distracting clothing, accessories, or backgrounds
- Unprofessional attire like t-shirts or party wear
- Suggestive poses or inappropriate gestures
Steer clear of these types of photos. An inappropriate LinkedIn picture can hinder your job search and undermine perceptions of your professionalism. When in doubt, opt for a classic headshot and suit.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile photo is a vital first impression for employers and contacts. An appropriate, polished headshot conveys professionalism and helps you put your best foot forward during your job search. Invest the time and resources into getting it right, and keep it updated regularly. With an excellent photo that complies with common best practices, you’ll be sure to make the impression you want on LinkedIn.