Own your first impressions and enhance your professional and personal life with a high quality professional headshot.
INTRODUCTION
In today’s world, it’s very likely that you’ll “meet” someone online before you meet them in real life. It’s very likely they may see a photo of you online somewhere, either through your social media or website. In these cases, a professional headshot can be a game-changer whether you are a job seeker, an entrepreneur, actor or model. Gone are the days when a plain old selfie or a cropped vacation photo would suffice.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why you need a headshot, and how to get the most out of it.
1. First Impressions
It only takes a tenth of a second to form a judgment about someone, even from a still photograph. And we make them all the time. Check out this Pubmed study that discusses this in more detail.
We know people make snap judgments about us, as we do them. They may not be right all the time, but we can’t help it. As soon as we see someone for the first time, we form an opinion on their attractiveness, trustworthiness and likeability. You can read more about making first impressions from faces from this Pubmed study.
Your headshot is often the first opportunity to make a lasting impression on potential employers, clients or collaborators. A professional headshot that showcases your best features, confidence and approachability can instantly communicate professionalism and boost trust.
2. Enhance Opportunities
A headshot can enhance professional opportunities. It can open doors to job interviews, business collaborations, and networking opportunities. It can be considered a great investment for job hunters as it can help them stand out from the many job applications that recruiters and Human Resource managers receive on a daily basis.
If you are an actor or model looking for work, chances are you’ll have to submit a headshot before stepping into a room to audition. It makes sense because in this world, you are the product. And you need a great headshot to represent yourself to the world.
Professional headshots are not only for actors and models though; they are increasingly essential for other professionals such as:
- Lawyers
- Doctors
- Real estate agents
- Corporate executives
- Business owners
Your professional headshot can be used on your company’s website, LinkedIn profile, conference materials, business cards, virtual meeting platforms, etc.
For those of you that use LinkedIn, check out this article about how headhunters use LinkedIn to find potential candidates. Having a professional headshot of yourself on your LinkedIn profile can help you get noticed among the thousands of other applicants. Chances are employers are checking out your social media, such as LinkedIn, before offering a job interview. Assume it’s happening and own your first impression by investing in a professional headshot.
3. Build Your Personal Brand
Another reason to get a professional headshot is to establish a strong personal brand. Although personal branding means showcasing more than your face (see more below), a headshot can be an integral part of your personal brand portfolio.
While we are here, what is personal branding? While a headshot focuses on the face, personal branding gets into who you are and what you do. It tells a story of what you do and what you’re like as a person. You are the brand and you want to capture that in an image, whether it’s to show your personality and style or your business or brand. It allows you to craft an authentic and professional image that aligns with your personal brand and conveys your expertise and trustworthiness.
Check out this article from the Harvard Business Review, What’s the Point of a Personal Brand? It gets into more detail on what is a personal brand and how to build one.
CONCLUSION
To recap, first impressions are important and they drive the way people see and think about you. Think of a professional headshot as an investment that can have a positive impact on your personal and professional life. It serves as a great tool for making lasting impressions, enhancing professional opportunities and building a strong personal brand. Capture your best self and let your headshot precede you before you walk into any room.
