A Picture of You


I find it amazing that people want to connect with other individuals on the internet though business platforms such as Linkedin and not provide a picture of themselves.


You provide all this information about you on your profile, why would you not include a picture?

This has nothing to do about you liking your appearance - or having a recent photo. You could use an old photo even. I have nothing more recent, so I use this one that is 3 years old (but I pretty much look the same).

A photo is more important than listing all the jobs you had. It's more important than your birthday showing, and it's more important than the clubs you have joined. I see all these things filled out on many profiles, sans the picture.

I personally will not interact with someone until they have a picture of themselves on their profile. When people like this contact me, I am courteous, and request they get one up and get back in touch with me when they do, or I ask them to email me one privately, as some are concerned about identity theft (btw, there is a way to ecrypt your photo).  I also bypass anyone who doesn't have a picture when I am looking through profiles. That becomes your loss because I could be the one person that helps you instantly. I do not trust you because I can't see you.

The internet is filled with frauds and fakes. Your frauds and fakes usually don't put pictures up. Even if you are absolutely nothing about that - just remove yourself from that group instantly by getting a photo of you on your profile.

I find the the same thing with these Ning platforms. People put a picture of something else up - a pretty scene or something. We are all too busy to deal with people who aren't serious enough about connecting with another individual globally by letting the other person see who they are.

I have bypassed my rule when someone has their company logo up on a Ning platform - if when I read something in their profile that lends that trust or credibility almost just as instantly (they are the owner of the company and have been in business xx amount of years, or are former military - things that show chances of them being a fraud are slim to none). But I am usually only lenient on Ning. For Linkedin - because of that platform's rules/regs and standards, and it is strictly for business - I'd say it is essential.

A picture of yourself establishes almost instant credibility. It sends the message to the viewer that you are proud of who you are, and offers that instant 'meet and greet' that is missing without the picture. There is a lot to be said about you when someone can see your eyes (so that means a picture with no sunglasses if you can really pick and choose).

I laugh when people don't have one up. I ask them if they would walk into a company to hand their resume to a secretary or manager with a paper bag over their head. Or if they would meet up with a potential JV partner to fund their project/business idea at a restaurant with a paper bag over their head.

Not having a picture of yourself up on the internet when you are promoting yourself on any business networking platform is the same thing.

We sometimes forget the etiquette of personal interaction and acting in a more natural way when we are behind a computer and interacting through technology. I am constantly saying that advanced technology for how we communicate is fabulous, as long as you keep in mind the personal touch, and you always pretend that you are in front of the person when you are presenting yourself to others through the internet.

A picture really says a lot. It allows the viewer to get a sense about who you are. That takes away a lot of doubt and establishes a quicker trust to a certain level. It puts the two of you almost in a room together. When that happens, bigger things result from it. I am presuming you have a reason for having a profile up on linkedin or any other business platform....correct?

The importance of your picture being associated with your profile is unquestionable.  It has now become a requirement from certain business platforms as a way to eliminate the frauds. And in todays world, because our technology allows access for it, it becomes the understood requirement as well.

So just put one up. You will be surprised how much this will increase the inquiries you get, or improve the leads that come to you, or whatever your reason is for having a profile up to begin with.

It might not happen all at once, and sometimes things like this are not measurable (although, I could run a poll) but as I say with anything I suggest: this makes you no worse off, it can only do you good.