Are you representing yourself as a professional?

Chances are, your possible future employers or your current employer will do a search of your name online when considering you for a position. Have you googled yourself? What are the results? This is what represents you.

It is really important to remember that we live in a media saturated world, and we are used to the beautiful advertising imagery and flashy design all around us. People are just naturally attracted to the striking, well-exposed and interesting.

So, say there are a hundred applicants for the job position you are applying for. It is narrowed down to the top ten by resume, and you get an interview. Out of those ten, HR is considering three, yourself included. Now, to help figure out who to hire, HR does a google search on your name and finds your Facebook page. You’ve put the time and effort in to get a professional photo done, so not only do you look great, you also give off the impression that you are a professional, you go the extra mile and you think ahead. You are now higher on the hiring list than beer-drinking guy and standing-in-front-of-a-fountain- in-Europe girl.

This doesn’t mean that you have to have a boring, stuffy business photo. Most companies like to know that their employees have a life beyond work because they like balanced individuals. You can have fun with it! Just stay professional. It is worth the money to have a skilled photographer take your photo because it is our job to make YOU look good. And that’s kind of the whole point.

Article by Heather Schellenberg
www.heatherschellenberg.com

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