Anywhere you look or anyone you ask, it seems overwhelmingly on the NOT side, of whether to put a picture on your resume. My question is, Why? We just had a lengthy thread on here in which a lot of us thought that hot people were getting hired (over others). And so if looks play a part, I don't understand why you wouldn't look to include a picture of yourself (assuming it's completely appropriate looking, etc.) Even if you are of "average" looks, I think seeing someone's face says a lot about someone. (old saying, picture = 1,000 words... you just added1,000 words onto your one-page resume!) And especially since you want to stand out in a sea of others, a professional resume with a little picture would stand out right? But seriously, we know the people hiring (i.e. principals, HR personnel) are just like you and me... and if I were hiring, a picture (whether the person was "hot" or not) would be a welcome addition to a resume. *Sorry if this has been talked about before... too lazy to search.
I'm not sure of THE reason. But here's my reasoning. For starters,I don't believe that most, or even many, administrators hire on the basis of looks. But either way, including a picture sends the message that YOU think it will help. That your professional qualifications aren't enough to get you the job, but your looks should. If I were an administrator, that implication would insult me. It would also lead me to question your real qualifications. I guess my point is that, yes, a picture is worth 1,000 words. But in this case, I think they're the wrong words.
I asked a principal for her input. How does she like to be approached by job seekers (email, walk in, etc.)? She said she wants a cover letter, a resume and (without the question being asked) that she likes to see a picture. She likes to be able to recognize them when they come in again. I'm taking her advice. I'm including a picture, not because I'm hot (unless you count hot flashes) but because I want my smiling face to be remembered when I stalk, uh, I mean, persist in my job search. Whew! Best to you.
I have always heard people go through resumes to weed out the ones they don't want-why give them another reason to pass on you. I understand your reasoning, however, I remember my mom's office hiring (the secretaries were all ladies over 40) and weeding out the people who included photos who were better-looking than they were. Fair, no, but you never know what might exclude you from even getting a chance at an interview. Unless it's an acting portfolio-I wouldn't include a photo.
In my school, a resume with a picture would hit the circular file. A brochure or something similar would be OK, but a picture for the sake of "here's what I look like, in case it matters" would kill the resume.
I think a picture would be more appropriate in a brochure or portfolio. It might be good to give out during an interview. I wouldn't enclose a picture, as I'm 23 and have been told I look like I'm 15 or 16. (I've learned to dress extremely professionally, and wear a bit of make-up.) You have to consider the psychological aspects of a picture. If you look too young they may think you are inexperienced. People tend to think that overweight people are lazy. Blond people are viewed as honest/trustworthy, but also naive and unintelligent. Please do not shoot the messenger. I just read way too many psychology journals. I work as a university librarian part-time, and on slow days I read professional journals. A picture puts you at risk of bias, good or bad.
I personally would not put a photo on a resume. Way back, before I entered teaching I applied for a job as a PA. It was me (a brunette, a little overweight) versus a blonde. All the guys in the department wanted the blonde but my boss chose me. Would a picture have helped - I think not, I got the job on my qualifications and ability to do the job. The same also applies to teaching. On the flip side of the coin, good looking, 'hot' teachers can have problems too, especially if they are single - crushes can develop on them, stds can be too friendly. Go the ugly ducklings!!!!
I think the appropriate time to leave a picture would be at the interview (therefore, it would be included in a brochure or sample page from the portfolio that you intend on leaving with the principal). That way, later, when the principal is trying to remember all 100 people she interviewed, she'd have a visual reminder. Not on the resume. It seems unprofessional, because,traditionally, its not a place for any graphic.
I put one on my brochure that I handed out at a job fair. Later that afternoon, a principal from one of the schools came looking for me (for an interview) and found me because of the picture. I probably wouldn't do it on my general resume, but because I wanted to do something different to stand out at a job fair, I put it on the brochure. It worked, I got the interview and the job offer.
I don't have my pic on my resume, but I don't see what the big deal is either. It is a funny thing though, if someone asked me their opinion I'd advise against it.
Well here's my thing: if you sub in the districts you want to work in, people may remember you for your efforts at their school, but not necessarily your name. In that case, they can put your face to your name/resume in a situation where they otherwise would not know you from Adam. It's not to say, "Look at me, look at me", or to distract from your qualifications... it's just a point of additional reference. And, frankly, it's a resource (digital imaging) that has pretty recently become widely available for people. I just think people couldn't/didn't do because going through all the trouble to do it would make a certain impression. That's not the problem anymore. (I also find it peculiar how a picture would be "insulting"... it's just a picture.)
It's not the picture that's insulting, it's the implication that looks would play a part in the hiring process that's insulting.
I had to put my picture on my resume for student teaching. There was no reasoning behind it, but it was required. It's definitely something that I would put on my brochure or portfolio. Although most of those pictures are going to be of me in action, with the focus on "Look what I can do!" rather than "Aren't I GORGEOUS?"
