The new trend that is being set all over the world, at least as far as the Chinese corporate sector goes, is the addition of photos to resumes. Photos are a value addition to your resume. A simple photograph can say a lot of things about you to your prospective employer, even without going through the entire CV. Here, we will discuss the specifications for attaching your photos.

Starting with, most details in the CV are the same, to apply for a job anywhere in the world. But, the importance given to certain aspects in the CV outweighs the other aspects. For example, personal details of a person are given more importance in the Asian countries whereas they do not hold any special importance in the western countries. Cover letters are another way of impressing your prospective employer, even before they read your resume. However, apart from these traditional tools, and standard protocols, the thing that helps you stand apart from the crowd is a photo. Called a photo-resume, this resume will have your photo attached to it.

Does this mean that you can take any random photo of yours and stick it to the resume? Absolutely not. Most Chinese experts now advise that you do not have to put the photos with breath-taking scenery, colourful backgrounds, or ones that you took on a safari trip. They need to know that you are a dedicated professional and are willing to work for the betterment and achievement of both your goals and that of the company. One single photo can determine whether you get invited for an interview.

There are many companies which have no formal dress codes, and have a casual and relaxing working environment. This is what happens inside the company. You would still have to present a formal outlook if you seek to enter the company. Especially in China, they appreciate highly professional people.

Aspects of photos to be used in a resume:

Here we explain how to increase your chances of landing that job. Our tips may seem small, but professionalism does matter.

1. Professional looking

The more professional you look, the higher the chance of landing an interview.

The interviewers do not like to waste their time on people who come across as disinterested or inept from their point of view. A professional looking person stands out from the list with the “responsible person” vibes that such photos give out. A suit with your tie impeccable is good for men. Women have to consider going for conservative business suits. These are an added advantage and supplement your resume.

Tips:

  • Dress appropriately, and conservatively.
  • For men, use a tie.
  • Button up all the buttons, including the collar button. It is bad sense of fashion to wear a tie with buttoning up completely.
  • Wear full sleeve shirts, and do not roll them up.
  • Go for soft colours, rather than loud and blinding colour scheme. There is no need to show your personality through the suits.

2. Clean shaven for men

You may like having a beard. That is fine. Nobody’s has anything against it personally. But if you want to be taken very seriously, clean shaven is the way to go. Every interviewer looks for an applicant who may fit their company image. And, every company, by default, claims to be highly professional and this influences their choice. This is especially true for companies who have a lot of interaction with the general public, like governmental organizations, hospitals among others. Though if you are looking for IT jobs, facial hair do not matter much. But, at the same time, you should keep it clean and trimmed.

Shaving Tips:

  • No goatees or beards.
  • No stubbles.
  • No sideburns or whiskers.
  • If you do have a beard, keep it trimmed.

3. Hair style

One of the must consider area is your hairstyle. The rumpled hair look, spikes, and other styles only serve to scream unprofessional. Coupled with a suit, they may even look weird, to say the least. You may have acne issues, or have a lot of freckles adorning your skin, but that is no reason to cover your face with hair. It is imperative that the employer is able to see your whole face clearly. Therefore, do not hide your face. Do remember that the majority of the corporate world is and will be conservative.

Tips:

  • Absolutely no hair covering the face.
  • For women, tie you hair back. If it is long enough, you can plait it.
  • For men, no funky hair style. Clean and short hair is the best approach.
  • Do not wear a hat. This does not give a professional look.

4. Display of Emotions

These are some general rules of the thumb, when you want a picture where you look professional. Why is display of emotions in a picture important? One of the factors that influence hiring is your personable and approachable look. If you have the friendly but strict aura, your job is done. Every employer appreciates and values employees who can keep their thought and emotions with themselves and not share unless solicited. A controlled display of emotion shows your capacity to think before you act. Come across as an engaging personality for the best result. Wear minimal make and look more natural.

Tips:

  • Try for a natural look, a slight smile.
  • No grinning
  • No display of teeth. Your employer has no need to know if your teeth are white or not.
  • For ladies, no pouting. It may enhance your cuteness factor, not your professional appearance.
  • No staring and no glaring.

5. Type of photos

The recommended type is a passport photo. Please avoid portrait and landscape shots. Bigger photos do not equal to better opportunities. Take a close up of your face, the photo covering only up to your shoulder. This allows the focus to be on your face and its features.

Tips:

  • Select a plain background, soft colours.
  • Use minimal jewellery.
  • A clear photo without blurring.
  • Do not edit a photo before printing.
  • Look into the camera making straight eye contact.
  • Do not display your tattoos, if any.

Following the guidelines mentioned in this article and taking special note of the tips provided, you can get ready to submit a good photo-resume. Also make sure to check out this site where you can find some of the popular resume writing software to help you get the job done fast.

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