You can do it with one simple step.
Be sure you have a professional photo on your profile. LinkedIn® reports that profiles with photos get 14-21 times more views than those without photos.
Princeton psychologists, Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov, report that it only takes 100 milliseconds to form an impression of someone from just looking at a photo of their face. 80 to 90 percent of that first impression is based on just two qualities — trustworthiness and competence.
And, social psychologist Amy Cuddy says, “When we form a first impression of another person it’s not really a single impression. We’re really forming two. We’re judging how warm and trustworthy the person is . . . and we’re asking ourselves ‘how strong and competent is this person?”
When someone visits your LinkedIn profile, make sure you make a good impression.
No photos with sunglasses (like the one to the left), motorcycles or babies (yes, the pic below was posted on a LinkedIn profile). Post those pics on Facebook, Instagram or on a Pinterest board.
Does it have to be a photo taken by a professional photographer?
No, it doesn’t. Put on a nice outfit, stand in a location where you’ll have a nice background and ask a friend, relative or colleague to snap your pic with your smartphone. Voila! You have a nice photo that conveys your professionalism and makes a good – and welcoming – impression on visitors to your profile.
If you want a professional photographer to take pics for you, by all means, go for it. These days many of them offer reasonable pricing for taking head shots.
What impression are you making on your LinkedIn profile? Do you have a photo? Share your LinkedIn URL and let’s take a peek because I’d love to hear from (and see) you. Thanks a million! Here’s to your sweet success.
