The Right Look for you and your Business

When you're looking to up your LinkedIn presence, one of the important elements is your profile picture. Statistics show that profiles with a photo get more engagement, views (over 20X), and connection requests (almost 10X) by a very significant margin. More than just showing a picture of you, it shows your personality, brand (yes, you do have a brand, whether you've been deliberate about it or not), confidence, approachability. The quality of the image also matters - images that are poorly lit, out of focus, have distracting backgrounds, etc. all detract from the impression you want to create.

Most importantly the expression needs to convey the message you want to create. And that expression may differ depending on the industry you're in, your position/role, personality, who you want to view your image and what impression you want them to come away with.

Let's look at 2 shots from a session I had with Matt - he's transitioning from the military to civilian life and came to me via the Portraits for Patriots program. For those of you who may not be aware, P4P is a nationwide organization of volunteer photographers providing complementary headshots for transitioning service members. It's an honor to be part of this organization giving back to those who have served.

The shot on the left exudes energy, enthusiasm, - he's got a wide smile that looks and feels genuine, and the primary impression centers around those elements. The shot on the right still has energy, looks/feels genuine, but the primary impression shows his confidence/experience as the primary impression - he still looks friendly, approachable and genuine, but the look is a bit more serious compared to the image on the left.

There is no right or wrong here - just different, depending on the look you're going for that best supports your brand. So be deliberate in the image you use for your headshot - and work with a professional who can help you create the best look for you!