Does Your Personal Brand Matter?

A friend and former colleague of mine crossed my path the other day as he was recruiting people to check out a charity organization he is a part of called 100 Men Who Give a Damn. I checked it out and was very impressed. That encounter with my buddy, Mike, led me to learn that he is currently in the job market seeking his next opportunity.

Mike is a long-time technology executive who will be a tremendous asset wherever he ends up. However, as a senior executive, the market isn’t quite as hot as if he was earlier in his tech career. He has noticed that connections and opportunities are coming a bit more slowly than he thought might be the case.

As most people in industry have, Mike has a LinkedIn profile to which he refers people interested in his background and potential candidacy for an opportunity at a new company. This is the “entry point” for many into the world of Mike Grace. I checked out Mike’s profile and it covers his vast experience and the talent he will bring to the next organization. But as a portrait photographer I noticed something specific: Mike’s profile photo.

This photo has served Mike since the late 90’s as the literal face of Mike Grace to industry. It is his badge & directory photo from a previous company. That’s well and good, but it presented a very interesting connotation to me and, I suspect, to many people viewing his LinkedIn profile. That is, the image I saw Mike projecting was of a mid-level, tactical, skilled worker. I know from knowing Mike and working with him that he is targeting a higher level role than this picture presents as.

I reached back out to Mike and suggested we shoot a new head shot for his professional image, one that could better portray the type of role he sought. He came over to my home and we did the photo shoot. Here is the result compared to his previous profile picture. You be the judge…did we make an improvement?

Of course as the photographer for the “After” picture above, I’m a bit biased. I think it is a vast improvement, and the new photo is one of a future executive with the company he chooses. To me, the photo on the right is consistent with the kind of role he is seeking.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Of course anecdotally one can say it’s a higher quality image and a better fit for presentation. But interestingly, Mike immediately noticed something after posting the new image on LinkedIn. He had three people reach out to him to discuss potential roles at their company. Three. He also looked as his profile viewership in the days after he posted the new image and he saw a profile view increase of 148% week over week with the new profile photo.

Now, I know that these could be coincidental and I know that Mike’s success in landing his new role will not be because of his new profile photo. He will succeed based on his experience, qualifications, and fit for the role…no question. However, I do believe that a professionally presented profile can help open some doors that might otherwise overlook him. Mike shows up on LinkedIn now as a confident professional who has invested in his professional image and pays attention to detail. He is someone worth checking out.

What About You?

How do you present to the world on LinkedIn or other social media platforms? Is your selfie a bit tired and need updating? Is your profile picture consistent with the job you want in addition to the job you have? If not and it’s time for a refresh, drop me a note. I would love to help you polish up your professional brand to help you achieve your business goals.

Jeremy Davis
Jeremy Davis Photography