Here is a list of things not to do if you want a good LinkedIn profile photo.

The first thing we would suggest that you never use for your LinkedIn profile photo is a selfie. The reason being is that selfies are all good and well in a social or family context, but not when it comes down to looking professional on your Linkedin profile page. Also, selfies are often taken at weekends or on holidays when your clothing is not appropriate for LinkedIn, and your surroundings will not be indicative of your workplace. The way selfies are captured means that your stance will all be wrong as your shoulders are at odd angles as you need to raise your arm to capture a selfie. Capturing a selfie in a mirror is another common way of taking a selfie, and this results in your phone being in the picture, which again is not the right look for your LinkedIn profile page.

Another common mistake on a list of things not to do if you want a good LinkedIn profile photo is not to use a photo taken by a friend or a partner. They might fancy themselves as a photographer and might have taken some half-decent pictures of local wildlife or the odd sunset, but this does not mean they are a competent corporate headshot photographer. Your LinkedIn profile photo is your business shopfront, and you need to invest some time and money in making sure you look professional on your profile page. So forget about cutting corners here and go onto LinkedIn and find a professional corporate portrait photographer. Check out their portfolio and get samples of LinkedIn profile photos that you like and ask the photographer to work in the style you like.

Prior to having a professional LinkedIn profile photo taken, decide on what you want in the background. Some people prefer a simple white background. At the moment, we are finding that people quite like to have a London cityscape as their background as this shows any employer or potential client that they work in London.

A list of things not to do if you want a good LinkedIn profile photo.