The photos you choose to represent your online brand are important. After all, your profile picture across various networking websites is often the first impression others get of you!
Whether you’re on the job search or looking to grow in your career, it’s vital that your online photos reflect the brand you’re building or maintaining. Your photos can…
- Entice or repel employers or recruiters
- Make an impression on potential clients or customers
- Help others make an emotional connection with you
- Reinforce your personal brand
- Help others associate specific characteristics with you based on your expressions and gestures
What are you saying with your online photos?
If you don’t have any pictures of yourself on your profiles, you might be saying: “I don’t want you to know who I am.” Most folks don’t trust social networking accounts that aren’t associated with a “real” person—and it helps to establish who you are by choosing a picture that represents you. This means choosing a professional-looking headshot and doing away with that silly cartoon person, picture of your dog or baby, or other image that does not represent your brand.
If you aren’t smiling in your photos, you’re telling others: “I’m not friendly.” People don’t typically want to interact with others who seem distant or unapproachable. Do yourself a favor and smile to make the best overall impression on others.
If you have several professional headshots, you’re saying, “I’m professional and I care about how I’m perceived.” Photos that include you “at work,” in a suit or nice clothing, or help reinforce your brand show that you understand the impact pictures can have on how what others think of you.
And, you guessed it…if you have a bunch of drinking or partying pictures on your profiles, you’re telling potential employers or clients, “I’m not serious about my job search or career.” It’s easy to lock down your profiles using privacy settings so these pictures are not associated with your professional brand. But, let’s face it—it’s easier to control your image by not posting these types of photos at all!
Keep your online images consistent by signing up for a Gravatar account so the same photo is associated with your email address and name across all blogs that you comment on.
