Should A Resume Have A Picture

November 8, 2021

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The Employer Can Find A Photo Of Me Online Anyway

Should You Have a Picture on Your CV/Resume?

This is a fair point for most of us, its true that your employer could find a photo by simply searching your name online. Youll probably have a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account with a profile photo for them to stumble across if they go hunting. A lot of employers do check social profiles these days as they are far more telling than a couple of sheets of A4.

However, not every employer goes looking for this type of information and youll be putting your photo in front of them regardless of whether they were going to find it or not.

Should I Put Color On My Resume

So youâre interested in making your resume stand out with colors.

But will color on a resume attract employers or turn them away?

Color on a resume used to be widely considered unacceptable. But the perspective of employers is different now in 2021. In fact, colors on a resume could be an advantage in making your candidacy stand out.

How do you know if colors on a resume is right for you? And how much color is too much?

The answer to these questions are unique to a candidateâs industry and how the resume is used. To understand what level of color is right for you, letâs first think through the lifecycle of a resume.

Resumes are reviewed and evaluated in the following ways:

Resumes might be automatically scanned and filtered

Resumes are looked at by the hiring manager on a desktop or mobile device or on a print out.

Resumes are printed, often in black and white, to be physically passed around

Color on a resume can have either a good or bad impact at any of these steps. Letâs think through the employerâs perspective to understand this further.

The Case For Adding A Cv Photograph

It will help build your brand.

For starters, the specific industry you work in plays an important role. People in a creative fieldlike graphic design, fashion, architecture, performing arts, or filmoften have more freedom to express their personality in the resume, says Atkinson, NC-based professional resume writer Dawn Bugni. In other words, creative professionals have more leeway to deviate from the standard resume, which typically does not include a photograph.

Still, workers in other professions might benefit from adding a cv picture. Including a picture of yourself on your resume can help you develop your personal brand. In fact, research has found that human photos online can help to build trust. And, by using the same photo that appears on your LinkedIn and social media accounts, youre establishing a consistent professional image.

Moreover, photos are commonly used to establish credibility. Case in point: many online newspapers, magazines, and other news sources now include photos of writers with each story. The Washington Post, for example, places the reporters headshot and bio at the bottom of every article. Other media outlets, like Forbes.com and Inc.com, place the authors photo at the top of the article.

Global job seekers can benefit.

People are drawn to images.

Read Also: How To Create A Teenage Resume

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AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram @her_report, Twitter @herreportand .

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No Dont Include A Photo

USA
Canada
United Kingdom

Labor and anti-discrimination laws in these countries prevent employers from requesting a good deal of personal information. As a result, organizations rarely request a photo as part of a job application nor do they expect one, particularly for professional positions. So steer clear of providing a picture or any other details that reveal too much personal data.

If you are like many job seekers, however, youll include in your resume a link to your social media profiles or personal website, where photos are recommended. In this case, just make sure that your photo is a professional-looking headshot.

Also Check: Where To Put Relevant Coursework On A Resume

When Is Including A Resume Photo Not Recommended

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suggests that US employers should not request a resume photo from a job applicant, and the same advice is given in other countries, including the UK and Germany.

This is largely because these countries have strict employment laws regarding discrimination and labor.

When it comes to deciding whether or not to include a photo, research is vital in both the UK and Germany, a company can not request a resume photo. However, they are still widely expected in Germany.

When A Professional Photo Is Appropriate

When it comes to adding photos, it’s more appropriate to include a professional portrait on your LinkedIn profile. On social media, a photo can help paint a broader picture of who you are as an individual, while in the context of other functions of social media.

When choosing a professional photo for social media, consider these dos and donts when shortlisting potential snaps.

Do: Choose a professional-looking photo. Favour a front-facing headshot on a solid, light background.
Do: Ensure that the picture is well shot with a high resolution and isnt blurry or out of focus.
Do: Make sure the photo fits in with, and complements, the overall impression of your career experience.
Dont: Use a selfie or a posed, party or group photo taken down at the pub, club or beach.
Dont: Use an avatar, cartoon or funny photo. Its better to go without.
Dont: Use a dated or altered photo. Choose a current one thats true to who you are today.

Resumes should be a professional insight into what your skills and capabilities are to execute and deliver on a job.

