Choosing the Best Background for Your Headshot

In this day and age, it's often a photo, not a resume, that serves as an employer's first impression of you. As technology has become a greater part of everyone's lives, many people have opted for online social profiles in hopes of impressing potential employers. It's now crucial to make sure you have the perfect headshot to pair with your profile. A poor headshot can keep an employer from clicking on your profile, and if that happens, it won't matter what your qualifications are, because the employer will never see them.

Environmental business/industry backgrounds.

So how do you get employers to click on your profile? Believe it or not, the right background can make all the difference, and the key to finding the right background is to know your audience. A common phrase is to dress for the job you want rather than the job you have, and the same idea applies with setting up a background. Having the right background for headshots can make your photo stand out, making you seem more approachable.

For example, in the fast-paced environment of DC, trusting your employees is crucial, so employers want to hire someone they think they can trust on a first impression. White and gray backgrounds can help with that, as long as you choose an outfit that offers good contrast. This is usually done by the photographer, who will guide you through the shoot. When you're paying for professional headshots, the last thing you want is a boring photo, so it makes sense to include a little contrast so that the employer doesn't see a monochromatic photo. It's also possible to have too much contrast in your headshot. If your best outfit happens to be one of those colors, brown is a surprisingly good choice. Brown is a flattering background color and isn't too bold, making it a solid choice for any kind of audience.

Artistic backgrounds with an urban edge.

What if you're pushing for a creative job that isn't as concerned about looking professional? In that case, the answer is to go bold. Vibrant colors are much more likely to produce a click on your profile, as the employer will take a look at your picture and see what appears to be the first scratch of the surface of your creativity. As long as you avoid green, which isn't a flattering color, and choose bold, bright colors, you'll attract a lot of positive attention.

Bright & fun backgrounds for maximum impact.

With so many applicants to every job, employers tend to make snap decisions to reduce the hiring pool. By choosing the right color for your headshots, you can give the employer a reason to keep you in the mix, increasing your chances to land the job you want.

Different hair types work better on some backgrounds. Just by switching the background below, we went from a distracting headshot to a pleasing one.