Should You Put Your Photo on Your Resume?

Applying for a job can be stressful and time-consuming, and candidates can often find themselves worrying whether they're coming across well enough in their applications—what information should you include, and what shouldn't you?

The process of applying for jobs has changed massively over the years, with the rise of the likes of LinkedIn and Indeed, and, more recently, artificial intelligence (AI).

Unemployment rates in the United States have decreased in recent years, however Statista reports that employees have been voluntarily quitting roles more consistently since 2020, after the pandemic caused more people to reevaluate their work in the face of the pandemic.

Dubbed the Great Resignation, Americans quit their jobs at almost 4 million per month in 2021, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, meaning competition can be tough for job openings.

So, is it best practice to put your photo on your resume? Does it help you stand out from the crowd or put your application at risk? Newsweek reached out to experts to get their opinions.

Sunaree Komolchomalee, head of HR at Cupid PR, warned it was a "big no-no" to have your photograph on your resume.

"Companies are doing their utmost to steer away from bias. Adding your photo to your CV can influence the recruiter either way, disrupting the whole process," she said, adding that some businesses automatically disregard resumes that include a photo.

"It's really much like including your age, if you're married, or have kids. It's just not relevant and you are essentially self-limiting yourself," she said.

There are, however, exceptions, such as a position within the entertainment industry that requires a headshot. But, she added, "If a business asks for you to include a photo and it's simply not relevant to the role, I'd take it as a red flag."

Willow Sipling, principal HR consultant at Willow Sipling Consulting, agreed that unfortunately "it's still the case that discrimination runs rampant in some organizations" and that the applicant could find themselves the target of a biased recruiter.

Additionally, Sipling pointed out that some companies use applicant tracking systems, which may not know "how to handle image files," potentially leading to technical issues in the application process.

While the threat of bias or HR issues was a major concern among many experts who spoke to Newsweek, Bill Catlette, partner at Contented Cow Partners LLC, said that allowing a photograph to take up space on your resume is not a good idea, as it should be used to illustrate your successes in education and experience, and a photograph "doesn't seem a good trade-off."

And Kelly Roehm, founder of The Resume Realist, said that while the job search process evolves, a future ideal resume may include "a photo, social media links, and key highlights of your career."

But, "until that makes its way into mainstream hiring, save your photos for your socials, website and other personal branding tools."

According to Statista, in March 2024 the U.S. had a labor force participation rate of 62.7 percent, and in 2023 this was made up of an estimated 167 million people.

The organization suggests the U.S. unemployment rate is projected to remain relatively consistent until 2028.