Over the past couple of years, we have seen our lives go from part-time online to full time online.  Meetings happen over a video call, deals are done via email, the majority of our personal connections are digital. Without being able to meet someone face to face, we are left to decide our feelings towards them through the digital breadcrumbs we have available. In the business world, it is without a doubt that the main portal used is LinkedIn and that is where most first impressions are made. Below are a handful of reasons that you should get in-touch with a professional photographer immediately and get your portrait updated.

Your Current Portrait Is 10 Years Old

Your current photo is from when your first graduated college or from when you first setup your LinkedIn profile. Let’s face the facts, it's been 10 years and you look nothing like your LinkedIn photo, it's time for an update. This photo follows you all over the internet as LinkedIn images tend to pop up pretty quickly in google and we all know that in NYC headshots will stick with you with every move you take.  You don't want to look like a fresh faced college kid, or the person you were 10 years ago, you need to look like the person you are today. 

The Job Market Is Hot

Your profile is often the first impression a hiring manager will have of you, with a current professional headshot on LinkedIn they will know who you are and will see that you hold yourself to a higher standard than Bob whose profile photo is him at an event without the beer bottle completely cropped out of the image. with everything else equal in that scenario, who do you think the hiring manager will call back first?

Clean It Up

Your current profile photo is dark, distracting or just simply looks sloppy. I recommend a nice clean background for a LinkedIn Headshot. With the image being so small, I tend to push people towards a simple with or gray background so that they can be the focus of the image. Sure you may have an incredible view from your office, but the truth of the matter is that by the time you are in the shot, that view is just a blurred background with not much significance.

Google Your Own Name

When a new client, colleague or date googles your name, often times one of the first things to pop up will be your LinkedIn profile. This may be one of their first impressions of you. You do not want it to be memorable in a bad way, but rather be sure that it presents you in a professional light.

Building Your Personal Brand

Your portrait is part of your personal brand, it is important to keep it consistent with the way you look and the attitude that surrounds you. I deal with thousands of individuals every year who are having a portrait done. When we sit down together and review the images, the most important topic that comes up is what kind of clients they are dealing with. A personal estate planner will usually end up with a pretty airy, friendly image whereas a white collar defense litigator will want to look like someone who is not messing around and show a different air of confidence and sternness.