The Internet is awash in articles on how to improve your LinkedIn profile. Many of them cite research stating that profiles with a picture are X times more likely to be viewed than a profile without a photo. Depending on the article, this might be seven, eleven or even fourteen times more likely to be viewed. I wasn’t able to find the specific research studies to back up these claims, but even if a photo was to just double the number of profile views, it would certainly be worthwhile (especially in a job search).

Once you’ve gotten that profile view, don’t you want to make a great first impression?

This quote from Tom Humbarger’s Social Media Musings blog sums it up:

The worst thing you can do on LinkedIn is to not have a profile picture, and the second worst thing you can do is have a profile picture that leaves an unprofessional impression…

The simplest advice is to look at your photo and ask yourself, would you hire this person?