They say a picture tells a thousand words and so does the profile picture on your Job Mail CV!

The first thing a recruiter or potential employer will look at when they view your CV is your profile picture. You might have impressive skills and experience listed in your CV, but if your profile picture conveys a bad first impression of you, then they will probably not even bother looking at the rest.

Here are a few tips regarding your profile picture that will ensure yours portrays you as professional and a great candidate for any job…

1. Upload a picture. Having no picture conveys the message that you are either hiding something, or that you are perhaps lazy. Also make sure that you upload a recent picture of yourself.

2. Make sure your picture is upright. Rotate it to be viewed correctly when you upload it.

3. Take your picture against a suitable background. It should preferably be taken against a light, clear background, for example a white wall.

4. Only capture from the shoulders up. A full body picture is unnecessary, and doesn’t show your face properly.

5. Be mindful of what’s in your background. There should be no inappropriate items in the background of your picture, that could create a bad impression.

6. Make sure it’s only you in the picture. Don’t use a picture with your girlfriend, brother, etc.

7. Be dressed for success. Look neat and presentable, just as you would look for an interview.

8. Make sure your profile picture is of good quality. Avoid uploading blurry, unclear, old pictures.

9. Get the lighting right. The lighting in your picture should be flattering and display your entire facial profile clearly.

10. Be mindful of your body language. Smile, keep your shoulders straight and look approachable!

11. Remove obstructions. Make sure your face is completely visible and not obstructed by another body part, facial hair, a hat, sunglasses etc.

We hope these tips will be of use to you. Have you not yet uploaded a profile picture to your Job Mail CV or do you want to upload another, more appropriate one? Then log into your job seeker profile here to make your CV more powerful and increase your chances of finding your ideal job soon…