A visual representation of what you look like not only adds little value to your job application, but can open doors to bias that is not appropriate or reflective of what you are truly capable of in a work environment.

Concentrate your efforts instead on writing a powerful resume that speaks greater volumes about your career ambitions and why you’re best suited for the job on offer.

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Should I Include A Photo Of Myself On My Cv

I’m applying for a position in the UK. Is it professional to include my photo in my CV? Emily G.

Answer:

While it was once standard practice to include a CV picture, employers in the UK no longer expect candidates to include this information with job applications. The only exceptions to this rule would be professionals who are pursuing acting or modeling roles. In fact, thanks to anti-discrimination laws in the UK, some companies outside of the entertainment industry automatically disregard CVs that contain photos to avoid potential discrimination allegations.

The United Kingdom is not alone in adopting this practice. If you are applying for a job in any of the following geographic areas, you should not include a photo of yourself with your CV:

Africa
Mexico
United States

However, there are other places across the globe where employers still expect candidates to include a CV photo, including:

Latin America , with the exception of Mexico
Southeast Asia
Middle East, especially in the UAE, where the photo is considered to be a crucial part of a job application

If you are applying for a job in a country where a CV picture is still considered a standard part of the job application, follow the same guidelines you would when . When deciding which CV image to use, keep the following attributes in mind:

Has it been a while since you last updated your CV? Make sure your application will pass muster with today’s employers by requesting a free CV evaluation.

What Do Hiring Managers Think About Color On A Resume

How Many Pages Should My Federal Resume Have

Every resume is manually looked by a recruiter or hiring manager for under 7 seconds on average. The goal of your resume is to stand out enough to help you win the interview.

Using the right balance of color on your resume to highlight the important parts can help the viewer notice your experience and skills more.

So what is the right amount of color to use on a resume to make your resume stand out?

This depends on the size of the company you’re applying to and the industry.

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A Photo Is Unprofessional

Having your image–even a professional headshot–on a resume is unprofessional and sends a bad message employer. Remember that the purpose of a resume is to demonstrate to the employer why youâre a good fit for the job. Your appearance is irrelevant and it can come off as a major turn-off for recruiters.

Here is what Facebook recruiter Ambra Benjamin thinks:

âWe just want to know about things that pertain to your work history. So please take your photo off your resume. If we want to see what you look like, recruiters can just stalk you on LinkedIn.â

There you have it from someone who recruits for Facebook! A photo on your resume serves no purpose. Leave it off and stick to a clean, concise, and professional resume.

Resume Photo Tips From A Professional Photographer

If youre already familiar with how to write a resume and you know youre going to opt-in for a picture in your resume. Our in-house professional photographer Noel Rojo has six tips that will help guide you in taking the perfect resume picture.

Wear the proper attire: You want to make sure you wear clothes with solid and contrasting colors, especially because your resume might be converted to black and white and colors such as pastels might look washed out. Avoid anything with logos or distracting patterns.

Choose the right background: When taking a resume head shot, a plain neutral background is usually the way to go. You want to choose a place that is devoid of clutter and that will not distract from the main subject matter you.

Avoid candid and or low quality images: Like your resume, your picture should be properly curated.

Take the photo from the right angle and height: Your photo should be taken at eye level and its recommended to position your face with a slight shift to the side, as taking the picture straight forward can make your image look like a mug shot. However, nothing wrong with a straight forward picture if you can pull it off.

Go for a natural look: Abstain from using too much makeup as it can be distracting. Instead, go for makeup that gives you a natural and neutral look. Your picture shouldnt be the main focus of your resume.

In the end, like these resume picture examples just keep it simple, neutral, and natural:

Canadian Cv And Pictures No: Here’s Why

Best practices change. They change over time, as the market evolves and trends come and go. They also change depending where you are. Basically, they are contextual.

One very common question for expats and people coming to work in Canada, is “does my foreign C.V work here or should I make a new one“. This answer is easy, in most cases you should always tailor your resume to your industry, the location and if you really really want the job, some people would tell you to tailor it to the company where you are applying. .

The second question is usually, should I put a on my resume ?

That one is harder to answer. The right answer would be maybe.

But really, probably not.

