Those who apply for a position put their advantages in the foreground: qualifications, work results, stations in the résumé should appear in the best light. Since pictures are often more powerful than words, it stands to reason that the right application photo can tip the scales. But if the correct tone and content in the cover letter is a real challenge, it doesn't get any easier with a photo. “Applicants must clearly define what goal they are pursuing with the photo,” says Thomas Bauer, photographer from Bergisch Gladbach. “Then I think about how I can convey this feature in the photo.” Since they have increasingly conquered professional spheres that used to be male domains, more and more women are also wondering how they visualize their skills.
For example, when taking photos of female financial managers, Bauer made sure that their core task of standing for the correctness of numbers is reflected in the background and appearance of the image.
He photographed them in front of houses with oversized house numbers and paid attention to every detail, such as freshly cleaned glasses.
"The overall quality of a photo is easy to see," says Bauer, who has been taking photos for business reports for years.
“You can see immediately how much effort someone has put in with the photo.” He pays attention to authenticity: If a project manager wants to convey, “I've got this under control”, then a cramped facial expression that can arise unconsciously is disadvantageous the photographed tries to open her minimally drooping eyelid in a targeted manner.
No gender-sensitive imagery yet
Bauer recommends that applicants question their self-image and the image they want to convey. For example, he advised customers to ask themselves what feeling the picture would trigger in the viewer if they wanted to be photographed deeply tanned - directly after their summer vacation. Unfortunately, you often don't know who will look at the photo and decide whether to invite you to an interview. The photographer therefore suggests showing the picture to as many people as possible beforehand and obtaining their opinions. A gender-appropriate visual language has not yet developed, reports Bauer, especially since there are fewer female photographers in the industry. If, for example, a man wanted to appear relaxed in a photo, pictures would usually be taken without a tie or jacket. The equivalent for women is "more complex".On the other hand, women are “much more willing to experiment than men, who are rather hesitant in this regard”.
A study by the psychologist Sevag Kertechian from the Sorbonne in Paris from 2016 also stands in the way of efforts to find a sensitive form of expression.
In it, he examined the influence of the depth of the section on recordings of applicants for positions in sales and accounting.
He found that photos in which women showed a deeper cleavage resulted in job interviews much more often than those in which a dress was closed higher.
It depends on the industry and location
"For us, the qualifications of engineers are in the foreground," says Anna Blumenberg, Head of Personnel at Meyer Werft in Papenburg. "Nevertheless, there is an unconscious bias - which we try to minimize by becoming aware of it and throwing old role models overboard." Hubertus Douglas, managing director of the Korn Ferry HR consultancy from Frankfurt, advises before applying to the company and his Busy presentation. Annual reports, the appearance of the employees and management as well as the writing style would give good insights. "Then the candidate has to do her homework, study the job description carefully and optimize her application." The application photo must correlate with the cover letter. And: "There is a differencewhether you are applying for a job in the country or in Berlin. ”It also depends on the industry.
“The importance of application photos is diminishing for us,” says Anna Blumenberg, referring to the many dual students at Meyer Werft, almost all of whom are aiming for an engineering degree. For those who are supposed to represent a company, however, the photo is important, says personnel consultant Douglas. “We are not looking for a glamor girl for such a position, but someone whose intellectual and verbal ability is convincing. It has to come across in the photo. ”In application photos, women walk a fine line: It is important not to emphasize too much or too little. In times of the Internet and social networks, however, images are also available that were not sent in with the portfolio. A survey by the digital association Bitkom showed that two out of three HR managers looked for information about applicants in social networks.Therefore, you should not only bother with the application photo.