5 super important reasons you need a professional headshot

Are you Tom from MySpace? Then it’s time to stop using that same old profile pic.

by Jeanne Goshe | Jul 17, 2020 | Business

Have you ever googled yourself? Do you like what you see? Is there anything to see?

Whether you’re an artist, an entrepreneur, or… another thing that people are, a professional headshot is going to put your best face forward and show the world the real you. Or rather, the best-looking version of the real you.

And so I present you with 5 reasons you should upgrade your profile pic and get a professional headshot.

1. You can’t put a bathroom selfie on LinkedIn

OK, that is patently untrue. Last I checked, this is America and you absolutely can put a bathroom selfie on LinkedIn, but… it’s probably best if you don’t. (I’m of course making exceptions if you’re a professional bodybuilder or a shower curtaineer.)

You know the old saying: ”Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” This applies to profile pictures, too! If you want people to take you seriously, you need a serious picture. And if you don’t want people to take you seriously, I’m sure Daven can rustle up a rubber chicken or something. (I’m actually a vegetarian and entertain no chickens, rubber or not, in my home. -Daven)

2. Your profession requires it!

This is probably one of the most obvious reasons, but I’m a big fan of stating the obvious. We all know actors and models need headshots. But so do musicians, comedians, realtors, aestheticians, and a bunch of jobs I don’t even know about!

Whatever it is you do, you’re really in the business of selling yourself — and part of yourself is your face. Even if your profession doesn’t “require” it, per se, it’s always nice to be able to put a nice picture on your business’s website or your personal portfolio so that you can prove you are not a robot, even if you can’t correctly identify all the pictures containing traffic lights. (This is legitimately hard — do just the lights count, or is the entire pole considered part of the light? -D)

3. Your look has changed

Maybe you already have a headshot! But does it look like the person you see in the mirror when you’re taking your LinkedIn bathroom selfie? If the answer is no, it may be time for a new one. Got a new hairstyle? Grew a moustache? (Jeanne, writing in British doesn’t actually make you sound smarter. -D) Started working out? (Stopped working out?) Got glasses? Got Lasik? Redefined your gender identity?

All of these are very good reasons to get an updated picture that actually looks like YOU. And not the YOU of 2009. Because while that was only like 3 years ago, science says it was actually 11 years ago. (Those pesky scientists. -D)

4. Your employer is making you do it

Sometimes companies think it’s a good idea to put pictures of all their employees on their website. Good news! You must be very attractive.

Anyways, I highly encourage you to provide your own photo, even if they offer to take it for you. And if you’ve already got a super nice professional one, they’ll be like, “Wow, this person really is a self-starter.”

5. You’re trying to become a ‘hat person’

OK, so you bought a cool hat on vacation a couple years ago. And you really want to start wearing hats but you’re finding it hard to make the transition from normal person to hat person. I get it. It’s hard! But a beautiful headshot will help in your personal rebranding on your journey to becoming a hat guy. (I don’t think this is a thing. Is this a thing? -D)

So there you have it! If you still don’t think you need a headshot, more specifically a headshot from Daven Mathies, then it seems that you are beyond help and I wish you the best of luck, you silly, foolish person.

Jeanne Goshe is a writer, comedian, and host of her very own podcast, Raised Wrong. Her work has graced the binary pages of such esteemed news sources as the Huffington Post, Reductress, and probably some other ones. Daven naively entrusted her to contribute articles to his blog, even though he knows her.