Job seekers try as much as they can to make the best impression on their potential employers. Since their resumes create the first impression that potential employers have of them, they might include their photos to show who they are. However, is it worth it?
A resume is supposed to provide a summary of the person you are as a professional. It should include your experience, qualifications, and skills. This is what determines if you are fit for the job. Your appearance does not influence how suitable you are for the job.
However, it makes sense to include a photo with your resume when applying for some jobs. For instance, professionals like models and actors need a photo since their appearance is one of the qualities of their jobs. They, however, have to make their photos look great.
Making Your Photo Look Great
If you have to include your photo in your resume, you need to make sure that it looks great. This is part of creating a positive impression with the interviewing panel. The truth is that you can take amazing photos with your smartphone.
However, are these photos good enough to be added to your resume? Well, to stand out from your competitors, you can use a free Photo Editor to improve your photo and make it look better.
You do not need to be a graphic designer to use these editors. They are easy to use for everyone, even those without editing skills. In addition, they can be accessed online from any device, as long as you have an internet connection.
Before deciding whether you should include a photo with your resume or not, you need to understand the pros and cons of doing that.
Pros
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Improves First Impression
What do you understand by first impression? It can be defined as the initial perspective a person gets when they look at something or a person. Since your resume is a summary of yourself, you need to make sure that it impresses your potential employers.
You can do that by crafting the resume following modern and the best practices of writing a resume. You can also enhance your resume by including a professionally taken and edited photo of yourself. This way, you can connect your qualifications to a face.
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Helps Build Your Brand
A brand is very important to all professionals. However, if you are seeking modeling, acting, or performing jobs, your image says a lot about your brand. The truth is that you can have an amazing resume, but your appearance can make or break your chances of getting such a job.
You might be required to include a photo that shows the features that make you the best candidate for the job you are applying for. If you are an actor, you can use the same photo to help you build a brand in the acting world. The same applies in other professional fields.
Cons
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Screening Software Capabilities
Technology advancement has made the recruitment process easier compared to how it was a few years ago. Today, almost all industries are using screening software to evaluate resumes from job applicants.
Unfortunately, some of these software applications use bots that are not developed well. These bots might not be able to detect photos, something that can affect the entire screening of the resume. This might mean that your resume is not screened, and hence you are not considered for the job.
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Resume Space
If you were a hiring manager, would you be comfortable going through a long resume? For instance, a ten-page resume compared to a two or three-page resume. When preparing a resume, you need to understand that your resume size is important.
Including a photo with your resume means that you are eating into the space you have left for the rest of your resume content. You, therefore, need to make sure that you have used a format that allows you to add a photo without any problems.
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Encourages Bias
Did you know that including a photo with your resume might encourage bias? Well, bias refers to the tendency of a person to choose another person or something over others.
A potential employer might look at photos and choose or leave a person out depending on how they look. This is not always intentional. Some employers might have had negative experiences with some people, something they might use to discriminate against others.
A photo can make or break the chances of you getting a job. You, therefore, need to do some research before adding a photo to your resume.
