$1500 Headshots: Yes or No?

The Wall Street Journal just reported people are paying $1500 and more for LinkedIn headshots that include coaching on facial expressions! A booked-up photographer tells people to squint a little (the “squinch”), for example. The idea is to have employers linger longer on your profile, which is a good thing. Plus, LinkedIn finds bios with headshots get 21x more views.

Do I recommend paying $1500+ for headshots? No, that falls in the overkill category. See my recent post on the bare minimum for a LinkedIn profile versus overkill. I do recommend getting a good headshot, which can be *free* at professional networking events (how I got mine).

What constitutes a good headshot? You should look professional and approachable. The goal is to look like effective counsel and not the Department of No (how Legal is sometimes viewed), so slightly casual (no business suits) and outdoor settings work. The very few times any employer has commented on a candidate’s headshot to me is when the person looks cross and unapproachable, so avoid that, and you should be set.

And no headshot at all is a bad idea since it makes you look technologically unsavvy and less preferable to a candidate with a reasonable picture.