To Have or Not To Have a LinkedIn Profile Photo

To Have or Not To Have a LinkedIn Profile Photo They say a picture is worth a thousand wordswhat words does your LinkedIn profile photo shout? Having a profile photo results in up to 21x more profile views and 9x more connection requests (LinkedIn) 19% of recruiters time is spent looking at your photo on LinkedIn. (TheLadders 2014) While we can complain and say thats discriminatory, the facts are the facts.   It may go all the way back to how our brains work. Subconsciously, humans looked at faces to determine whether the individual is a friend or foe. Blame it on DNA. Many of the job seekers Ive spoken with believe that including a picture will encourage age discrimination.   Sad and maybe true.   But each person needs to think about this and make the appropriate choice for themselves, rather than using a blanket-excuse. What message are you sending by NOT having a picture? With the majority of profiles today having pictures, NOT having one can almost work against you. Is this what you want to say: I do not have a picture and am too lazy/cheap to have one taken. I am old/ugly and dont want people to see me. I do not know how to upload a photo (interpreted by those looking at your profile as  his/her technical skills are outdated) Learn how to upload your picture here! Ive also heard another excuse for not having a photo I am a very private person and dont want to make my photo public. Seriously? What are you hiding? Have you googled your name and seen what images/photos come up already, without your permission?   People hire people, not faceless avatars. Heres more advice on adding a photo to your LinkedIn profile:  Does My LinkedIn Profile Really Need a Photo from Meg Guiseppi of Executive Career Branding. How old do you really look? Do you look old? Is it the grey hair you are worried about or is it the out-of-date glasses and hairstyle?   The easy solutions would be to remove the glasses and dye the hair IF these are really your concerns.   What are you really afraid of? Hire a Professional With the magic of Photoshop and other editing tools, your photo doesnt have to harm your chances. If you need to hire a professional photographer or editor, its a worthwhile investment. The Bigger Picture (pun intended!) And my final words are about managing your career! LinkedIn isnt just a job search tool! Many professionals use it to develop new business, solve problems and interact with others. If you look at the long term investment (bigger picture), having a picture helps people see you.   It helps establish trust through transparency. It is about being authentic and real! Other words of wisdomuse your profile photo consistently across the different social mediums. It makes it easier for others to recognize you! (Its called personal branding!) For more help modernizing your LinkedIn profile, check out these posts: Is Your LinkedIn Profile Awesome Fix Your LinkedIn Headline Today What To Put In Your LinkedIn Summary  Section Make Your LinkedIn Profile Media Rich