Your Cover

Your Cover How often have you heard, You cant judgea book by its cover? Of course it is sometimes true but how relevant is it when it comes to marketing yourself? There is a reason millions of dollars are spent on book covers,packaging and professional photography;it sells! A picture is worth a thousand words because we areso strongly influenced by what we see but we can be equallyinfluenced by what we dont see which is whyproducts are not marketed without an image. Asentrepreneurs, professionals orconsultants in career transition,youare the product! Your marketing collateral should consist of a professional resume, an established brand anda visible online presence. All online profiles include the option to upload a photo or logo and most professionals will not give it a thought but there are stillthose who, for some reason dont like the idea of postingtheir cover picture citing, its the principal that matters and how I look isnt related to how I will perform.Anytime anyone tries to hide something whether it is a graduation date, employment gaps or a missing photo the effect will beunanswered questions which will override the original intent,tocreate a positiveimpression with solid facts.It is human nature to think the worst anddecision makers,(over 80% review online profiles) will notaccept yourdecision to omit your photo as justifiable for any reasonin this day and age.More likely they may be left with any or all of the following impressions: Didnt take the time to complete their profile Didnt invest in having a professional photo done Didnt understand how to upload a photo Didnt advance with the times, old school ideas Unfortunately there is always thepossibility that a decision maker will be biased and little can be done to avoid this. Your cover is your physical appearancebut not unlike a book cover, you do have the option to present your appearance in aprofessional, stylish and confidentlookto garner a positive impressionwhich is moreimportant than the colour of your hair, unless it is bright fuchsia, in which case, itcouldgenerate a negative first impressionas a personal bias or simply a distraction. Covering up tattoos and body piercingsis just common senseas is professional and conservative attire. Resistance to change, the inabilityto be flexible or the arrogance of presenting your tattoo whether someone likes it or not are not positive attributes to a potential employer.Creating a positive impression for the majority of people should be a conscious goal if youare serious about a senior levelcareer and do notwant to limit your options. Change is not easy for many people and most are wary about acceptingnew technologiesandtrends.Some will see a new trend or style and love it and others will hate it until it has gone out of style and then embrace it when they dislike the next emergingstyle. Remember how many people said they would never own a microwave or a computer or a cell phone? Remember when people retired fromone jobheld for 30 or 40 years?Today we expect to have 8 to 10 jobs! Six years ago, Facebook didnt exist and today there are 500 million users!Twitter currently has100 million users andLinkedin is The Number #1 Professional Networking Sitewith 70 million users.Change happens and like it or not, social media is here to stay.If you are interested inbuilding credibilityyou will need to accept the level of transparency expected whichincludes a professional photo. Check out these The Top 10 Tips for Your Online Profile,#2. A professional photo.