Time spent as a student can be over so quickly — just a few academic years later, and when your undergrad or graduate degree is completed you find yourself thrust into a whole new world.
With all the changes happening fast, what are the chances of missing an important piece of the transition from student to professional? With so many steps, so much happening, it’s easy to have something as potentially important as a professional headshot slip your mind. For most people, myself included, the professional headshot is far from their first thought when dotting i’s and crossing t’s for job applications. But it’s crucial to have a nice, professional photo that wasn’t taken on school picture day!
Let’s take a look at three reasons why a headshot can make all the difference:
1. Social media is all about first impressions
Whether a potential employer is just checking out your profile or you’re actively job-seeking on LinkedIn, social media is the main avenue for most career searches, these days. Across millions of members and companies, how you represent yourself in your profile picture is key to making a great first impression. Especially if you’re putting social media links in your resume!
LinkedIn leverages leads, job searchers, hiring managers and recruiters for most of its user engagement. If you’re intending on wading in, it’s pivotal to have a strong professional headshot and presence on the platform. Selfies from an event or a good picture from a vacation might work in a pinch, but to be taken seriously and put your best foot forward, you’re going to need something a step above. Consider a professional headshot photographer, where you can both plan your portrayal and get expert help in producing images where you look your best.
2. Create a personal brand
If you haven’t been thinking of yourself as a brand, start now! These days, being brand-conscious is part of the path to success. The image you’re putting out there is part of your brand, part of the perception and judgement being placed on your professional profile, and serves as one of the first pieces of knowledge people will gain about you. Creating a positive image, a good impression and a great reputation all go hand-in-hand. Showcase your personality, your locations, and your professional interests! Having images taken, or snapping selfies, in the spaces you want to be signals a strong message tied to your personal brand.
3. Images are worth 1,000,000 words
“A picture is worth a thousand words” — true, except in the modern media landscape, that figure is due for an inflation adjustment. Photos convey information quickly, they produce strong impressions and are often closely tied to memory both short and long-term. Ditch the photos that aren’t saying what you want, find and create more than do, and see your professional career blossom.
Final Thoughts
People often naturally prioritize visual information and quickly form impressions. Our modern society is often a virtual one, and virtual communication strongly relies on visual information. Leveraging your image, your brand and your education in the current job market means a professional headshot is a great way to put your best foot forward!
(all photos via Trevor Holman Photography)
“Best Foot Forward” is a regular column on Chapelboro written by local photography expert Trevor Holman. Each issue, expect tips to help put your best foot forward in the office, on the street and beyond. Born and raised in Chapel Hill, Holman has been a local headshot photographer for more than a decade, putting his talent as a visual storyteller to use providing professional headshots for individuals, businesses and industry leaders in the Triangle.
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