Having a recent and recognizable profile photo on LinkedIn is essential. Why does it matter? Well, profiles with photos receive:
21x more profile views
9x more connection requests
36x more messages
However, not all photos are equal. Some people try to be a little too clever and artistic with their photos (e.g., using a cute cartoon avatar). Others use logos, a picture of their workplace, or some scenic shot.
But, most are just bad photos from the wrong angles, too far away, or too fuzzy. The worst offenders are those who never even bother to upload an image at all, so their name has a blank icon next to it.
Don’t make any of these mistakes with your profile photo:
Photo of someone else
Cartoon image
Business logo
Corporate building or office
Landscape picture
Side profile of your face
Your whole body
Wearing sunglasses
Low resolution
Bad lighting (too bright, too dark, shadows on your face)
Zoomed in too close
A selfie
Too far away
An old photo from years ago
Frowning or scowling
Including your pet or …