Working in the photography industry for the last 5 years, I’ve had the unique pleasure of watching clients go from one level of success to another and received insight on what measures they all have used to grow their career opportunities. Our clientele being predominantly business professionals. I’ve had the opportunity to learn a few tips as well as pick the brains of a few of my clients who are in hiring or recruiting positions. Over the past few years, I’ve come to learn that one of the most powerful social media platforms that can directly affect your career trajectory in the business professional market is Linkedin. Wanting to learn more, I reached out to Maz Artang, Principal at Aughdem Recruitment - a hospitality focused recruitment agency that partners with Canada’s most dynamic organizations, to discuss how to leverage your Linkedin profile to attract the right career opportunities. I asked Maz the following questions about the corrolation of LinkedIn profiles and the recruitment industry.

What do recruiters typically look for?

The Rule of 1% - One of the most vital concepts to start with when it comes to putting your best professional foot forward is to keep in mind the Rule of 1%. What are you doing to set yourself apart from your competition? What are you doing to fit in to that 1% that stands out?

“Keeping in mind the Rule of 1%, the headshot that you have on your Linkedin page, for instance, is incredibly important.”

The Power of First Impression

The average recruiter typically spends only 6-11 seconds looking at a resume.
In this social media day and age, capturing the attention of someone online let alone keeping it, is one of the biggest challenges we face when it comes to getting a Linkedin profile noticed. First thing to ask yourself when updating your Linkedin profile is “what kind of first impression do I want to make?” Consider what you would be looking for in a applicant if you were to be in the position of hiring someone yourself.

Example: Who would you take more seriously?

A cropped photo from attending a wedding taken in 2012
A poorly lit bathroom selfie
A recent high quality professional photo

Investing in something as simple as a professional business portrait can certainly make that difference in elevating the professional quality of your profile’s tone.

HOT TIP: Think Tinder, but in a professional realm: is the photo good or bad? Does it represent the quality and value you have to offer as a professional, or is it lessening the value of what you have to offer?

What are some things you take notice of when looking at headshots?

When planning how to best prepare yourself for your headshot, Maz from Aughdem Recruitment shares his best recommendations in the video above.

When it comes to preparing for your headshot session, the general rule of thumb that applies to both genders is to stay away from bold patterned colors as it can end up taking attention away from your face. You want your face to be the focus, not your clothing.

“It never hurts to smile! You want to stand out. You want to look happy, so people will want to work with you.” - Maz

Is it worth the investment to hire a professional photographer?

A lot of people are intimidated by the process of considering and hiring a photographer, let alone getting headshots taken. A popular misconception is that the process is complicated and takes hours, although it’s actually quite simple. It’s as easy as going to a photographers website and setting up a time that works for everyone. Depending on the photographer, most in studio headshot appointments can take as little as 30 mins to 1.5 hours depending on how many wardrobe or background changes are necessary. Another convenient option is booking a corporate session for you and your team, where the photographer comes into your office with all the equipment necessary and can capture high quality headshots anywhere from 15 mins per person for large groups. This elevates the overall business's online representation by providing your entire team a set of uniform, clean and high quality edited photos.

Maz provided us with some great insight on what to consider when updating your LinkedIn profile. After our interview I had to take a few quick, fun and random shots (not necessarily for LinkedIn) of Maz himself.

Remember... "It's not 'just' a headshots, It's the way you represent your brand."

To book your complimentary headshot consultation with me, click here!

Natalia Anja