The importance of professional headshots

When I used to think about taking headshots or people who needed them most I always used the think of actors, but now it is as important as ever that everyone take the time to get professional headshots – yes, everyone. There are many reasons they are important, but first and foremost is our social media presence and huge role it plays. It’s probably bigger than you think. I believe that professional headshots also come with an emotional connection that many people may not realize. People want to connect with people and having a picture that represents you at your best will open the doors for this. When you are looking to hire a professional for something and are on their website, how often do you notice their picture or if they have one? Do you usually choose someone who has a welcoming, put together picture? I know I do.

Having a background in human resources, I understand how crucial it is to make a good impression on future employers and maintain a high reputation with current ones. Today, more than half of human resource and recruiting managers will search for candidates or employees on the internet and what they find plays a large part on this impression. For instance, if you are applying for an executive assistant job and the hiring manager looks you up on Facebook and your profile picture is an iPhone selfie from the bar, that’s a pretty big deterrent whether it truly represents your work ethic and personality or not. However, if they look you up and find a polished, high quality image where you look your best and are put together, this tells them you are confident and value yourself. Additionally, if you have pictures of yourself that you are proud of and feel good about, you will be more confident. Even if you aren’t actively searching for a job, social media presentation still affects the impression and way people view you. You never know what the future holds and maintaining your image is so important, especially with how interconnected we all are now.

So how do you go about professional headshots? Lots of photographers offer packages or options for headshots. Do your research and ask for examples so you can see what they offer. Hiring a professional is critical to an awesome headshot. They are trained and have experience in lighting and posing techniques to make you look your best. In my packages, I always offer complimentary professional hair and make up styling. While you may be great at putting on your make up and doing your hair for day-to-day activities, professional make up artists know how to accent your best features, minimize insecurities and make you “camera ready” which is different that “work ready”. You also want to decide what kind of portraits you are looking for. Do you want traditional studio backgrounds? In your office? At a specific location? This should all depend on what you want your images to say about you. My advice is to decide what your images should highlight about you, choose a photographer that meets your needs and understands your style and make the investment in yourself because you are your most valuable asset.