Your Professional Headshot Has an Expiration Date

A Current Professional Headshot Is A Must

Many times our professional headshot is the first impression people have of you.  It is your introduction, your virtual handshake, if you will.  But in a way, your professional Headshot has an Expiration Date.  Has your Headshot kept up with you—or is it past it’s Best Used By Date?

Before prospects ever meet you in person, they may see your photo on LinkedIn, your company website, a speaker bio, a conference program, a social media profile, or even in an email signature. That little image can communicate a surprising amount about who you are.  It will also signal whether your professional presence feels current.

But what happens when the photograph no longer looks like you?

Your Headshot Should Look Like You Now

The Number One reason to keep your headshot current is simple: people should be able to recognize you when they meet you.

Our physical appearance naturally evolves over time. Hair styles and color change. Glasses may come and go. Facial hair changes. And, of course, we simply look a little different as we age.  That is totally normal and ok.

You may love your Headshot from five or six years ago.  But if someone meets you in person today and must look twice to recognize you, it’s time for an update.

Your headshot of course doesn’t need to capture every tiny change.  It should, however, be a genuine representation of the person showing up today.

Professional Images Evolve Over Time

It’s not just your physical appearance that changes.

Your career, role, expertise, and personal brand are all evolving over time as well.

Have you been promoted or moved into a leadership position?  Have you started a business, changed industries, or developed a new area of expertise?  Do you have a completely different level of confidence than you did several years ago?

Your headshot should accurately reflect that evolution.

A photograph created early in your career might have been appropriate when you were establishing yourself. Today, you may want an image that communicates leadership, experience, approachability, creativity, or authority.

Your Headshot Should Support Your Image

Your headshot should support the professional you are today—not the professional you were five years ago.

An Outdated Headshot Can Undermine Your Credibility

We live in a world where people routinely research one another before making actual contact and doing business.

A prospective client may do some background reconnaissance before scheduling a meeting. A potential employer will most likely visit your LinkedIn profile. Someone who is considering inviting you to speak at an event may need a photograph to use in promotional materials.

If you want to appear polished and current but your photograph is noticeably outdated, it can create an unintended disconnect.

Keeping your headshot current lets people know you take yourself seriously and demonstrates that you pay attention to how you present yourself professionally.  It also shows attention to detail.  And that attention to detail matters when building trust.

Consistency Builds Recognition

If you use updated headshot images across your professional platforms, people begin to recognize you.

That consistency is particularly vital if you’re building a personal brand.

Recognition builds familiarity, and familiarity helps build trust.

Your headshot is an important component in building trust.  Think for a moment about the people you recognize immediately on LinkedIn. Often, it’s not because you’ve met them in person many times. It’s because you’ve seen the same face/photo repeatedly in your feed, on their website, in an article, or in some other way attached to their name. Therefore, you should be using the best and most current images you can.

New Headshots Are Not Mandatory Every Year

Updating your headshot doesn’t necessarily mean scheduling a professional session every twelve months.  Although some people might like that or benefit from it.

For many professionals, every two to three years is a reasonable starting point. But there are more important reasons to update than simply putting a reminder in the calendar.

Consider a new headshot when:

• Your appearance has changed significantly.
• Your current photograph is several years old.
• Your professional role or industry has changed.
• Your existing headshot no longer reflects your personality or brand.
• You have moved into a leadership position.
• You are launching a new business or service.
• You’re preparing for a major career milestone.
• You look at your photograph and think, “That really doesn’t look like me anymore.”

That last one may be the best test of all.

Your Headshot Is Part of Your Story

A great professional headshot isn’t “just” a nice photograph of your face.  It is a visual introduction to an audience.

Your Headshot should give people a sense of who you are and how you want to be perceived. It should feel professional without being stiff or unnatural. It should be polished without looking overly manufactured. Most importantly, it should feel genuine to you.

As your story changes and evolves, your photograph should keep up.  Therefore, try not to use a Headshot that is past it’s Expiration Date.

So, When Was the Last Time You Updated Your Headshot?

Objectively look at the photograph you’re currently using.  Or better yet, have someone you trust to be honest look at it.

Does it look like you today?

Does it represent where you are in your career today?

And, perhaps most importantly, does it make you feel confident about the first impression you’re making?

If the answer to any of those questions is no, it may be time to step in front of the camera again.

You deserve a professional image that can keep up with you.

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If you are ready to get an updated Headshot, let’s talk!  Call the Studio directly at (518) 584-4237 or use our Contact Form today.