What does your LinkedIn profile pic say about you?

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What does your LinkedIn profile pic say about you?

Nancy Young
Marketing
14-May-2020

First impressions have always been important but on social media, a profile picture represents your sole opportunity to make a strong visual first impression. Here’s how to make sure it’s the right one.

Reading time: 2 minutes

We all know the general rules when it comes to posting a pic for our LinkedIn profile: make it professional looking. But what exactly does that mean? There’s the basics: don’t wear a ball cap or sunglasses, don’t have someone else’s half head in the frame, don’t show too much skin, etc. But research shows there’s so much more – from exactly how you smile, to what specifically you’re wearing.

Photofeeler to the rescue

Because first impressions are so important and mere nuances in the way you look can have big consequences, you really should know how your profile pic is being perceived. Photofeeler is a cool site where you can find out what your photo says about you by other like-minded folks who have signed up for the same reason.

I posted two different photos of myself with amazing results. One is from LinkedIn and the other is from Facebook. One was professionally taken and the other was not.

*Rankings on Photofeeler. The first shot was professionally done and the second was taken with an iPhone a few months later.*

I wasn’t shocked that the professional LinkedIn profile pic was better ranked on competence, likability, and influence (the site’s business parameters), but I was surprised that the contrast between it and my Facebook photo surprised me. (After all, I’m the same person, right?) I should have known better but didn’t expect such a difference. Plus, I thought for sure I looked friendlier (more likeable) in the casual photo. Apparently not.

If you haven’t already used Photofeeler, go there now, upload a pic, and get a read on exactly what others think of you based on your pic alone. It’s fun and will give you some great insight into how online strangers perceive you. Be sure to let me know how you rank and if there are any surprises!

Professional results count

If your results aren’t what you’d like them to be, go get a professional photo taken. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an executive or a new recruit; it’s important for everyone. If your company won’t spring for a pro shot, do it anyways. A headshot can be quite reasonably priced – there are photographers who specialize in it like Dwayne Brown who took mine – and it goes a long way to ensure your personal brand is as good as it can be, now and in the future.

About the author

Nancy is an accomplished marketing communications professional and award-winning writer with over 20 years of experience in automotive technology and embedded software. Prior to founding Third Law, Nancy worked at QNX for 13 years — first as a writer and then as a marcoms manager, responsible for creating and delivering the autotech promotional strategy. Nancy has received numerous accolades throughout her career from organizations like the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Society for Technical Communication (STC).

What we think.