Side Note: For my people out there who have the budget to afford an amazing headshot and want a one stop shop, I recommend checking out Headshot Crew. They will hook you up with an amazing photographer and headshot in no time flat.
If you have the money, this is the easiest and best way to lock in an amazing headshot. Ok, so maybe money is tight or you're just not ready to pull the trigger on a professional photographer yet. Fair enough, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook! You can still snap a super high quality profile picture from the comfort of your own device. You just need a camera with portrait mode and a tripod or a friend. After that, just follow these steps:. I'll emphasize that more pictures is better here.
Try different outfits, different backdrops, and different angles. The more shots you take, the more material you have to work with, and the more likely you are to end up with something great! A great image can make for a great profile picture, but there's a lot more we can do after the shot is taken to upgrade your look!
This video walks through two free tools you can use to upgrade your profile picture in less than 30 seconds:. When you have a great image ready to go, check out PFP Maker for some extra oomph! PFP Maker is a free profile picture tool that lets you upload your image and adjust backgrounds, colors, shadows, and more:.
Here are some examples from a quick 5 second upload notice how you can crop your photo, choose colors, and select different shadow effects in the upper right :.
Now these designs and backdrops may or may not be for you, but they're worth checking out. At the end of the day, you should lead with a profile picture that makes you happy! I've spent a lot of time talking about how your LinkedIn profile picture conveys a first impression, how it should make you shine, and how it should be a window into your personality. If you give them a chance to get to know you and the message you're trying to convey, they can make sure that shows in the final image.
Finally, professional photographers will guarantee success in another critical element of your profile picture — quality. A professional's image is going to be high resolution, taken in great light so you end up coming out crystal clear.
If your profile picture is super high quality, that's going to stick with your first impression and that's how the info on the rest of your profile picture is going to be viewed. If you're still not sold, you don't have to take it from me. But check out why my buddy Justin Welsh has to say here, he knows what he's talking about:. I'll break down why they're great so you have something to reference and compare your shiny new picture to! Here we go:. But outside the hours of , she jumps in the phone booth and dons a tangerine super suit and shares awesome advice to help people accelerate their careers.
Now Madeline has taken her game to the next level by fully branding her profile from top to bottom matching profile picture and cover photo, her own hashtag tangerinetips, etc. You don't have to go this far, but dang — look how crisp and professional that looks!
Madeline's immediately giving off an air of credibility when you look at her profile. You just met Justin a second ago, not only does he talk the talk but he walks the walk when it comes to profile pictures.
Justin is a no BS, get-it-done sales guy and that's exactly how he brands himself online. He shows up that way in the content he writes, the comments he shares, and his profile picture. That's what I do. Justin's picture is a great example of awareness and personal branding. I mentioned earlier that your personality should shine through in your picture. If you're not the bright colors, giant smile kind of person — that's totally cool!
Your profile picture should reflect that. She's also totally crushing the LinkedIn profile picture game. You can feel the warmth in her picture! I'm hazarding a guess that a professional took this, but it's a great example of why those dollars are worth it. You feel like Rachel's energy and personality are radiating out of the image. It's hard to DIY that. Sami's profile picture gives off a sense of trust and honesty. Cover letters. YouTube thumbs. Business cards. Profile pictures.
Name Tags. Bring out the best in your photos when you get a PicMonkey subscription. Start your free trial! Related Articles. Ready your goofiest facial expressions: it's photo strip making time! Learn how to give your pics the photo booth treatment—without the booth—in this tutorial. Once you use them, you'll never lose them! Layers are your best friend, whether your photo editing shenanigans are simple or complex. You should be the focal point of your picture.
Many indoor and outdoor settings can be interesting without being distracting. Ask your photographer to help you choose the ideal location. Someone who makes good use of a simple background in his LinkedIn profile picture is Steve Brock. Because of the lack of distractions around him, viewers can more easily focus on his face. If your picture is too large over 8MB , LinkedIn will reject it.
For the best results, use a picture that has a pixel ratio. A good example of someone with a high-resolution profile picture is Oscar Gonzales. Every detail is crisp and clean, which makes him look more professional.
Additionally, LinkedIn is not the venue for family pictures. Including your children or your fur babies will only make you look unprofessional. Save these snaps for your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram profiles instead. Lighting can make or break a picture. For the best results, you can try shooting your pictures on a cloudy day, in a shaded area, or at twilight. Another idea is to stand in the light from a window, being careful not to stand with your back to the window, which will make it difficult to see your face.
This not only makes his face easier to see, but it also makes him look healthy and capable. LinkedIn has six filters you can use to change the look of your profile picture. A good example of someone who has a natural-looking picture is Pam Didner.
Her clear skin and well-coiffed hair might be her normal look, or she might have used a filter. A great example of someone taking advantage of contrasting colors is Andy Crestodina.
In his LinkedIn profile photo, he uses an orange background to offset his dark hair and glasses, thereby creating a compelling and memorable image. Nor can you use any of the following as your profile picture:. Consider testing it with Photofeeler. This free app tells you how you're coming across in pictures — if you look attractive, smart, trustworthy, fun, confident, and so on.
Stick with a standard headshot for your LinkedIn profile photo where your face takes up approximately 60 percent of the frame. Crop the picture from the top of your shoulders to just above your head so that your face fills the frame and places the emphasis on your smile.
Avoid using an image that is too close up or too far away. Prospective employers and those in your professional network are not interested in inspecting your dental work, and a photo of you standing on top of a cliff, while pretty impressive, won't help them identify you at an event or interview.
While there's nothing wrong with choosing a LinkedIn profile image that has an interesting background — especially if imagery is relevant to your line of work — make sure it's not so interesting that it takes center stage.
The background should complement your headshot, not draw all the attention away from your face. As with any photo, you want to be cognizant of the use of light. Don't use a photo where there are dark shadows hanging over your face. In addition to making it difficult for someone to recognize you, a LinkedIn profile photo with weird shadows looks unprofessional. If you're short on funds or simply not interested in investing in a professional headshot, try taking a selfie in a renovated dressing room at Marshalls or TJMaxx.
These rooms tend to have simple, white backgrounds and great lighting to show off their merchandise. If you choose this option, be careful with the angle of your camera to ensure you don't catch your arm in the image. When done well, the viewer should have no idea that you took a selfie to produce your LinkedIn profile photo. If you work in an office setting, avoid using your wedding photo for your LinkedIn profile picture.
The goal is to dress in an outfit you'd typically wear to work. If you're searching for a new job, consider the companies you've added to your list of ideal employers and select your outfit based on the company culture of those organizations.
For instance, if you find that you're gravitating toward tech startups, you'd likely opt for an outfit that's a bit more casual than what you'd select if you were targeting traditional financial institutions. For a background photo, select an image that is x pixels in dimensions.
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