Rutgers Career Services weighs in on importance of professional headshots

As students start to buckle down on perfecting their resumes, portfolios and LinkedIn profiles, the consideration of getting professional headshots taken comes to most minds.

Students can certainly follow the route of having professional headshots taken, but it is not absolutely necessary, said Melissa Blake, assistant director for Public Relations and Marketing at University Career Services.

“The most important factors for having a professional picture on LinkedIn aren’t really involved with having to pay somebody,” Blake said.

There are alternatives to pricey headshots. The best criteria for the photos they attach to their application materials should have a student looking their best and having a clear picture, Blake said.

“And those students could potentially achieve this in a variety of ways," she said. "They could have somebody they know, like a family member or friend take the picture."

Students could reach out and work with student photographers on campus who are looking to build their portfolios and would be potentially interested for a minimal cost, if not free, Blake said.

“But really, that’s not even necessary. The main thing you need to focus on are good lighting and clear background,” Blake said. “You don’t want a picture in your dorm room with a bunch of junk around.”

The rule of thumb for photos on LinkedIn would be that if you would not show your mother or grandmother, then you should not have that available for an employer too see, Blake said.

“It’s not saying that you can’t have your own personal flavor in terms of your authentic self, but you should be conscious of having an appropriate platform or message out there about yourself,” Blake said. “If you’re not going to, then just make sure that your privacy settings are set so that no one is going to be able to view that kind of content from you.”

There are several services offered at Rutgers that are designed to aid students in the process of developing a professional presence on social media, said Tamara Peters, career development specialist at University Career Services.

University Career Services offered a "LinkedIn 101" program in the past and there is a good chance that it is going to be offered again in the spring, Peters said.

“It’s a program where students can come and learn the ins and outs of LinkedIn, some of the basic stuff, some of the 'do’s and don’ts' and tips that really make a profile stand out,” she said.

In the fall, Career Services offered a LinkedIn photo booth at the Fall Career and Internship Mega Fair, and there is a chance that the service will be offered again in the spring, Blake said.

“So students can definitely check (the website) in early January to see if we will be offering this service at the Mega Fair,” she said.

The Spring Career and Internship Mega Fair will most likely take place in early February, Blake said.

“We’ve had about 700 students sit for pictures at the Mega Fair and it is something that we’re interested in doing for the spring so people can come in,” Blake said.

Before students start their internship searches, Peters suggests developing their profiles and resumes, which includes anything from gaining experience to making sure your headshots and social media presence are appropriate and professional.

As long as a job-seeker's resume is professional and continuously being built upon, everything does not need to be filled out. This is a process, and having a professional presence is good, Peters said.

“I find that because we are living in such a virtual world, that it never hurts to have a professional presence, and the more information you can give about yourself that puts an employer at ease about knowing you, your character and kind of your personal branding, the better,” Blake said.

The best way for a student to have a professional presence, regardless of academic or career experience, is to have a clear and consistent presence across your social media, Blake said.

“Nothing to embarrass you, just what would be appropriate. So really when you’re looking for a job or internship, if it’s searchable by Google, if somebody can bring it up, then you want to make sure that across your social media platforms — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn — that it’s appropriate and consistent,” she said.