I wouldn't put the information on my resume. However, I would either create a brochure or portfolio to include it in. Another creative idea would be to create business cards with your picture on them... hand those out everywhere you go. Leave them with secretaries, teachers, HR... everywhere! Include a mini-professional bio and contact information as well as your picture on it.
In your cover letter, you could reference the fact that you are a district sub. If you are a great sub, they should know you by name anyway. Pictures in brochures and portfolios, not resumes.
I don't include a photo with a resume. I've always been told it's not done. I did create a card that I hand out with my resume, its a "Substitute Teacher" card that has a photo of me and my son, my name, phone number and on the back I've listed my certifications, past jobs and my website. This is on a hard glossy card from a playing card deck that I made with my heritage makers account. It's kind of like a business card/mini portfolio. I've had comments on it at job fairs, but so far nothing else. I haven't made an actual brochure because I don't have any classroom photos to put on it, and only have the basic resume type stuff to use. I've considered making a brochure, but not sure the best way to do it since I don't have teaching experience except for subbing.
Yeah suzerich, This is what I've decided to do. Then, just clip my card to the resume. Question: what does it cost to do business cards. I don't have to have glossy, but I do want a picture, and just basic info. Can you give me a rough estimate?
It's funny because I would definitely have said No Picture. But I went on an interview on this week and the Principal commented on my brochure (how much she loved it and what a great idea it was) and then commented that someone else had handed in a resume with a few pictures on it. She said she never saw one before and thought that was a great idea. So I think you could find administrators who would like it and some who would not. Do it for the right reasons though, such as showing an action photo of you actually teaching!
I updated my curriculum vitae when I was applying for international positions (in the UK). The agency here told me that the schools they deal with in the UK generally like to see a picture because when they are speaking to potential employees they like to be able to 'see' who they are speaking to.
Right! I mean, as much as anything, I just think it's an evolving of the medium. And bottom line--your marketing (yourself)! Now for me, today--any resumes I send out will be sans picture cuz I haven't worked it out in a way that I like. I do still have it in mind though, that if I can materialize what's in my head (as what I specifically want), I would certainly still consider doing it. Now I guess, some hard-line people (doing the hiring) will get offended, turned-off, by your putting a picture. Whatever. -it happens. But you did get noticed... Let's say your chances for interview are 99-1, every resume you send out. So basically you are a 1% shot of getting an interview. Those times your picture turns the person off, big deal--you lost a 1% chance. But the times your resume impressed someone as fresh & unique, you immediately vault yourself into potential interview material. If that happens just two times (out of the 100), you are +EV (EV meaning expected value). If it happens five times more, you have gotten 500% more interest than you would have doing it the other way, and so on ...even if, let's say 37 employers simply junked your resume because they were offended. You see, so it doesn't matter if a lot of people don't like your resume because of your picture, or your resume is just ho-hum (i.e. looks like everyone else's)... In either case, you don't get a call. All that matters is connecting those (few) times, and you've made it worth your while. (The trick of course, is finding the specific image you want.) Now, that all being said, I'm not advocating for/against... so don't run and put any old picture on your resume, because John Lee said so!
I was a director of a facility in the past and received 2 resumes with pictures on them, which I had actually never seen before, it did nothing for me as a hiring employer..I actually ignored it, so it wasn't advantageous at all but it wasn't a disadvantage either. As someone hiring a person, I'm looking at the text, the picture meant very little to me. Personally don't think it's worth the ink. I want to know what you can do and how you do it, not how you look.
That is good feedback. Thank you for sharing it. After reading through the thread, I think one reason a photo on the resume' is considered inappropriate is because the technology just didn't exist for so many years (and is still relatively new). I would expect that, in another 10 years, people will be shocked that resume's did NOT include photos back in the day. That being said, it IS important to know the perspective of the hiring person/committee. Like Suzie, I don't have much material or photos to create a brochure. I also don't have the software for that. It's a very small investment (overall) and I plan to make it, but right now I am staying with the traditional resume' format. I am a visually creative person. I can picture how I want a brochure (or other media) to look in my mind and - with the right software/technology - I can usually produce something fairly close to the mental image. But I am also a perfectionist and I take an extremely LOOOOOONG time, agonizing of different fonts, colors and sizes as well as finding photos to include. The one photo I have right now is the school photo taken during my ST. I normally don't like pics of myself, but this one turned out very good and I look professional in the picture. If I ever DID decide to include a photo on my resume', that is the picture I would use. As for other photos, I simply don't have any of me teaching, so I wouldn't have any appropriate photos for a brochure.
Many school districts don't want to deal with a picture because it can be a way to be biased. I don't put my age, race, religion, etc on my resume. I'm not putting a picture of myself on a resume. I have seen school districts request for pictures to not be included in an application.
*deletes banana costume picture* I thought that would definitely get me noticed! In all seriousness though, I'm going to make sure that any pictures I include are of me in action, and best represent who I am as a teacher. Attention grabbing for all of the right reasons!
