Your headshot is an asset — deploy it
A professional headshot works across every context where you present yourself professionally. Unlike a CV (tailored per application) or a portfolio (requires active maintenance), a good headshot just works everywhere. Most people update their LinkedIn photo and stop there. Here are eight places it makes a measurable difference — with practical specs for each.
1. LinkedIn Profile Photo
Specs: 400×400px minimum, JPG or PNG, max 8MB, displays as a circle.
The highest-impact deployment for most professionals. The platform surfaces profiles with photos significantly more often than those without. Profiles with professional photos receive far more views, connection requests, and recruiter InMails than those with casual selfies.
Upload the highest resolution version you have — LinkedIn compresses automatically, but starting with a high-resolution file means the compressed version looks better. Ensure your face is centred with enough headroom that the circular crop does not cut off the top.
2. Email Signature
Specs: 80–100px display size, JPG recommended, under 50KB.
Every email you send is an interaction. A real face makes those interactions more human and easier to trust. In Gmail: Settings → Signature → insert image. In Outlook: File → Options → Mail → Signatures. Keep the file small to avoid triggering spam filters.
3. Company Website Team Page
Specs: Typically 300×300 or 400×400px — check existing team photos for exact dimensions.
Your presence on the company website represents the organisation to anyone who researches the team before a meeting, interview, or partnership. A low-quality photo signals low effort even when the work product is excellent. If updating independently, try to match the style and crop of other team headshots. If the whole team needs an update, see our team headshot guide.
4. CV and Resume
Specs: Standard in NL, DE, FR; typically omitted in UK and US. Top-right placement, 2×3cm or 3×4cm at 300 DPI for print.
In markets where CV photos are expected, a professional headshot is simply part of the standard. Use a tight crop showing face from roughly collar height with a neutral background.
5. Twitter / X Profile
Specs: 400×400px recommended, JPG or PNG, displays as a circle.
Your Twitter or X profile is often one of the first results when someone searches your name. A professional photo signals that the account is genuine and active, and makes it easier to recognise you across platforms.
6. Slack and Microsoft Teams
Specs: 512×512px recommended, JPG or PNG.
Remote-first and hybrid work means your Slack or Teams avatar is frequently the face your colleagues see — sometimes more often than they see you in person. A professional photo humanises async communication. Update in Slack under Profile → Edit Profile, or in Teams via the avatar in the top right corner.
7. Conference Speaker Bio
Specs: Event organisers typically request 300 DPI, minimum 1000×1000px, JPEG. Some require 2000×2000px for print.
Download and save a high-resolution version of your headshot — Northside Studio provides full-resolution downloads — and keep it accessible alongside your speaker bio. Having it ready avoids the last-minute scramble when an organiser follows up before a submission deadline.
8. Personal Website or Portfolio
Specs: Flexible — match your site design. Typically 400–800px square or portrait. WebP for web performance, or JPG at quality 85 under 200KB.
Your About page headshot directly affects whether a visitor feels like they are dealing with a real, professional person or an anonymous entity.
Keep it consistent
Using the same photo across all platforms builds visual recognition over time. When someone sees your name plus your face repeatedly across LinkedIn, a conference badge, an article byline, and a Slack message — that consistency is what builds a recognisable personal brand. Update all platforms at the same time when you get a new headshot.
Generate your professional headshot at Northside Studio.