I’ve written on many an occasion about LinkedIn and how it can benefit your personal brand – when used correctly. But as a recent chat with a a journalist from the FT revealed, too many people are still getting it wrong.
She wanted a quote for her article about a guy who makes a living taking professional photos for people’s LinkedIn profiles. And because there are so many horrors to witness on profile after profile, his target market is huge and business is booming.
So I thought I’d revisit a blog I wrote back in May 2011 and bring you Part 2 of my ‘rogues gallery’ of LinkedIn pictures. The examples here are stock-shots to protect the (not so) innocent, but I’m sure you’ll have at least one of these in your network of contacts – heck, it may even be you!
The Blur
This one looks like the person smeared Vaseline on the lens to give that ‘soft focus’ look loved by Hollywood starlets in the 1940s. In reality it’s just a dodgy camera or a shaky hand, neither of which gives the impression you care about your personal brand.
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The Movie Star
This one’s for the people who are so ‘famous’ they have to wear their sunglasses all the time – even in their LinkedIn picture. But to paraphrase General William Prescott at the Battle of Bunker Hill, “Don’t do a photo shoot unless we can see the whites of your eyes.” Your eyes convey so much of who you are and by covering them up you’re missing half your personal brand message.
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The Groom
Last time I did a ‘rogues gallery’ of LinkedIn pics, first on the list was The Bride (which I still regularly spot…c’mon ladies, you’re letting the side down) but I’ve noticed quite a few grooms sneaking in too. So I’ll give the same advice: unless you’re turning up to a business meeting wearing a cravat and a carnation in your buttonhole why would you look that way on the world’s #1 business networking site?
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The Group Shot
This one usually appears when someone’s been at an event and professional photographer has been there snapping away. So they think, “Hey, it’s a professional photo, right?” and use it. But they forget to crop the image so we’re left to guess which one of the group the person in question actually is. Duh! (Oh, and having a glass of alcohol in your hand may or may not be giving the message you want either.)
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The Fan
Now you may think I’m kidding with this last one, but browsing LinkedIn one day I did indeed come across someone who had uploaded a photo of themself dressed as Elvis (pay me enough and I might just reveal who it is!) Whilst this does indeed give some clues as to their personal brand – their taste in music, a certain sense of fun - which is good, it’s best saved for Facebook or Twitter where ‘business gravitas’ isn’t the order of the day.
Want to add any other categories to the rogues gallery using the comment box below? What’s the worst LinkedIn photo you’ve seen (remember to protect the person’s anonymity please!) And please share or tweet this using the buttons below – the more people who know about using LinkedIn to their advantage, the better!
Out of office or out of your mind?
The 10 commandments of personal brand (Part 2)
The 10 commandments of personal brand (Part 1)
LinkedIn pics: how NOT to do it (Part 2)
7 Ways to Say “No”
Hi Jennifer,
I’d say the, “just tooo busy and professional for a photo” types bug me the most… And yet it’s easy to critique others… What do you think of my B&W mug shot?
Best wishes 2012!
Thor.
Hi Thor – I think you’re referring to the ‘invisible man’ I put in Part 1 of the blog back in May, which was there because I wholeheartedly agree with you: no picture is a no-no. As for black and white photos, l like them when they’re professionally done, like yours.
Here’s a question though: what was your thinking behind using black and white and not colour. And what were you trying to convey about your personal brand?
Funnily enough I got sent a LinkenIn request from a training supplier last week who had a photo could have made it in this article. The lady in question was clearly at a club, the picture showed her bare shoulders (she may have been naked!), she was clearly very hot (straggly hair and smudged make up) and did indeed have a glass in her hand. I’m inclined to think her mother would have had her doubts at the photo, let alone someone she was trying to get thousands of pounds with of business from.
I don’t actually need the type of training she was offering, but I did wonder if I should send her a link to your page. It would certainly send a clear message about my personal brand!
As ever, thanks for giving me something to think about.
Nikki
Hi Nikki
Appreciate your comment and all I can say is, “Ah, bless”. Sometimes these people just don’t know their arse from their elbow when it comes to making the right impression, do they? Shows you the power of your online brand though!
My favourite No-No’s are :-
1) Bikini on the beach, yes you look fantastic thanks, remember to wear that next time I come to your office please.
2) 50 tiny white dots, being faces of people in a choir. I don’t know who you are, even your Mum wouldn’t recognise you.
3) Falling out of the pub after closing time. Discrete veil over this one please.
4) Cuddly kitten in front of the fire. Animal version obviously.
5) Hamster in a wheel. Yes really, I have seen this. Says quite a bit about his job prospects.
6) Photo taken at arms length using your mobile phone.
What part of “businesslike professional profile photo” don’t people understand?
Hi David
Thanks for adding to the list. On the animal front, I once had a guy criticise me for something to do with my brand, but when I looked him up on LinkedIn found that his profile picture was of a cat. Enough said!
Pingback: ‘Smile please’ – do you really need a photo?
J,
my favorite was, after being directed to someone in Human Resources, this person’s LinkedIn page had a photo of her on the beach and holding a drink in her hand. i have nothing against beaches, nothing against drinks and (almost) nothing against most HR people. but the combination of the three made me question the company i was interested in. in this case, the photo said less about that person’s brand than it did about the organization she was representing.
Best,
m
Love the Elvis pic btw. [am assuming he's not an Elvis impersonator?]
Hi Martin
Ah…the beach picture. Hope she didn’t compound the matter by wearing a bikini and having her la-las on display! And the Elvis picture I used is indeed one of an impersonator. (He looks more authentic than the Chinese guy I saw years ago in a restaurant in Tunbridge Wells.)