To help you understand better whether or not you should have a professional headshot, I’ve put together a list of the main industries and people that need them to strengthen their business or service.
Professionals
Anyone who works in a professional establishment or service such as a legal firm, consultancy, managerial, executive role, and so on, should have a professional headshot. These roles usually require them to be professional and elite in their field, so they should demonstrate this and portray that image. It gives clients a good first impression and shows they are representing the position and brand image. A client may choose to do business based on your headshot alone or at least give you chance to pitch your ideas based on your smart and professional appearance. For example, if you’re a Doctor, it might be the reason a patient chooses you as they feel like they can trust you more having seen your face.
Those using LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a great platform that allows professionals to develop a network of like-minded people and helps those looking for employment to secure good careers. Recruiters are always actively seeking new candidates on LinkedIn and their first protocol to noticing you will be the professional headshot you have displayed. As LinkedIn is a professional platform it is not advised to skip having a photo or have a bad quality one either. As users want to demonstrate how professional they are it’s best to have a good quality headshot of yourself looking as smart as possible. to earn you a good first impression. A good quality, professional headshot will allow you to stand out from others and network in a more progressive and professional manner than those without one.
Teachers and Pupils
For as long as I can recall, having my headshot photo taken at the end of every school year was a given. School photos are a keepsake memory for family members and for you as you grow older. For teachers, they’re taken for a more professional purpose so parents and other people such as school inspectors, and staff employees can identify who is who. As a teacher, you want to show your professionalism, and having a good quality headshot can help others relate to you better.
School headshots are also used in various publications such as local newspapers or websites and can be displayed at the school entrance as a warm welcoming invite to any visitors.
Office Employees
You don’t have to have a Ph.D. or CEO title to say you are a professional, in fact, anyone working within an office environment can be classed as a professional worker. Depending on the company you work for it may be a requirement for you to have one so that the company can have a team or staff headshots displayed for everyone in the office. These are usually used on company websites, PR articles, display boards in meeting rooms, and so on. Whether or not your company wants you to have one you should get one for your own benefit. Use it across your social media and Linkedin profile or any in-house software you have where you have can upload a headshot photo. This will increase your opportunity to get noticed and stand out from your colleagues. Your employer will know you are serious about your career and that you are professional.
Public Figures and Influencers
Social media is becoming more and more competitive and the need for headshots to stand out has never been as high. Investing in headshots taken by a professional photographer can give you the edge you need to stand out from the crowd. It will also help if you eliminate any bad photos you don’t want to be tied to, as these can be quite accessible online. A good professional photographer like myself will have the techniques and experience needed to create images that show you in the best professional way. We work with different focuses and looks, different moods, lighting, and so on to get your headshots to the quality and standard that you want the world to see.
If you need some professional headshots taken for yourself or your company, please do get in touch. You can also visit my headshot photography page to find out more about my prices and sessions details.
