The biggest mistake you can commit is having no photo. Being anonymous in your online profiles is the single biggest blunder. We’re naturally suspicious of anonymity. We give scant credence to people who literally don’t show their face, making us feel less inclined to connect with them.
A homogeneous grey headshot will make people question whether you’re the right person or even whether you exist at all. People want to see the real you, not an anonymous silhouette (and using your company logo in place of a photo isn’t much better). You’re almost better off not having an online presence at all: the lack of a photo tells people you can’t be bothered to put the time into creating a credible image for yourself. You wouldn’t do this for a job interview, so why do it online?
And it’s not just about having any old photograph, but a professional one. Research suggests that the job hunter who is ‘suited and booted’ is statistically likelier to get a job offer than the person who poses with their spouse and kids on holiday.
Message to others: “I can’t be bothered to invest the time in creating a credible and professional image for myself.”
