Business photography and the recruitment process

Many jobseekers find that business photography is irrelevant to the recruitment process. I am constantly amazed at the high percentage of people who start looking for a new job and forget about their image, that is, in short, about updating their business photo. They often use old, long-outdated photography, trusting that a business portrait is not an essential part of the recruiting puzzle.

Years of experience have shown me that this is the wrong view. I have always believed that a business photo must first and foremost identify a candidate during the first live contact – face to face – with a future employer or recruiter.

Of course, many other factors affect whether a candidate gets a job. It is necessary to have the appropriate experience and a set of desired competences. However, it often turns out that even an apparently created candidate for a given position is rejected in the recruitment process because he is not able to properly display his professional image.

Self-presentation, because we are talking about it, is presenting yourself in such a way as to make a specific impression on the recipients. Although every candidate certainly knows that effective self-presentation helps during an interview, few people realize that an appropriate image, in this case called a business portrait, is extremely important already at the stage of sending a CV.

Why is it worth taking care of business photography in your CV

Recruiters have no doubts – a properly selected business photo can help you move on to the next stage of recruitment. It can make a given candidate remembered, because it is easier to associate a person when information about him brings his or her face to mind. Preparing professional business photography, in a sense, also requires some effort from the candidate. Some recruiters believe that this is some kind of extra time commitment on the part of the candidate, which indicates that they really care about getting the job they are applying for. Involvement in the recruitment process is always positively assessed by potential employers.

Last but not least, having the right business portrait on a resume means a huge increase in the visual appeal of a candidate’s resume. Good quality business photography shows the professionalism of the candidate and makes the document look much more interesting. There is, however, the other side of the coin – a business portrait that could hurt recruiting. Yes, it is possible – I’ll explain in a moment why this might happen.

Business photography that makes a difference

In my career as a photographer, I often come across people who use a “professional photo” in recruitment processes. I mean a technically correct photo, usually taken by a “specialist”. Unfortunately, in many cases such “professional” business photography unfortunately presents the portrayed person and creates a wrong impression of him / her. Interestingly, there are times, and not infrequently, when the portrayed person is very happy with this photo and does not hesitate to use it in a CV or recruitment-related websites such as LinkedIn.

It is therefore worth knowing that the impression we make on others is very often determined by seemingly insignificant nuances. Flawless wardrobe, skillfully matched to your profession and status. Appropriate facial expressions, face positioning – such details can skillfully emphasize the features that you want to communicate to the recipient and thus create the desired business image. A business portrait in your CV or social media is your business card, thanks to which you set a potential employer or recruiter to your person.

Here are some elements that make professional business photography stand out:

• Outfit, hairstyle, in the case of women professional photo make-up, a well-chosen suit or business dress positively demonstrates competence and emphasizes professionalism. Make-up should not draw too much attention – if you use the help of a specialist, the intensity and nature of the make-up will be properly selected, and the hairstyle must first of all be neat. Of course, your business appearance also depends on the industry in which you work and your position.
• Appropriate background – although it may seem trivial, business photos with an unacceptable background still appear in the CV. There should be no one but you or any “distractions” in the photo.
• The photo must be up-to-date – sooner or later you will have to come to an interview. So you don’t want your potential employer… to not recognize you?
• A natural and honest smile – inspires trust and positively moods the recruiter or employer.

Although all these points seem obvious through and through, unfortunately many candidates make simple mistakes when creating their image, sometimes eliminating the chances of participation in the further stages of recruitment.

Summary

It is understandable that when deciding on the services of a specialist, we rely on his professionalism and trust that he will advise us on all these issues. However, remember that when it comes to a business portrait, it is worth seeking a second professional opinion. If you are looking for a job and you have doubts whether your business photography meets all the requirements, please contact me. I am happy to audit your current photo!