First impressions matter. And your resume is among the most important first-impression documents about yourself you’ll ever create. So, It’s critical that you nail it.
A well written, well formatted, and properly constructed resume can mean the difference between landing a job interview and being instantly overlooked...
And it may not matter how qualified for the job you are, or if you’re the world’s greatest job candidate… if your resume isn’t up to snuff, chances are you won’t get a second look.
You see, since many hiring managers may see dozens or more resumes submitted to them every day, some will only spend maybe a few seconds reviewing them. They simply don’t have the time to dig into a resume that’s not attention grabbing right off the bat.
This means your resume must stand out to be noticed. So, this begs the question…
Should you include a photo on your resume?
Well, that’s a great question.
Research from UC San Diego showed “that a single picture has the power to sway people, changing how they behave, while a single word does not.”[1]
Or, as we’ve been told a million times before… a picture is worth a thousand words.
Did you know that it only takes about 13 milliseconds for our brains to process and interpret an image?
This means a picture can tell a big, thousand-word story really quickly.
So, you should probably include a photo on your resume, right?
Well, FindYourJobNow.com has done the research, and the answer to this question may surprise you, despite what the “science” says.
Before we reveal the big surprise, you should know that FindYourJobNow.com has made finding jobs, thousands of different ones, pretty simple.
Here’s what you do: Just go to FindYourJobNow.com’s homepage and use the search bars to find almost any kind of job you’re looking for, in any area of the US.
Chances are you could find a job that’s a good fit for you.
Now, back to the question, should you put a headshot on your resume?
Well, unless you’re applying for an acting or modeling job, most employers don’t care what you look like, as the “role” you’re applying for is all about your skillset.
See, for hiring managers, a picture is not worth a thousand words…
But a concise, well written resume is.
How concise? Well, it’s been shown, over and over again, that your resume should be only 1 page long. Adding a headshot would take up too much valuable real estate.
And perhaps more importantly…
Companies in the US must adhere to strict anti-discrimination laws. Hiring managers may need to prove (in case of a lawsuit) that they do not hire based on any physical attributes like race, gender, or age.
To avoid these kinds of lawsuits, most employers prefer no images be used on resumes.
Now, if you’re dead set on showing a potential employer what you look like, feel free to have a profile pic on you LinkedIn (if you use LinkedIn). If you’ve submitted your resume to an employer, and they’re checking out your LinkedIn…
That’s a good sign they’re interested. But keep the headshot off of your actual resume and be sure the one you use on LinkedIn if very professional.
Now that you know why you probably shouldn’t use your headshot on your resume, head over to FindYourJobNow.com and find that job you’ve been looking for.
It’s easy.
Good luck!