10 Reasons Why You Need a New Headshot
For All They Know You Could Be an Ax Murderer
Seriously, 10 Reasons Why You Need a New Headshot:
Having a professional headshot is very important in our past-paced world of social media. We have become a very visual society; so first impressions go a long way. Whether you are building your online business network, developing important business relationships or looking for a job; your headshot speaks volumes about you. You want your headshot to say only GOOD things. In a cotton candy rainbow sprinkled world, it'd be nice to think that most potential employers could be objective during the whole hiring process. They should overlook a missing or sub-par headshot and rely strictly on a person’s skills and experience.
Research shows that NOT having a headshot, often gets you overlooked immediately. We, as a society, want to SEE what we are getting and WHOM we are hiring. The bottom line is, an employer would much rather see a face, than NO face at all. For all they know, you could be an ax murderer, or a fugitive on the run. No thanks - not taking any chances. But, hey, this man or woman here in their headshot looks confident, friendly and responsible. Just what I'm looking for... Yes, I think I'll take a closer look. So, you can understand the importance of a professional footprint (the headshot).
Your life depends on it.
OK, I'm being a little overly dramatic here, but it COULD depend on it. A nice quality professional headshot could get YOU selected (over someone else's blurry or non existent headshot) for that dream job and improve your quality of life. It could happen.
So, what message is YOUR head shot sending? What your future employer, business partner, clients, patients, etc might think about you:
You don’t have a headshot? You ax murderer, you. You are using the blank headed default picture and have not completed your profile. You are the creepy dark undifferentiated head in the box. You are too lazy to add your picture to your LinkedIn profile and you did not finish your job. Who wants to work with someone who can’t follow through? This is your future employer talking, not me. Laziness gets you nowhere fast.
Your current picture is blurry. You do not have enough good judgment to choose a clear, sharp picture to impress me. This is how you will do your job. Overlooking the details. Does not impress me. No Sireee.
You cropped your picture out of a group picture. You like to cut corners. You are not being thorough enough to get your own picture taken. How many corners will you cut at your job? And how many patients have to die before you stop the madness? Just get a legit headshot taken already. It will save lives.
You are using an adorable picture of your dog or child. You are a parent, that’s great. Nice job procreating. Kudos to you. While being a parent is your job status 24/7, you are not seeking a parenting job, nor are you looking to set up a play date for your child. You are a professional who wants respect from peers. The focus should be on you, not your adorable children or your cuddly adorable fleabag pets.
Your picture is more than 5 years old. You are hanging on to the past - Just let it go - let it go... sorry. Stay focused. You, my friend, are not a visionary who is moving forward. I know, it’s an awesome picture of you, but having crow’s feet is a mark of wisdom and maturity that only laughing and sun damage can bring. Embrace your age; you still have a lot to offer the world.
You have a tacky bright blue background. You have questionable taste. While this may not be a deterrent, professionally, first impressions are important.
You took a selfie with your smartphone in your car or in front of a mirror. You are immature. Selfies are for teenagers. Selfies are not even appropriate for Facebook if you want to have a professional digital footprint. It’s time to grow up! Think of how you want the public and your clients to think of you.
You are wearing a tux or a bridesmaids dress because you are at a wedding. You are not willing to invest in yourself or your career, so why should someone else invest in you? By the way, a headshot might be cheaper than that dress.
Your neighbor with the really nice camera took your picture and your kitchen cabinets are in the background. You do not pay attention to detail and you have a lot of baggage cluttering up your life. No one needs to know you had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner last night. Just sayin'. Clean up your act already!
Which brings us to the reason #10 why you need a new headshot. You are holding a margarita. Congratulations on getting your drink on. You are not taking your professional life seriously enough and you may be an unreliable business partner, leader or employee. Alcoholism could be an asset in the ax murdering career though.
TOUGH LOVE TIME - So, the truth hurts, now go schedule your photo shoot for a new headshot. Your future will thank you. An experienced professional photographer will make you look your best. What's that you say? You would rather get a colonoscopy? A good photographer will listen to your needs, make you feel comfortable and take pictures that are flattering of you. There are lots of lighting tricks and camera angles that we use to make you look your best. Professional photographers also know how to use Photoshop if you need a little extra boost. You want to keep it real so that you look like yourself, but polished.
Call a professional photographer. Preferably me. Headshot prices are reasonable considering the benefits you get. It might be that one little thing that sways someone’s decision to choose you.
If you want to read more about why you should have a professional headshot, check out these other great articles:
The Science Behind Picking the Perfect LinkedIn Head ShotMake Sure Your Headshot Matches Your Brand