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The Salary Tutor:

5 Overlooked Design Tips to Set You Apart & Get You a Job

How to Show Potential Employers You're More Than Just Words on a Page

4. Get a Professional Headshot

When's the last time you were asked to upload a photo of yourself to the web? Last month? Last week? Today? As the social web has exploded, the number of places that you show your true self has increased as well.

If you're looking for work, having a professional photo on your LinkedIn profile will give a good first impression to a hiring manager. As you progress in your career, you might be asked for a photo for your company's website, a conference badge, a story in your college alumni newsletter, or for a bio if you're speaking on a panel.

But the uses don't end in the corporate world. Here are just a few sites that ask for a photo: Facebook, Twitter, Meetup, Airbnb, Gmail, Skype, online dating sites, commenting systems, message boards, instant messaging, chat, and the 'About Me' section of your blog. Low on cash? At least find a photography-loving friend with a DSLR that can give you something better than your one-handed self-shot from your iPhone. But for a few hundred dollars, investing in a pro that knows proper lighting and composition is worth it.

 

  • Jim Hopkinson

    Jim Hopkinson is an author, writer, and speaker living in New York City. His focus is on career development for the new economy, showing how new media, technology and branding are changing how people look at their career and lifestyle. Read more...