The Social Face of Finance – What financial professionals should consider about Linkedin

The Social Face of Finance

Nick Pinder by John Cassidy The Headshot Guy London

What financial professionals should consider about Linkedin

In the corporate world of finance, where does social media fit in? The ideology behind ‘social’ and ‘financial’ juxtaposes each other to the point they could almost be considered an oxymoron. Nevertheless, in this age of social media, there is no industry that is not affected by and has not benefited from platforms such as Linkedin. Therefore, a financial professional’s online profile is key; and whilst the synopsis of their experience or company’s services are important, so is their business profile picture. Here are 4 ways to ensure you get the suitable yet engaging LinkedIn picture you require.

Get A Professional Headshot

Time is a regular reason as to why professionals in the industry may not have a Linkedin picture. However, a Linkedin profile with a profile picture is 14 times more likely to be viewed, versus the greyed out silhouetted profiles. There’s nothing particularly personable or social in a faceless profile, which counteracts the whole idea of a social platform.

That said, you don’t want to accidentally relegate your LinkedIn profile to Facebook territory. Needless to say, selfies, pictures of lads’ nights out or girlfriends in diamante heels and sassy cocktail dresses may be over socialising it somewhat.

This ties nicely in with the next point:

Clothing

Dressing appropriately for your industry is a must. As a professional in the financial industry, suits, ties, smart suit dresses and skirts are a given. While it may be tempting to indulge in showing off a particularly snazzy shirt, a seductive dress, or to showcase dazzling jewellery and/or Rolexes, this is possibly more appropriate for a night out at The Forge. A professional picture should be smart and presentable.

Recent Photo

Having a client, customer or potential employer look you up on Linkedin, only to discover upon meeting you that you are in fact 15 years older than your profile picture suggests, is probably not the first impression you’d like to create. An updated picture is necessary, appreciated and additionally rules out a potentially awkward scenario.

Mood

The mood you convey in your headshot depends on your intended audience. If you are aiming it at future customers then would a serious, verging on intimidating expression welcome them? If your goal is to gain credibility amongst potential clients then would a gleeful, wide toothed and absent minded grin convey the message you wish to communicate? A gentle smile, or neutral yet warm look will often be just right.

Follow these 4 pointers and you’ll be sure to get the professional and friendly headshot needed for your online presence.

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