Do You Need a Photo on Your Resume? Country-Wise Resume Rules

This world doesn't agree to a single statement about including photos to find jobs that match with a resume. Some countries treat a resume with profile picture as a basic requirement, while some consider it irrelevant.

Pros: When It Is Necessary to Include a Photo on CV

Here are some reasons for when to include your photo on CV:

• Personal Touch: A photo in resume brings a human touch and makes your CV relatable. A good profile photo in resume gives a glimpse of the candidate's personality and authenticity. Customer facing or creative roles need to have a personal touch in their resumes through professional profile pictures. 

• Helps in Building a Connection: A resume with profile picture helps hiring managers recognise your resume and remember your application. It builds strong connections and makes sure that your profile stands out during final selections. 

• Industry-Specific Requirements: In certain industries like acting or modeling, a CV with picture is a mandatory practice. These jobs require your personality and appearance to be judged in the preliminary resume shortlisting software. So adding a photo in resume becomes important based on various industries. 

Cons: Reasons to Not Include Picture on Resume

Here are some reasons for not including a picture on your resume:

• Pictures are NOT ATS-Friendly: Many candidates are not aware that the profile photo in resume is not ATS-friendly. Your resume will be eliminated by the ATS as they are designed to analyse texts, not photos or graphics. So using a photo in the resume can be very risky for some industries. You should first learn How to Make an ATS Resume with ease and then craft a compelling resume. 

• Pictures can distract recruiters from skills and education: You invested multiple hours to create the best resume with a profile picture. But somehow your profile picture can steal the attention of the reader. Even if you have made a perfect resume, you will have to face difficulty in getting recognised by the employer. 

• Limited space on a resume: A CV with picture takes up too much valuable space in your resume. This space can be better utilized for some other reasons. Resumes are meant to highlight your profession, skills, and experiences. An unnecessary photo in resume can divert the focus of hiring managers from the key points.

European Countries

In countries like Germany and France, including a resume photo is considered a standard practice. Because they believe that a resume photo gives an early impression of the candidate. 

However, some countries, like the United Kingdom, are not following this above trend due to their legal framework. They usually do not follow this practice because their anti-discrimination law aims to prevent bias based on appearance.

North American Countries

In the US and Canada, it is not that common to include a resume photo due to strict policies. Their Equality Act stops employers from hiring based on appearance, looks, gender, or race. Companies can face legal consequences, so they avoid resumes if a resume with profile picture comes in the application.

Asian Countries

The large Asian economies, like India, Japan, and the Philippines, including a biodata with photo was accepted widely and even recommended in certain sectors. However, in modern corporations, particularly in tech or multinational companies, a CV with photo is becoming a downtrend because now recruiters focus more on the content than appearance. Even in India it was very common to follow biodata with photo concepts, but now it's not recommended.

Australia and New Zealand

A resume with a picture is not compulsory in Australia or New Zealand. Although people use such resumes for roles that require customer interaction or places where looks matter. 

So including a professional photo for resume is optional if you are living in Australia or New Zealand. But make sure that your resume photo doesn't divert the attention of the recruiter. 

Middle Eastern Countries

Countries like the UAE and especially the top cities like Dubai still consider resume photo as a common thing. A photo in resume is mostly used for roles where looks and appearance matter, like Air hostess, sales, and public relations. However, it's not mandatory for roles like general managers, engineers, and doctors. 

Latin America

A CV with picture is very normal in countries like Brazil and Argentina. However, Mexico follows the trend of the USA and avoids using photo in resumes. A resume photo may help a recruiter to recognise a candidate, but it also has many disadvantages; that is why it's not required everywhere in the region. 

These were some country specific rules and trends followed throughout the world. But one common thing is that they use a resume without a photo until it is too necessary. Resume photo is commonly used for profiles such as modeling or roles where your look matters.

You must have the right photo for your resume for a job matching platform. To help you choose a right photo, here is a brief guide: 

Tip 1: Dress in formal attire to look professional.

Tip 2: Find a clean and neutral background; it increases focus on your.

Tip 3: Maintain a good attitude with confidence and a smile.

Tip 4: Use good quality images with clarity and sharpness.

Tip 5: Do not consider selfies, casual photos, or unnecessary editing.

Some alternatives to a picture on your resume are:

• Creative Ways to Showcase Yourself: Rather than including a photo in resume, shift your focus to the quality and content. You have limited space, so use it wisely. The best alternative for this is attaching a link at the end of emails or cover letters. This step helps in marketing yourself without including a photo in the resume. 

• The Role of Design in Your Resume: Design is the most important aspect of the resume because a professional layout makes your profile stand out without unnecessary images. Focus on bullet points, headers, and white margins carefully.  Choose ATS-friendly layouts, fonts, and subtle colors to add some creativity to the resume. Also check your resume score with an ATS resume checker. Create design elements like icons or data infographics to make your CV visually appealing and professional. 

When submitting a resume through digital modes, you can add clickable links to certifications, published works, or pre-recorded video introductions to show your true personality without using a photo on the resume.

The truth is, should we add a photo in resume often depends upon the hiring culture and industrial trends in the specific region. So before deciding to submit a photo or picture with the resume, take some time, think about what is expected from you, and where you're applying. 

We cannot forget that a photo gives a personal touch to the resumes. But somehow it also causes bias and ATS issues. It's up to you how well you understand the role and requirements to decide whether to include or exclude photo in resume. If you are finding jobs that match your profile, you can use our Job Match Pro tool because it finds the best jobs based on your resumeand customized resumes for each job posting.