linkedin photo mistakes

Committing any one of these three LinkedIn photo mistakes could cost you the new job you've been looking for or it may cause you to lose out on getting a new client. Have you ever taken a minute to look out some of the photos people are using for their profile picture?

I am amazed how many professionals don't realize how important it is to have a decent linkedin profile photo. Are you one of those people? I hope not, but if you are, you can do something about it.

Not a Good Idea!

3 costly mistakes for linkedin users:

1. Use an inappropriate setting or background.
2. Have a photos with really bad lighting.
3. Not even have a LinkedIn profile photo.

I've seen many LinkedIn photo mistakes, but I'm not going to copy any of them or belittle someone for making a mistake. I've made plenty of mistakes and it's really a good thing if you get notified, as long as the feedback is given in the right way.

I'd be too embarrassed to use many of the poor quality LinkedIn photos I've seen.

Some profile pictures are very unprofessional. There are a few LinkedIn members who don't even have a profile picture at all. Imagine if you were a job recruiter. You'd likely wonder why the LinkedIn member didn't bother to get a professional portrait taken. They try to figure out what you're  trying to hide?

interesting linkedin statistics:

LinkedIn Statistics

LinkedIn has a very specific purpose.  It is for professional networking. It's not for socializing.

There is a big difference between social networking and business networking and they should be kept separate.

It is a common mistake to connect your LinkedIn profile with your FaceBook page, unless your Facebook page is a business page. They serve different purposes and have a completely different audience.

Bad profile pictures send a bad message and it costs members dearly. If a prospective employer lines up two prospects, the one with the better profile picture will have an immediate advantage.

Many LinkedIn members aren't even of the damage to their image in the marketplace a bad photo creates.

Just as the common saying goes, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. No photo at all says there is something wrong.

It's like a real estate listing for a house. If there's no photo to look at, it just won;t generate much interest from potential buyers. Automatically there is a perception that the house has no curb appeal.

It's also a bad idea to use an outdated photo. When a face-to-face meeting occurs and you look different that your photo, mistrust arises.

the damage from linkedin photo mistakes

• Lack of Trust.- An updated photo of yourself shows that you can be trusted. You are real human being, not perfect, with faults and uniqueness.
• Lack of Judgement. - A good rule of thumb to use.  You shouldn't use a photo for your profile picture if you wouldn't use that same photo on a resume'.
• Failure to pay attention to important details. - Having a photo where your clothing is unattractive or there is a very distracting object in the background shows a careless lack of attention to detail.

If I can at least raise awareness with a few LinkedIn members to change their photo, then I've succeeded at least a bit.  This site is all about helping people improve their photography and profile pictures are important in the impression of the LinkedIn members they feature.

Do you know someone who is making the same mistake and has a bad Linkedin profile picture? You might want to do them a favor and let them know.  Share this page with them or Pin the infographic.

ABOUT BRUCE LOVELACE

Bruce is the publisher of this website. He is the author of the book "Improve Your Photography Instantly."  Read more on Bruce on his Bio Page. He's been known as The Traveling Photographer ever since 1994. Read more about this website.

View some of Bruce's photos on Instagram.   Visit the Facebook Page. Watch him on YouTube.  Bruce runs photo workshops for kids and adults, and provides one-on-one photography coaching.

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