How to choose a LinkedIn profile picture

LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for professionals – particularly when they’re job hunting. Did you know that LinkedIn profiles with pictures can generate up to 21 times more profile views than those without? And more views means more visibility, more chance of catching a recruiter’s attention and more interest in your product, service or talent.

Choosing the right photo is essential – it creates that all-important first impression and is the only thing, apart from your name and headline, that appears in a search. So how do you go about choosing the best LinkedIn profile picture? CV Shed has some top tips.

Don’t be shy!

You’d never include your photo on your CV, for good reason. It can lead to bias and discrimination, as it can give away personal information such as age, skin colour, religious affiliation and so on. However, as we’ve seen, to maximise your visibility on LinkedIn, a photo is non-negotiable. While it could potentially cause the same problems as including a photo on your CV, the difference is that LinkedIn is a social network. People do business with people. They meet and get to know you, and your professional image is a key part of that. So, don’t be shy, choose a decent photo of you – don’t hide behind avatars, logos or graphics!

How to choose your LinkedIn profile picture

Choosing your favourite photo might not mean you’re choosing the best photo for LinkedIn. I’m sure you looked lovely on your wedding day, all dressed up and beaming from ear to ear, but LinkedIn is a professional networking site, not a party. Bear these guidelines in mind when selecting your LinkedIn profile picture:

Use a headshot

LinkedIn profile pictures aren’t huge! A full-length shot, or one with lots of background, means that no-one will be able to see what you really look like - your face will be reduced to a few teeny tiny pixels. Most advice says that your face should take up around 60% of the frame. Remember - people will feel more comfortable interacting with you if your profile seems authenic, and knowing what you look like can help your cause in that respect.

Dress appropriately

Dressing appropriately means dressing for the job you want, whether that be smart office attire, PPE or uniform. If people can picture you in the role, you’re part way to getting it.

Choose your background

Ideally you want a plain background, so that your face stands out nicely and there are no distractions. There seems to be a trend of choosing brightly coloured backgrounds at the moment, but why jump on a bandwagon? It’ll go out of fashion soon, when people realise that everyone’s doing it, and it's better do your own thing.

Keep it accurate

Your LinkedIn photo should be an accurate representation of how you really look. That means it should be reasonably recent, with no filters.

Only you!

Your LinkedIn profile picture should never, ever, feature anyone other than you. No mates, kids, wife or colleagues. No group shots and no pets either. This is your career and it’s about you and no-one else. People want to know who they’re working with.

Pull a face

Meaning, check your expression in the photo. You should come across as friendly, approachable and completely yourself. No duck faces or scowls, please! A smile never goes amiss if you’re looking to attract new business or a new job, but a neutral expression is fine – just avoid the miserable-passport-photo or mug-shot look.  

Check the quality

Make sure that the image is high-res enough to look decent on a large screen – zooming infinitely to crop out other people or background will reduce the quality.

Should you call in the pros?

Many people on LinkedIn pay for a professional photoshoot, providing them with a consistent set of images to use across their LinkedIn profile, website and social media posts. While there are obvious benefits to having a suite of well-lit and carefully posed photos, it’s really not necessary. Smart phones these days have such high-quality cameras that a fun session with a friend or member of your family can generate equally great pictures. Do whatever’s best for your budget, your confidence and your ultimate objectives.

Example LinkedIn profile picture

Here’s an example of an ideal LinkedIn profile picture – it’s mine! We’ll talk about the banner image behind it in another post…