Yes, having employee headshots that contribute to a cohesive digital presence is amazing, but your employees are probably just stoked to be getting a new LinkedIn profile picture. Give them a heads-up about what kind of session we’ve discussed. In the past, they may have had a heavily corporate headshot experience, sitting in front of a green screen with their chin tucked just-so. Hot take: Corporate headshots don’t have to be so…corporate.
If we’re working on photos that reflect your business and culture, our session is going to be fun and active. Feel free to share my work with them so they know what kind of vibe to expect.
Here are some not-your-mother’s tips for helping your employees nail their headshot sessions with me:
Go with what you know. If your employees usually wear jeans and zip-ups to work, encourage them to wear that the day of our headshot session. There are two reasons behind this. One, they’re going to be naturally uncomfortable wearing a suit or nice jacket if that’s not what they usually wear to work. Also, if we’re taking a group photo or branding photos, they’ll look out of place.
Just like I wouldn’t tell them to come in a new suit, I’ll tell you not to buy 100s of matching company t-shirts for their headshots. This isn’t a family trip to Disneyworld—we want to encourage authenticity and individuality. Your employees are what makes your business unique, and we want to show that off.
Encourage them to practice self-love. I won’t get all mushy-gushy in this post, but I will remind you that all of your employees lead full, complex lives outside of work. They’re also dealing with their own personal struggles. So give them a boost of confidence before they step in front of the camera and have them read this post.
Do some team-building before the session. Not the cringey ice breaker exercises, but seriously fun stuff. If possible, plan our session a couple weeks after you’ve put effort into team building. Think relaxing retreat (if it’s in the budget), silly celebration, or a simple, impromptu happy hour. These efforts really do bring employees together, and strengthening employee relations does a world of good for your business.
Lastly, give them enough notice. Even though it’s going to be a fun experience, your employees shouldn’t be surprised by it. If you have any no-nos for wardrobe or styling, be clear. Also, try to give them at least a couple week’s notice so teams can work their schedules around the timing of the session without feeling stressed or rushed to take a few hours off their calendars.
For more tips on preparing for headshots, read my blog post.
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