Tips for the photo to be included in the Curriculum Vitae
What should a photo for the resume look like? The answer is very simple: must be a professional photo! The photo will have the job of making a good first impression on whoever looks at your resume and, as they say, there are no second chances if you don’t make a good first impression! Choosing a photo that represents us and that makes us look professional is therefore very important in order not to be discarded at first glance.
Surely you are wondering: but the photo is mandatory? Obviously not!
However, it has been shown several times that CVs with photos are more successful than those without them, so don’t hesitate! After all, it’s your face and you have nothing to hide, right?
If you have decided to put your photo in your resume, there are a whole series of rules to follow to be certain to avoid making mistakes and to be able to make a good first impression.
Curriculum Vitae with photos: do’s and don’ts
When it comes time to insert a photo in yours European curriculum, it is useless to go into crisis and think that you do not have any adequate photo !
If you search among your facebook profile photos then you have every reason to think so: you will not find nothing adequate!
Let’s see a list of photo types that you absolutely must avoid like the plague if you want to be taken seriously!
Dont’s: selfies
Selfies: avoid them! No, no and still no, even if it is the most creative and digital work in the world. Why are selfies not good for the resume?
First of all, they are not professional at all. You’re no longer a 13-year-old, and if you own a selfie stick, hopefully you’ll only use it on your vacation.
In the photo you will use for your curriculum vitae no selfie stick should appear , but that’s not the only point! If you decide to take the picture yourself (although we will see later that it is not recommended) you should not opt for a selfie, as the angle is not adequate and, in the professional field, you absolutely do not want to appear winking / cute / cuddly / beautiful, true?
No, in fact, the purpose is to show themselves as serious people , professional, also able to arouse sympathy of course and good looks, where with a good presence you do not intend to be beautiful, but looking neat.
Do’s: the self-portrait
A nice old-fashioned self-portrait is definitely the preferred alternative to selfies. If you don’t want to get help from a professional photographer and you prefer to do it yourself, you can take a picture that can enhance you and without strange angles or distortions due to the angle using the self-timer and posing the camera in front to you.
If you don’t have a camera and you have a good cell phone, you can still take a good quality photo, especially if you are able to use simple programs to edit photos in post production , but often just adjusting the exposure and white balance is enough.
Don’ts: clothing too casual
Many use as photos for the curriculum vitae with photo in formal dress taken during a wedding or other holiday. Even if in some cases you get away with it and get hired anyway, it would not be done. Often, in small or medium-sized companies, there is no real human resources manager to check the curricula, and in this case it could be fine.
But if you apply for a larger company, where there is an HR department, then the story changes, and your resume with photo in a teal evening dress and a ceremonial hairdo it could be discarded without further compliments.
Obviously, even a too casual look is to be absolutely avoided: categorical no to tracksuits (except if you are applying to work in a gym) or too skimpy clothing.
Do’s: professional attire
For your photo, we recommend that you dress elegantly. Shirt and jacket for men, a shirt or blouse for women or alternatively the classic little black dress. Your outfit can range from the classic office look to a slightly more casual chic style , but in any case, you need to look professional in your photo.
However, try not to exaggerate and not appear too serious or plastered: you must appear professional but nice, in short, colleagues with whom you can have pleasure working.
For the female audience: also pay attention to make-up and hairstyle. Unless you are applying for a position in as a beautician or make-up artist, in the photo of your CV templates you should not see too strong makeup, such as too bright lipstick, but, on the contrary, you should prefer a very strong makeup. soft.
The hair also plays its part and should be well combed and quite natural. No to elaborate hairstyles but yes to a crop that leaves room for the face.
Tips for the photo in the curriculum vitae
We recommend that you contact a professional photographer to make your photo, you can also contact a photography studio and request a photo for your professional resume, in a format similar to passport photos or photos that are used for important documents. Whether you decide to rely on the expert shooting of a photographer, or if you have opted for a self-portrait, we give you some general tips for a successful shot.
- Smile! A spontaneous and non-artificial smile is the best expression to assume to favor the success of your photo.
- Posture: choose a sitting or standing posture, the important thing is that you are well erect and not with the dangling shoulders. You don’t have to give the idea of being lazy or listless. Usually the photo is taken in the foreground, the full figure may only be required for some positions, for example that of a stewardess / steward.
- The background: choose a sober background, even better a neutral background or white.
- Light: pay attention to the light, it must be homogeneous and not create shadow points directly on our face.
