I’m a senior recruiter and I spend many hours looking at photos and sourcing people on linkedin for potential awesome jobs. But, I have to tell you a little secret. I often look at the picture first, which almost always gives me a realistic 1st impression. And as we know, it’s that first impression which sticks. And it’s that first impression which is so hard to change.

t’s the same when we we meet in person for a job interview. I check out your shoes, your clothes, your facial gestures, posture and overall attitude and voice. So, what does this mean for you? You MUST make sure that you are smiling on your photo.

I mean, let’s face it. Who wants to hire an angry fatigued worker? Who wants a person that is looking down or lacks self confidence already in front of a simple camera? If you can’t look into the focus, you can’t look into my eyes in a job interview. And it’s proven that happy smiley employees are more productive workers. So, we need this combination right in the very beginning of the process for us to go any further in the recruitment with you.

And if you can’t sell yourself on your CV, then how can you sell yourself in the job interview or on the job when you have to convince a colleague or the management of something you believe strongly in?

So, please, do yourself a favour, either remove your photo all together if this task is too difficult for you or put a photo with you looking upward, straight on and with a proud confident smile. This will at least raise your chances to be invited for a job interview. And that’s already half way to being hired.

Good Luck.

Erica Elias is a certified business and career coach (www.interviewnow.be) and has interviewed more than 6,000 people, with www.mindworks.be. She is also an author and her books can be found on these links: https://www.diekeure.be/nl-be/professional/1434/recruitment-a-z and https://www.amazon.com/Interviewing-Global-Economy-Multinational-Corporation/dp/147833536X