I was brought forth to the debate following a Facebook post on a job/advice page pertaining to Montreal work opportunities where professional resume templates were being offered with a huge picture on them, by a “Resume Guru”.

Of course, there is no direct law, Federal or Provincial on what to not put on your CV. Just doctrine and legal precedents. Which are quite important too.

However Canada’s youth website clearly points to three things you should absolutely not put on it.

your height, age, weight

The main reasons being:

Discrimination

That’s right, if there is one demon in the job sphere both in Canada and more locally in Quebec, it is discrimination.

A whole world of claims based on discrimination is then opened.

System Friendliness

It’s distracting

Professionalism

It takes space

However

Refer The Employer To A Blog Or Social Media Account

Resume Template Professional Resume CV Template Modern ...

Your blog and social media accounts likely have photos associated with them. Providing details about these sites on your resume will give your employer an opportunity to see your face while also allowing them to view other details about you.

If you’re applying for a position related to sales or marketing, the number of followers that you have on popular sites can prove a valuable asset. If you’re looking for a job as a writer or editor, the quality of the content on your blog will be very important to any employer seeking your skills.

Linking an employer directly to your social media accounts can also help you avoid any cases of mistaken identity. If you have a common name in a big city, you may find that several profiles match your name and location. If an employer searches for your profiles independently, you want to make sure they locate the right one, as someone else’s profile could give an inaccurate impression of who you are and how you spend your time.

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It Could Lead To Rejection

Sometimes, including a photo can be the sole factor that gets you knocked out of the running for a position.

Some employers consider it unprofessional and others take the view that a photo is being used to take the focus away from a lackluster resume.

If an employer makes a negative assumption about an applicant based on their photo, it could bring their application to an abrupt end, regardless of the other content there.

It can be a specialist tracking bot, used to sift through resumes and discard those clearly unfit for the role, that is thrown by the appearance of an image and has cast the resume aside.

My Cv Photo Puts A Face To A Name

In todays multimedia-driven world, were used to visuals. We like to see who is behind the words were reading, whether its a newspaper column, a magazine article or yes, a CV. Including a photo can help bring to life the picture youve painted about yourself on your CV, although this depends on your choice of photo.

Adding A Picture To Your Resume Could Hurt Your Chances Of Getting The Job

Resumes are meant to display what makes you a great candidate. A picture could distract from your relevant skills and experience. If recruiters need and/or want to see you, theyll be able to view the pictures on your social media profiles or meet you face-to-face during an interview.

Theres no need to include your headshot on your resume, but there are reasons to leave it off. Here are a few:

Your Photo Could Be Used Against You

Do you have your picture on your resume?

While it’s illegal to not hire someone because of their photo , you don’t want to risk your photo being used against you especially if you don’t have a professional headshot. If a recruiter or hiring manager really wants to find out what you look like, they can likely find your photo on your LinkedIn profile instead.

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Why Not To Add A Photo

Even though you can add a photo in some circumstances, it doesn’t mean that you should. Consider what value a picture will add, if any, before you start reworking your resume. There are also ways you can get employers to view your picture without having to add your photo to your resume.

Review these options for includingor nota photo on your resume. There are some exceptions to the “no picture” guidance that might work for you.

How Do I Add A Picture To My Resume

Here are three simple ways to include a photo on your resume if you insist on using one or if you need to use one for your industry.

1. Take a clean, professional headshot.

First things first, if you’re going to include a photo on your resume, make sure that it’s clean and professional. Get a headshot taken by a professional photographer. Don’t just use a selfie or a photo from your social media. The photo should be of your face from the chest up at most. It should be on a plain background that’s simple and easy to look at. And it should be appropriate, meaning you should be dressed as you would on the job.

2. Size the photo for the top corner of your resume.

What size should a photo be on a resume? It should be small enough to not take up valuable space, but big enough to show who you are. Many people include photos that only take up a small corner of their resume no more than two inches by two inches, and often even smaller. The photo shouldn’t be longer than your header.

3. Include a separate portfolio of photos if you have to.

If your job calls for pictures of yourself , you’ll want to have a separate portfolio of photos of yourself that you can link to from your resume or that you can include as an attachment with you resume. You don’t want to clutter your resume with pictures of yourself that’s precisely what portfolios for these kinds of visual fields are for!

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