What HR Experts are Saying About Photo on Resume in 2018

What HR Experts are Saying About Photo on Resume in 2018What HR Experts are Saying About Photo on Resume in 2018When it comes to resumes, theres probably no greater dispute than whether to include a photo on the resume or elend.Some say, if its a professional photo which goes well with the resume itself then sure, why leidlage.Whats more, most recruiters will google youanyway and check your social media profiles. Which means theyll binnensee what you look like eventually.It also depends on a country.In many parts of the world, everybodys expected to include a photo on their resume.In others, hiring managers would say its unacceptable. They rightly think it only increases the possibility of discrimination and unconscious bias against the applicant.Lets take a look at some of the most frequent arguments regarding photos on resumes.1. Argument Hiring managers will google you anyway so theyll eventually see what you look like. Most recruiters today google every job candidate and check th eir social media profiles. This presents you with two kinds of approaches.First, you might as well add the photo to your resume because thell google you anyway.Either that, or you can opt NOT to include your photo on the resume. The same reason- theyll google you anyway. Your resume should be, after all, about your skills, education, experience and not about looks. Strictly speaking, your appearance is not relevant for the job position, unless youre applying for a modelling or acting job.2. Argument It steers the recruiters attention away from the important stuff. Hiring managers only spend 6 seconds on each resume. You only have a very limited amount of time to sell your skills and competences. Examining your photo, no matter how good-looking you are, might take their attention away from the important details about your work experience, skills and knowledge.Use that precious time better than giving the hiring manager a chance to concentrate on your photo.Or would you like to get hi red mostly for your good looks?3. Argument Photo on resume might cause discrimination.The majority of HR experts agree that a photo on resume can lead to discrimination, bias and favoritism.Its not always the recruiters fault, they might discriminate unconsciously.Humans are visual beings and we instinctively make judgments about people based on their looks. We oftenmakejudgments subconsciously, without a clear intention to do so.But in the job market, where people should stand out based on their accomplishments and abilities alone, why allow for a chance of being judged based on ones race or looks?Apart from ones appearance, name, age, gender or even home address could also trigger subconscious biases. In some countries, HR departments will discard all resumes with photos in order to avoid any possible accusations of discrimination or bias.On the other side, in some other countries, having a photo on the resume is a must. In the end, do whatever is customary in your local job marke t.READShould You Write Your Resume in 1st or 3rd Person?4. Argument Ones looks are not relevant to the job position. Okay, you might be hot. Why notgain some extra points by showing off your picture then? Despite of what weve just said about unconscious biases, you should consider one more thingDoes your appearance bring any value to the job youre applying for?You have to consider for what job positions it is relevant and for which not. There are plenty of positions where looks matter, such as customer service jobs, modeling or acting jobs, brand ambassador/representative jobs, etc. Its up to every applicant to evaluate where its suitable and where not. When theres no legitimate reason why looking hot might be an asset to the job, we advise you not to include it.5. Argument Photo on resume might potentially work against you. If you decide to include a photo on your resume,make sure its one that does you justice.It should be a professional, passport-style headshot. Also, photos on re sumes can confuse the ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) that some companies use to filter resumes. This software automatically scans and pans your resume for keywords and a photo could potentially hinder this process. This might cause your resume not to be accepted. You dont want that. Be aware of this when applying for a job in large corporations- they get hundreds of resumes daily and employ the ATS in order to speed up the process of hiring new people.Also, you should keep in mind that in some countries its normal to add photos to resumes while in others its unacceptable. In continental Europe, for instance, its a common practice to put photos on CVs, but in other parts of the world such as Australia, India or the UK, the same practice is seen as highly inappropriate. So, even with the best of intentions, a photo can eventually work against you.Our conclusionAll in all, experts agree its better NOT to include a photounless its a position that in any way requires you to look good o r unless youre applying for a job in a country where it is specifically advised to do so. If you want to include it, then just do it. But the global job market is inclined to a non-discrimination policy so the habit of including photos on resumes is slowly becoming outdated.Most importantly, your knowledge, skills and competence are there to speak for you, not your looks. The most reputable and professional recruiters know this and will consider you only on the basis of your skills and value you could bring to the company.In a nutshell, we think including aphoto on resume is useless because 1. The hiring managers will google you anyway.2. The purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. Get noticed for your skills and qualities, not looks.There are all sorts of designs in Online Resume Builder, with or without a photograph. You can choose one that suits your position and country the best. Perfect resume and cover letter are just a click away.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments