How About Some Cheese with That LinkedIn Profile Picture

How About Some Cheese with That LinkedIn Profile PictureHow About Some Cheese with That LinkedIn Profile PictureIts the burning topic on everybodys lips these days. No, its notlage about politics, or fashion, or what some superstar is naming their twins. As a senior customer success manager at LinkedIn, the question that I get asked again and again (and again) is should I smile or not in my LinkedIn profile picture?I understand that some people may feel like smiling for the camera makes them appear too laid back- maybe they think it looks unprofessional- and I acknowledge that there are differentshall we say degreesof smiles.Some examples of LinkedIn profile picture smilesTheres the classic Mona Lisa- the wry, I have a secret, and Im not telling you, whisper of a smirk.Theres the closed-lips, I dont really want to smile, but I will grimace.Theres the wonky, I wasnt ready yet grin (not to be confused with the I had a few too many martinis snicker).And then theres the natural, pleasant -faced smile.Ive seen every type of smile used on job candidates LinkedIn profiles. And Ive also heard every reason in the book that people use to justify not smiling in their profile.But heres what I would say to those straight-faced peopleJust. Smile.Heres why you should just smile in your LinkedIn profile picture Whatever your excuse or explanation for not smiling- and Im sure you could come up with a hundred reasons- I would still tell you, with all due respect, you should absolutely, 100 percent, no doubt about it, smileHeres the reason why back in the olden days, like in the 90s, it used to be that the first visual impression that you made on new acquaintances (including hiring managers) was when you met in person. And when you are face-to-face with an arm extended for a handshake, its human instinct to lock eyes and smile.Now, you could get into some National Geographic anthropological analysis and suggest that showing your teeth and engaging in eye contact are primal threats to assert dominance (think of lions and wolves and gorillas- oh my), but most humans have evolved pretty far from chest-beating and growling, so a smile and a firm handshake are perfectly acceptable human behavior these days.But heres the kicker today, in our modern era of the interwebs and social media, oftentimes, the first visual impression youre making on a recruiter or hiring manager is notin person rather, its via your LinkedIn profile or your other social media profiles, which is why you should be cautious about what you share online. But just because the first impression has gone from in-person to online doesnt mean the social norms completely change. This is the reason you should smile in that profile picture. Its the modern-day equivalent to that first handshake.So, my advice? Go ahead and show off those pearly whites and the orthodontia your parents paid for. Its the best way to make a good first impression online. Just like it says in the popsong made famous by Louis Ar mstrong, When youre smiling, the whole world smiles with you. And its trueRebecca Vertucci is a proven expert on recruiting, hiring, and all things LinkedIn. Shes vetted and placed hundreds of candidates while working for corporate HR departments and recruiting agencies before joining LinkedIn where shes a senior customer success manager. Now, as a cofounder ofVertucci Career Academy, Rebecca shares her extensive knowledge and unique perspective with job seekers and those in career transitions through her online course offerings, as well as one-on-one and group coaching programs. For more information on working with Rebecca, please email her at RebeccaVertucciCareerAcademy.com. She offers free career consultations for all members looking to work with a career coach.