6 Ways To Ensure Your Profile Picture Won’t Hinder Job Prospects

I’m sure you’ve heard the horror stories about people getting fired because of something they posted on social media.

 Did you ever stop to think that something as small as a profile picture could affect your chances of employment?

These days, it should come as no surprise to you that companies will trawl through your social media pages before deciding whether to hire you. Unfortunately, they could get no further than your profile picture before deciding they don’t want you as an employee.

We have compiled a list to ensure your profile picture won’t hinder job prospects and gets the likes from the people that matter: your future employers.

Keep your LinkedIn professional

There’s no question about the Linkedin profile shot and only one answer: strictly professional. It is, after all, a social media site dedicated to careers so it is bound to be the place recruiters look first.

Use a headshot, ensuring you look neat and tidy and are dressed smartly if you want prospective companies to take you seriously. There is no excuse not to have a Linkedin profile if you’re on the job hunt. There’s also no excuse not to use a suitable picture.

Smile for the camera

Future employers will use sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get a sense of what you’re really like as a person.

In the first picture they will see of you, ensure that you are smiling in order to make a great first impression. It is often said a smile is the first thing a person notices about you.  It demonstrates you are a happy, positive person who people will want to work with.

Look them in the eye

Although pictures of you looking away from the camera are likely to bring in the likes from your friends, they might not go down so well with potential employers.

Studies show that looking the camera in the eye shows you are a confident individual, whereas looking away from the camera might convey nervousness. Use your profile picture as a way of demonstrating to your future that you ooze confidence.

Put down the bottle

Posing with your drunk friends with a bottle of wine is not going to impress the people you want to work for in the slightest.

If you’re serious about getting that job, put down the bottle – at least for your profile picture.

While you’re at it, it might be worth going through your other photos on Facebook and checking how many party shots there are. You should delete any that are inappropriate.

A few snaps of you drinking is alright, but if in every photo you’re at a nightclub, it’s going to give off a bad impression.

Squad goals

It’s been shown that a profile picture with your besties in it can have a positive impact on your likelihood of employment.

A group hug will show recruiters that you’re sociable, likeable and will work well in a team.

Reflect the company

If you want to impress your future employer with your profile picture,  find one which demonstrates how passionate you are about the role.

Say you’re applying for a role in the charity sector, why not use a picture from your time volunteering? If you’re looking for a job within the travel industry, a snap of you in Asia will work perfectly.

With these simple steps, it can be very easy to make a huge difference to whether you get to the interview stage or not. Social media plays a huge role in employment, so when choosing you’re next profile picture, make sure you’re using it to your full advantage.

Inspiring Interns is a recruitment agency specialising in all the internships and graduate jobs London has to offer.