Get Noticed on LinkedIn: Top Tips for Your Profile Photo

Getting Noticed on LinkedIn

In today's visual world, you need to create your digital persona.  Your profile photo is the opportunity to show your confidence, integrity, and friendliness.  The way you connect with the camera is how you will be perceived.  Your pose, posture and dress reveals your personality.  These visual clues revealed in your photo helps to define you.

"Members with profile photos can receive up to 21 times more profile views than those without profile photos."---LinkedIn

"Likable people are more apt to be hired, get help at work, get useful information from others and have mistakes forgiven." ---The Wall Street Journal

A professional photograph is "the best investment you can make in your personal brand and self-confidence." ---Sandra Long, Author, LinkedIn for Your Personal Branding: The Ultimate Guide. 

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According to Sandra Long, although it may be obvious, your photo should be recent, reflecting what you currently look like, The headshot should be a professional look, smiling and confident. 

Investing in your personal brand, helps you separate yourself from others.  This is the instant chance to make that positive first impression.  your portrait and all the images & visuals you post define you and your personal brand.  It shows your true self.

Create an Image that Defines You

Confidence is attractive.  The tone of your image should be perceived that you are approachable and accessible.  Thus, things you should avoid: 1. The deer the the headlight look.  2. The forced or the fake smile.  3. The ambiguous expression--a blank or neutral look.(It can be misinterpreted as something undesirable.

The Top Tips for Your Profile Photo

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  Philanthropist
  

  Connect with the camera, this helps people looking at your photo develop a personal connection with you.  You want to show your comfort level and confidence.  Research shows people who maintain eye contact have a higher IQ.
• Have a gentile, genuine and uniform smile, that is relaxed and natural.  The consensus of many studies proves the smile is interpreted as someone who is more likable, competent and influential.
• Look confident, your body language, how you stand, lean or tilt your head has a subconscious affect. A power pose and from a a camera angle just a little below eye level can give you an authoritative feel.
• Show your "better side," put your best features toward the camera.  
• Professional attire.  As the saying goes, dress for success.  Little things make a difference.  Wear clean and pressed clothes.  Button your business blazer or sweater.
  
• The lighting is vital to your portrait.  Strong direct light accentuates wrinkles, skin issues, also it can be uneven light, that causes hot spots and shadows which are distracting.  Diffused lighting helps to eliminate imperfections.  Soft light makes you look youthful and healthier.  This lighting will make your eyes seem steady, balanced and pleasant.  The right light is even in intensity and doesn't discolor your features. 

Editing Your Portrait 

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All digital images straight out of the camera needs a few corrections.  

The adjustments and enhancementscan include: color correction, skin smoothing, wrinkle reduction and softening the dark circles under the eyes, and you need to resize the photo for LinkedIn (or other social media specifications,)

Helpful Links:

The LinkedIn FAQ for posting your image.  

Uploading your photo to LinkedIn

Conclusion

Make sure that any photos, media or visuals you add are professional quality.  People looking at your photos are visual literate; poor quality is a bad reflection on you.  Hire a professional photographer for your profile photo.  She/he is trained to help you look self-assured, poised, influential, competent, genuine, and approachable.  They have the skills to light your properly and do the right editing to make you look your best.

If you liked this post,  please share with a friend or colleague.  Any comments or questions, happy to answer, please contact me at larrylevin@larrymail.net. 

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Website www.LLLevin.com

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