According to a 2014 study in Psychological Science, we’re able to draw conclusions about people based on a photo in a grand total of 40 milliseconds. That’s less than one-half of one-tenth of a second to make a good first impression! So it’s worth getting your LinkedIn profile photo (and any other social profile photo for that matter) right the first time. So, with that in mind, we’re sharing SalesforLife.com‘s excellent, straight forward infographic on the top 8 mistakes to avoid when selecting your next LinkedIn profile photo:
Top Takeaways:
- Your LinkedIn profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed if it includes a profile photo.
- No holiday/pub/club/birthday shots here. LinkedIn is a professional network, so look smart.
- If you haven’t updated your photo since you were job hunting at 19 and you’re now pushing 30, it’s time to change it up!
- Try to avoid hats, sunglasses, shadows or anything that obstructs your face – especially your eyes. They are the window to the soul after all!
- Remember to smile! According to extensive research into successful profile photos (yes, such research does exist!), the mouth area is key to approachability. Mouth height, mouth width, mouth gap and the bottom lip curve all play a part in how your approachability is perceived. The best smile, according to PhotoFeeler, is a smile with teeth. This leads to gains across the board in likability (nearly twice that of a closed-mouth smile), competence, and influence. So get brushing and flossing, then smile like you mean it!
- I LOVE animals, but you’re LinkedIn photo is not the place to show them off. Save them for Facebook.
- NO SELFIES! They may be the dominating force of 2015, but they have no place on your LinkedIn profile.
– This post first appeared on SocialTalent.co.