Professional Headshots – Why Having one is Important

A professional headshot used to only be necessary if you were a model or actor.  Professional headshots would be passed round between casting directors to find a person with the right look for the role.  In these digital days with many more business people making their connections online it has become much more important for people in other businesses to have professional headshots.

Why do I need a professional headshot?

You may ask yourself this question as you upload your latest lads weekend shot to your Linkedin profile; here are a few reasons I believe investing a small amount of money in having professional headshots taken will pay dividends in the future.

First of all imagine yourself in the role of a recruitment officer for a large corporation.  You are looking for a professional person to take on a managerial role.  A shortlist of candidates has been draw up that all meet the criteria.  It is at this stage you might do a bit of research to try to get a better insight into who might be most suitable for the role, before you call them for interview.  You enter the names into Linkedin and scroll through the profiles.  You spot the name you are looking for and discover this is the right person from the description.  Now you glance at the profile picture. Looking back at you is a grinning individual, beer bottle in hand, taken on a boys boozy weekend.  As a result, do you still think this person is suitable for your responsible managerial role?

Judging by Appearance

We shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but it’s human nature to make assumptions based on appearances.

Our professional profiles on sites like Linkedin are a reflection of ourselves and speak which convey our values and ethics.  When we go to a job interview or business meeting we want to give a good impression by dressing smartly and presenting the best image of ourselves.  In the digital age of social media the presentation of ourselves begins with our online profiles, often a long time before we walk through an office door.  The first impression we give online can have a huge influence on whether or not we get the call to come to interview or to tender for the contract.

Five Reasons to Get a Professional Headshot
  1. It gives a good first impression and conveys your professionalism. A professional headshot will show you looking the way you want to be portrayed as a professional in your field.  If you are a manager in a corporate environment you will want to come across as competent and responsible.  A professional headshot will do this for you.
  2. It can convey your personality. A good professional headshot portrait will capture your personality by showing you in a relaxed and comfortable pose.
  3. Can help people remember who you are. When we meet new people it can take time for the name and the face to be linked in our memories.  Therefore showing a professional headshot on your online profile can help people remember who you are more easily.
  4. It can show you are prepared to invest in yourself and your career. Investing in yourself and your career extends beyond qualifications and our work wardrobe.  A professional headshot is an extension of your online wardrobe.
  5. It can boost your confidence. Not everyone is comfortable in front of a camera (I will put my hand up to that) so we may feel embarrassed to share our online profile with others.   Therefore a professional headshot can help you look the way you want and increase your confidence in sharing your online profile.

Next time you update your professional profile think carefully about the picture you choose and what it could be saying about you.

Finally if you would like to book a headshot session please visit my Professional Headshots page and get in touch.

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