The saying “Never judge a book by its cover” isn’t entirely plausible in the real world. The reality is that we are all judged, or perceived by the way we look. Particularly when it comes to professional situations—job interviews, networking, making connections—we have a short amount of time to make a good first impression.

As such it’s incredibly important to appear professional, both in-person and online. And while most career-driven women understand the importance of business professional attire in-person, far too many fail to exude that same professionalism online—the very first place (or next place) most professional contacts will see you!

Instead of using a selfie-stick and cellphone to take your next LinkedIn photo, consider a professional headshot instead. Here’s just five reasons why:

#1 Look the part:

If you want to be treated like a professional, you must look like a professional.

#2 Take yourself seriously

Making a small financial investment in a professional photo shows that you take yourself and your career seriously. And there’s few things more appealing to a professional contact than that.

#3 Stand out from the crowd

As important as a professional headshot is to a winning career, many adults still rely on the poor quality point-and-shoot (or worse, cell phone) photos they asked their friends to take. You’ll make recruiters, potential employers, and important contacts take a closer look by sharing a photo that is high-quality and visually pleasing.

#4 Stay top of mind

By including a memorable professional photo on your social media accounts– and allowing people to put a professional face to a name – you are more likely to stay top-of mind to the important people who look you up online, whether before or after meeting you.

#5 This is your only shot:

In the fast-paced, digital world that we live in, where important contacts are often too busy to read more than a few lines of your resume, a good headshot is your only opportunity to make a good first impression. Don’t waste that opportunity.

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Why you need a professional headshot now