Why a headshot photographer should take your LinkedIn picture.
A casting director is the hiring manager of the theatre, film, and commercial world. They are the first to see your resume, the first to see your headshot, and the people that use these tools (along with your other marketing materials) to decide whether or not you’re a good fit for the team they are assembling. Alternatively, I propose that a hiring manager is really the casting director of the working world. They meet with potential connections, assess their skills and experience, and work to evaluate their personalities and the way they would fit within their team. Likewise, the quality of the materials they receive should do as good a job at showcasing your personality. In today’s world of virtual connection and internet-powered hiring, there is no excuse to have a LinkedIn photo that doesn’t work for you in the same way an actor’s 8x10 headshot works for them.
When a hiring manager is in charge of adding members to a team, often the first thing they will see is your LinkedIn photo. A photo will be a small thumbnail, gliding across their computer screen. Whether you realize it or not, that LinkedIn thumbnail becomes your first impression to many of those who can connect you to people along your career path. Having worked with casting directors in the acting industry, I take into consideration the way they look at headshots. With this in mind, I cater my sessions towards two things:
Capturing my clients’ personalities in the most honest way that shows what kind of person a casting director (or hiring manager) can expect to work with.
Framing my headshots in a way that is the most effective in the eyes of a casting director.
I believe that these concepts are no different when applying to any job. Having an excellent corporate headshot or LinkedIn photo is a very effective way to put your best foot forward to those who can consider you for opportunities. It isn’t enough anymore to have a good picture on your LinkedIn profile just to match a face to a name. When a name and resume is connected to a headshot taken with care and experience, a hiring manager gets an idea of how you carry yourself and what personality you may bring to the table before even evaluating your qualifications. It’s a shining headshot that makes your LinkedIn profile all the more clickable.
The other benefit of having a headshot photographer take your LinkedIn photo is that they don’t just take photos that look good, but that also feel good to take! It’s no secret. Getting your picture taken can often appear to be a stressful and uncomfortable experience. It’s not always easy to shine as your 100% self with lights and a camera in your face. With the experience of working with actors (and being one as well) I am prepared and capable of turning an awkward experience into a fun one! I love to celebrate my clients’ uniqueness and bring out their individual personalities. I do whatever I can to get to know you, to understand how you see yourself and what your goals are so that the resulting pictures become an honest reflection of your professional self. I create a comfortable environment in my studio so that my clients can feel relaxed and safe during their sessions. With a headshot photographer, there is no pressure to dazzle us or to look amazing. They have the experience to coach you towards getting the most effective headshots.
I am always open to speaking with my clients beforehand as well to answer any questions. If you have any questions about what to wear or what my process is like, I’m happy to help. I also understand it may seem strange to go to a photographer that works with actors if you work in finance or are on the law track. For that reason, all of my packages are broken down to explain how they can be of use to both actors and non-actors.
Our headshot is one of our strongest tools on all sorts of life paths. As more and more of hiring and networking processes move onto online platforms such as LinkedIn, it is more important than ever to have that shining headshot that really showcases who you are.