LinkedIn photo with hair covering. . .

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Forum -> Working Women

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amother

Brunette

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 5:00 pm

My boss decided I needed to get a linkedin account, so I did. But, now at work they recommend I put up a photo. In theory, it would be helpful, because I think sometimes people are more likely to recognize my face than my name (I have a super common last name). I work with people around the world (and mostly non-Jews), so the need for professionalism in the photo is high. But, I wear a 'mitpachat' (you know, headscarf?) and I'm debating whether it would look less professional to have a photo with a mitpachat or to not have a photo at all. I cover ALL my hair, so hats don't necessarily help.

Any suggestions about whether I should add a picture or not, or how I could have a picture which looks professional in America and Europe in the secular world while still having a hair covering?

(P.S. No, I don't do sheitels so that's out too).

Thanks!

amother

Aubergine

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 5:03 pm

I don't see why you cant do a nice soft cotton hat or beret that covers all your hair, or a pretty wrap, perhaps more dressy than you usually wear. You could borrow if you don't own any.

thunderstorm

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 5:24 pm

I would wear whatever I would wear to a wedding. If it's an elegant headscarf so be it. There is nothing wrong if people around the world see you with a special head covering as long as it's pretty it should be fine.

Scrabble123

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 5:49 pm

If it's about people recognizing you then a mitpachat will definitely leave a recognizable impression. Would you borrow a shaitel for the picture?

Sake

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 8:32 pm

My Linked in profile has a professional headshot of me with dressy 'wrap'.. that's what people who see me IRL see so why not? I've seen Sari and Hijab plus a nun veil.

2cents

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 8:35 pm

Scrabble123 wrote:

If it's about people recognizing you then a mitpachat will definitely leave a recognizable impression. Would you borrow a shaitel for the picture?

I like your point about recognition. I wear a hat at work and when I bump into work people wearing my snood, they often don't recognize me at first.

If op covers her hair with a mitphacha, I'd guess she doesn't hold of sheitels and wouldn't wear one for a public picture.

Op, just letting you know in response to your first post, that hats can cover all your hair (mine does!!). I wear a hard hat (don't know how else to describe it...not like a beret or soft cotton hat, but a stiff domed hat) for work because I find it looks formal.

newmom1987

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 10:01 pm

Weird suggestion but just throwing it out there, what about a picture of you before you were married?

finprof

Wed, Jun 08 2016, 11:12 pm

Just wear a tichel you would wear to a meeting. My license and university ID show me in a tichel... most people just assume I'm Muslim!

Rubber Ducky

Thu, Jun 09 2016, 12:06 am

Consider a pic showing how you really look! Here's me on LinkedIn — do you like my hat?

amother

Pewter

Thu, Jun 09 2016, 12:11 am

Rubber Ducky wrote:

Consider a pic showing how you really look! Here's me on LinkedIn — do you like my hat?

Wait, I thought you were a yellow rubber duck!

amother

Brunette

Thu, Jun 09 2016, 2:24 am

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement everyone!

Nice hat, Rubber Ducky! Those hats in particular don't look great on me - a lot of hats don't, because I have a small head and a oval face - the roundness of many hats doesn't look complimentary on me in particular.

Correct, I would not wear a sheitel. I do have some berets, but I think my mitpachot are probably nicer. I could probably get (or borrow) a nicer beret. But if I went to a wedding, I would be more inclined to wear a fancy mitpachat than anything else.

I also considered putting a picture from before I was married! But I also felt weird about that - will people already know me think I stopped covering my hair? If people I haven't met then meet me in real life later (I often have e-mail and phone contact first), will they think I underwent some extreme religious transformation in the meantime? In short, I was nervous about this option too.

The encouragement to wear a mitpachat was great. It's true, if I meet my clients, I wear a head covering anyway. I guess I'm kind of self-conscious about it - I wish I weren't, but I feel like secular people (Jews and non-Jews) view me differently if I appear to be very religious. Also, sometimes they think I'm Muslim too! And because many of my clients are oversees and never meet me, I can hide that fact that my hair is covered. It's not that I'm ashamed to be Jewish or religious (so proud!), it's that I don't like the first impression it makes on some people - and many people get a first impression from LinkedIn. . .

Iymnok

Thu, Jun 09 2016, 2:45 am

Take pictures in different coverings. Some come out better in pictures than others.

Shuly

Thu, Jun 09 2016, 5:29 am

If you get the lighting right and keep the background dark, a hair covering with a nice band in the front can look like a headband with hair to those not familiar with hair covering.

saw50st8

Thu, Jun 09 2016, 7:34 am

Get a mitphachat that blends into your hair color a bit, so it's not super obvious that you are wearing one in a photo.

amother

Brunette

Sun, Jun 12 2016, 4:13 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

Get a mitphachat that blends into your hair color a bit, so it's not super obvious that you are wearing one in a photo.

I tried this! I have very dark hair though, and looked like a nun in the picture.

It was a good suggestion though Very Happy

Shuly

Mon, Jun 13 2016, 8:04 am

Wear a band in front that is not nun-ish, like pink with sparkly flowers.

9atonce

Mon, Jun 13 2016, 9:29 am

What about a photo of just your face?

My LinkedIn profile has my photo with a mitpachat, I live in Israel and let people make their own assumptions. Which they invariably do in any case. People make assumptions from your name (place of education, etc. etc.) if not from your photo - it's inevitable. And often incorrect Smile

LisaS

Mon, Jun 13 2016, 2:35 pm

I am wearing a head-covering in my linked in photo, but it is quite cropped, so it is mostly my face with just the top showing so it could be a headband or something. I am also connected with many gentile customers, but they know I live in Israel where fashion is different.

queenert

Mon, Jun 13 2016, 3:11 pm

Does it need to be a picture of you or just a picture that'll be memorable? I have a picture of my logo...

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