Get the Picture?

Mar 20, 2009

When preparing your CV for your next opportunity should you put your photo on the CV for your prospective employer?

 

There are two schools of thought on this. Some CV writing “experts” say this is an essential part of the process and it will give you an edge on other candidates as it will provide an insight into your personality and whether you will be a good fit for the company culture. In continental Europe, for example, it is a more common inclusion, and is often seen as a mark of confidence and professionalism.

The other school of thought is that including a photo puts you at the mercy of preconceived notions, or even of discrimination, that may jeopardise your chances of getting an interview. Even excluding any outright prejudice based on race, age, weight or any other factor, it is certain that anyone viewing your photo will project some kind of personality traits onto it; and these might not be positive.

Instead, it might be better if the first time your prospective employer sees your face they also see your personality – this can ensure that the conclusions they come to are far more accurate.

In short, we do believe that a picture can speak a thousand words when it comes to clients choosing candidates to interview. The problem is, it’s hard to know what those words will be, so you should proceed with caution.