Sometimes we’re not aware that something needs an update until it becomes glaringly obvious or someone tells us that it’s time. When it comes to headshots, not only do many people not get a professional headshot until much later in life (when they’ve already climbed the corporate ladder), but also go for many years and even decades before updating their existing headshot.

In this post, we’ll take a look at some tell-tale signs that your headshot definitely needs an update so that you’ll know exactly when it’s time to do so.

1. Your headshot is more than 2 years old

Most of us do change over the years (even if it’s a lot slower than when we were younger) and if it’s been a while since your last headshot was taken, you probably look fairly different than you did then. And you might not realize that you do. Because we see ourselves every day, we aren’t aware of how much we change over the course of a year or two. Yes, we might start showing some signs of aging, but we also change our style, our preferences, how we wear our makeup, our hair (see the next point below), and even our facial bone structure can vary over the years. Going by how long it’s been since your last headshot is one of the simplest ways to know whether you need an update or not. Keeping your headshot fresh and updated will guarantee that you’re always presenting yourself most accurately online.

2. You completely changed your hairstyle

Especially for women, changing hair styles present a unique problem when it comes to having a professional headshot on LinkedIn. If your hair is a different color (lighter, darker, or even grayer), if your haircut is shorter, if you’ve let your hair grow out, or if it’s a different style altogether, you might want to consider having new photos taken that more closely represent your current look. Not only is it jarring for people to meet someone who no longer looks like their picture online, but it also makes it difficult for potential clients or employers to recognize you in real life.

3. You don’t like how you look in your current headshot

If your last headshot didn’t really turn out the way you wanted (a definite sign of this is if you’ve never actually used it online) and you don’t like the way you look, getting a NEW headshot is usually the best solution. Most employees end up with their headshot as a result of a company-wide headshot day. Typically these headshot days involve a quick churn through all the employees with little direction or review of the images (you can read about how I do these types of sessions differently here: https://www.nlalorphotography.com/blog/7-ways-i-do-office-headshots-differently), which is how most people end up with photos they don’t really like. It might be reason enough to go in a different direction and hire a professional photographer who provides a very different experience to guarantee that you like the result. And often we can match your company’s existing look for your headshot, too.

4. You want to switch jobs or are starting to look for new opportunities, or just got a new job

And if you do have a headshot from your current employer (whether you like it or not), it might not be ethical to use it if you’re starting to look around for a new professional opportunity. This also goes for people who are starting their own businesses (which often happens while still working a day job). Having a set of photos that can be used outside of your current work is 100% the way to go if you’re thinking of making a change and will make it a lot easier to find something new in the future. Likewise, if you just started a new job and want a headshot that is more in line with your current company’s look, that’s another definitive indicator that it’s time to schedule a headshot session.

5. You don’t have a professional headshot

If you’ve never had a professional photographer take your headshot, you definitely need to think about the benefits of doing so. It’s always obvious when someone is using a iPhone shot of themselves from a family photo as their headshot on LinkedIn… and it doesn’t give the best first impression. A headshot can either say “I invest in myself” and “I care about my career”, or it can imply that you don’t really care about looking professional online. Either way, your professional image should be exactly what you want it to be and not left up to chance of misinterpretation.

A lot of people actually aren’t aware that they can even get a professional headshot in Connecticut (no, you don’t have to travel to NYC!) and that the process is easy and not all that expensive either. When you think about it, an hour of your time and a few hundred dollars isn’t very much considering the impact a good headshot makes. Whether we like it or not, we are judged on how we present ourselves - this is, after all, why people spend so much money on clothing, haircuts, and skincare products - and if it’s in our power to control the first impression we make professionally, we should definitely take the time to do so.

If you’re interested in finding out about the “Signature Headshot” process, all the pricing information, and how the process is different from what everyone else is doing, click below to learn more about headshots.