Your profile picture reveals more about you than you think.
Do you ever think about what your profile picture tells about you? Especially, your profile picture on LinkedIn or on a job website should be credible and show your true self because if someone doesn’t know you, the first impression s/he makes about you is by looking at your picture. Also, recruiters spend 19 percent of their time on your online profile by looking at your picture. This means that your picture is as important as your past experiences and skills in getting a recruiter’s attention to call you. Therefore, be careful when choosing your profile picture. Below you can find other important points of choosing the right profile picture.
1. Shows that it is a real account.
Having a photo in your social media profile especially on LinkedIn tells people that your account is active and it is a real account. Of course, this photo should be your real photo. If you only use an image or some generic photo, people may think that it is a fake account. Make sure to use a recent photo of yourself that looks exactly like you because if you use an older photo or a photoshopped photo, then people can get surprised when they meet you in person.
2. Helps others recognize you.
A face will help people remember you. If they have met you before or follow your other social media accounts, then seeing your photo will help them recognize you and connect your name with your face. Also, they will make sure that they are sending a friend request to the right person and not to someone else.
3. Your photo is your personal brand.
Your photo gives others clues about your personality. Think about what message you want to give to other people and choose your photo accordingly. Do you want to be seen as cheerful and friendly or more authoritative and serious? Think about it before uploading your photo because it is your brand image. Your photo represents your personal brand.
4. Makes the first impression.
If someone doesn’t recognize you, seeing your picture will help them make a first impression about you. If they like your picture and get positive feelings from it, chances are that they will approach you friendly and so having an interaction with them will be much easier. On the other hand, if they get a negative impression from your image or think that you are not a very likeable person, it can be difficult for you to have an interaction with them from the beginning.
This article was originally published on Entrepreneur.