CV photo - What would you do?

[AblyDun]

My son (age 17, in year 12) is applying for summer work experience at a certain professional organisation and needs to submit a CV. We're considering whether to include a photo. My impression is that it is usual to include a photo now, especially as so many modern professionals have LinkedIn profiles.

The organisation's website has mugshots of some of their staff. They are mostly (not all) smartly dressed in sharp suits or female equivalent. The men generally look very serious, the women more relaxed and friendly/smiling.

Currently we only have one good photo of DS looking relatively smart - he is in a casual summer shirt with an open collar and is relaxed and smiling. If he was to dress up in suit and tie for a home photo-shoot today he would have wild lockdown hair, a bad breakout of acne, and is unlikely to look relaxed or confident. The application needs to be made now, so I don't think we can wait to organise a more professional shot.

I think it would be best to include the photo he has rather than having no photo at all? Do you agree?

No: never photos with a CV. It looks unprofessional and potentially puts them in sticky equal ops territory. I know they are on LinkedIn but different.

Photo on CV is only to help them remember him, as long as it's a head shot & recognisable as him I really wouldn't worry about it.

No. No photos with CV's.

No!

There's a thread running about how not to do your CV and having a photo is a definite don't unless apparently you are forrin

No photos with a CV. They can see what he looks like at interview if they want to.

No, that's unnecessary.

I have never put a photo on my CV. My boss hates it although to be fair I work in a factory so it isn't really the done thing for this type of work.

Absolutely not.

Photos not the norm on cvs in UK but are in parts of Europe and USA. If they want headshot for webpage once in post they will ask or arrange.

It's not the norm in the UK.

I've interviewed for jobs in our European and US offices and it seems to be a mixed bag.

In the UK photos on CVs are a no (and where I work would be hidden anyway to prevent issues are discrimination). If it's outside the UK you might be best checking with someone local.

No.

No photo.

Why would you unless asked?

I’m a careers adviser - no Photo on UK CVs at all. LinkedIn should definitely have a photo, and a professional looking photo is best - but employers won’t expect 17 year olds to be on LinkedIn so that’s not the priorities my for now - but take some decent headshots - well lit, plain background, business dress - portrait function on iPhone is good.

You’ve said what your impression is but what about your son (the applicant). What does HE think?

Recruitment is part of my job. Never put a photo on a CV. Organisations are working to avoid subconscious bias and so adding a photo might result in him not being considered for a role. It also doesn’t look professional as it suggests that looks are taken into account when recruiting, potentially opening the company to claims of discrimination from other applicants - in short it will potentially lose him job opportunities. Don’t put date of birth either for the same reason. Hobbies give or take - If you do add this then make sure hobbies listed have clear relevance to the role. No one cares if he likes reading or socialising with friends and it’s just filler for what should be covers in 2 sides of A4 (much less in this case as I wouldn’t expect a vast work history). As he will possibly have a short work history, include details of any relevant experience he has gained through volunteering, work experience etc.

Employee photos on an employer’s website, or the use of professional social media (which are often linked to an individual’s role in their current employment) are part of the role once it has been obtained and shouldn’t be confused with a requirement to add a photo to the CV, as they are completely unrelated entities. Good luck! X

If they haven't asked then just submit without. I'm surprised photos are allowed because of
a) deliberate bias
b) unconscious bias
c) GDPR/Safeguarding

Yep, never put a photo on a CV.

No. Photos are an absolute no no.

No!!!!!!!!

(Unless - not UK and it is the norm, or he is a performer or model.)

Definitely do not include a photo, it is not the “done thing” as my mother would say.

Recruitment processes are meant to be as non-discriminatory as possible, I.e. they don’t ask for age/ethnicity information. A photo would give both and may be perceived as him trying to prove he has a look that “fits”.

Of course it’s not foolproof and if they really want to know what he looks like they can look him up on LinkedIn/ Facebook/Instagram etc.

The UK is weird about photos on CVs, most other countries that I've worked in require it, and no-one gets 'biased'. In Scandinavia you even have to have photos on Uni applications and everything.

If you really feel the need to put a photo on, you would use the decent photo you already have. It's expected that you would present your 'best' self in a picture. But if the application is for a UK company and a picture isn't specifically asked for then you can do without.

I have more recently included photos in my own applications for UK jobs, I haven't been penalised for it. But mostly very young, modern companies in the South-East are happy with this type of CV as they are more likely to follow USA practice....the rest of the country, not much....

Only put a photo on a cv if you see it as a way to distract the viewer (favorably) from whatever gaps and negatives there are in the text.

A pretty young woman might put a photo on if she was hoping her appearance would make up for any deficit in ability. But that example just shows how bad putting a photo on your cv is! Any semi respectable organization will ignore the photo or dismiss the application entirely because of it. Only half assed companies with dodgy or non-existent HR will be impressed by one.

The UK is weird about photos on CVs, most other countries that I've worked in require it, and no-one gets 'biased'. In Scandinavia you even have to have photos on Uni applications and everything

I've no idea about discrimination in other countries but imo it's the opposite of weird to remove the possibility of discrimination where there's absolutely no downside to doing it.

I cant think of how seeing a photo adds anything to the CV, what are the benefits?