In today’s world it seems anything goes… While we are all about going with the flow, we have to throw a hard “pass” on posting your photo on your resume.
“But why?,” you might ask, “I want to communicate that I am a polished professional who will represent the organization in the best possible way.” While we are all about a buttoned up presentation, placing your photo on your resume can send all the wrong messages.
Executive recruiting industry veteran, Theo Keyserling notes that “(while it varies country to country) in the US, UK and Ireland, if you are using a photograph to communicate that you are a professional, you are essentially voiding the words within your resume and having the opposite effect on potential employers. Your professional history and career accomplishments should speak to the kind of employee they will be getting should they choose to hire you. While it is industry standard to provide a photo on a CV, a resume is not a synonymous document.”
Posting a photo can also be a distraction. Not everyone is going to be in love with the way you look, as perfect as that photo may be to you. If you have a resume that would knock a hiring manager out of his/her chair but they can’t get past trying to decide if your eye looks crossed or if that’s just an optical illusion, the only place you’re going to find yourself is endlessly trolling the job boards, for what could be, the foreseeable future.
A photo could also be grounds for discrimination and bias, which is sadly not going anywhere. Again, this is where as much neutrality as possible is paramount; forcing the decision makers to evaluate your resume at face value (no pun intended).
If your plan was to use a photo on your resume to serve as a job application safety net, perhaps you should consider enlisting the help of a professional resume writing service. This is a sound investment that will ensure you are best represented based on your professional acumen and potential for success within an organization rather than the way you look in a touched up, well-lit professional photo. And if you’re really dying to share your mug shot with the world, rest assured most talent acquisition professionals are heading straight to LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram after they check out your resume anyway!