Do I need a professional LinkedIn profile photo?

When we tell people what we do and how much we charge for our LinkedIn profile photos, we often hear… Do I need a professional LinkedIn profile photo? Our answer depends on what your occupation is.

If you are in full-time employment and you are not interacting with important clients, then the answer is no; you do not need a professional LinkedIn profile photo. You can use a decent photo of yourself on LinkedIn as people might look you up just to put a face to the name, but your LinkedIn profile will not depend on bringing new work and clients to the business.

If you are a freelancer working for a variety of clients, then a professional LinkedIn profile photo is a good idea. Potential clients will check out your LinkedIn profile to access your business skills and to check on any recommendations past clients have left.

Also, if you are a salesperson and you are constantly engaging with clients, you will need a decent profile photo. Selling is hard enough without your LinkedIn photo letting the side down. You are in competition and need everything to look professional on your LinkedIn profile. So budget accordingly and go to a professional corporate portrait photographer and make sure your profile photo is up to date and not ten years old.

Lastly, if you are a director of a business, you represent your company and the services or products it delivers. If clients know they might be working with you, they will automatically check out your LinkedIn profile. When they do, they need to see you looking professional, and the first thing they will look at is your profile photo. You don’t have to look like a movie star. You just have to look like a professional business person. So spend some time finding the right corporate headshot photographer. Have samples of what you want so you can clearly show the photographer what you want the end result to look like.

Do I need a professional LinkedIn profile photo?