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3 Key reasons why you NEED to update your headshot!
Headshots have always been the gateway into the working industry. The last couple of years has been tough! But you have stood the test of time, and are now ready to take on the challenge of finding a new, exciting and adventurous career. Or at the very least, you’re wanting to let others know what the new You looks like, with a post-isolation headshot.
If you are reading this, you are probably wondering if you need an updated headshot. Well, here are 3 reasons as to why you need to find a headshot photographer to get on that boat right away!
1. You are on the hunt for a new job
A great headshot is always a fantastic tool to open doors for you. Finding a new gig can be hard enough; with the struggles of updating your resume, and the stress of preparing for interviews. In both of these tasks, what you are trying to do is build an image of yourself as a confident and professional individual that will excel in your work. If this is in fact your goal, then you better get those headshots done right away!
What they say about first impressions is so true. In the hiring process, it is very important that you plant your confident, perfectly capable image into your future employer’s mind. You want to do this as early as possible, to give yourself a leg up during the interview process. You know you’re the best candidate for the job, so let’s show them you are with a top-notch headshot.
In current times, most employers are eager to do a search online of the potential candidates they interview. When they do this, a confident and bold headshot of yourself will hopefully be the first thing that your future employer will see of you. There is no better way to illustrate this idea of confidence and professionalism to an employer than with a professional headshot. Once this is established, your interview will go much smoother, because providing an updated headshot of yourself not only boosts your professional profile but also makes you more personable to the employer. This will make you more respectable, and more employable than the candidate who still has their high school graduation photo as their social media and LinkedIn profile photos.
So, get yourself ahead of the game and find a headshot photographer in your area with the skills and talents to make you the champion every employer is looking for!
2. You are switching Industries
Being relatable to your client/audience is always a key factor to success in any industry. If you currently work in accounting or finance, or any corporate line of business for that matter, having a headshot with a classic plain black or white background might make sense (B&W backgrounds put a higher focus on the individual). However, if you are planning on switching over to a field such as human resources, non-profit organizations, or the service-based sector, then the whole white or black background might not be as effective. A more impressive option for your headshot could be a high-quality image taken in a lush, green environment, such as a park – or even a shot taken in front of a city skyline. I say ‘high quality,’ because you will see many people try to pass off amateur photos taken on a cell phone as their cover images on business websites and career platforms like LinkedIn. The opposite is also true – If you were to be going from a people-oriented sector to a corporate environment, a change in your background will make a world of a difference.
It is important that you chat with your headshot photographer to see what options you have for backdrops. The subliminal signals that such a simple difference between a lively background and a classic background can be overwhelming. A lively background signifies to clients that you are an approachable and down-to-earth person that has the client’s best interest at heart. On the other hand, the simple, yet classic background is meant to instill a sense of confidence and competence in the onlooker that is so sought after in the corporate sector – it is geared (more so) towards impressing your employers and fellow colleagues. A classic black or white background conveys the message that you are experienced in the industry, that you are someone who knows the ins and outs of the business and that you are a confident individual that anyone can rely on.
Switching industries can be an exciting time! Set yourself up for success by getting your recruitment foundations in order – one of those foundation blocks being an updated headshot. So, chat with your headshot photographer and see what your options are. They are probably more than willing to work with you to get you the best result possible!
3. You are starting your own business
During the past couple of years, many people have come to realize that job security is not always a given. I have taken headshots for so many people in the past few months that were sick and tired of being in and out of work, depending on market fluctuations. So they have decided that it is about time to focus their efforts on creating something that they will have more control over.
Starting a business has its own challenges, like creating a brand surrounding You, or your ideas. An important part of this is having a face to the company. This is precisely why you should consider working with a professional headshot photographer so that your branding will come to life.
This is even more important if you have employees that are also a key part of your company’s communications and in acquiring business. When people are researching your business, the purpose is most likely to gain trust in your company and to learn more details about it. An excellent way to build that trust is for you to display the faces of your employees that may be in contact with your clients via email or phone.
Most often, you can find great deals on group sessions with your local headshot photographers. Therefore, you should try your best not to overlook professional headshots when you begin your exciting and adventure-filled journey in building your business.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the reasons you should consider getting your headshots done, but these are some of the VITAL reasons why one should consider an upgrade in personal or business branding in our current economy.
Here at Nkoz photography, my goal is to think on a deeper level when capturing portraits. There is a reason why the practice of capturing individuals’ portraits has gone back many centuries and is still here today. Capturing one’s portrait is not a simple snap of a shutter, it involves telling the story of the character depicted in the image, and I want to ensure that story is exactly what you want it to be.