I’ve been talking to quite a few people recently who have been using LinkedIn with great success. Whether getting in touch with people you used to work with, making new contacts, or finding people that work in a specific sector or company, LinkedIn is a treasure trove.
But does having a photograph on your profile make much of a difference? I was talking to someone recently who reckoned it made a massive difference. They had got back in touch with someone they had worked with more than ten years ago, and had a very useful chat about an industry that their past colleague had recently worked in.
Ten years is a long time – but the memories came flooding back for both of them through their photographs. It can be a little awkward asking a favour from someone you worked with a decade ago, but on this occasion there was no doubt that my friend was remembered. “Absolutely” said her old colleague “I saw your photograph!” That photograph – taken by yours truly –helped get the conversation going and oiled the wheels to rekindling the relationship.
LinkedIn isn’t the only professional networking site, but it is growing in popularity and influence. At the time of writing it has more than 39 million users, across 170 industries: pretty impressive statistics.
So if you are serious about online networking, put your best foot forward and make sure your profile makes the right impression. And that includes a photograph that projects the right image of you.
In case you are wondering – absolutely I’m on LinkedIn. Drop me a line and link in. Or better still – commission me to take a great shot of you and get those networking doors flying open.
