Should You Include A Photo On Your Resume is a key focus of this guide. Should you include photo on resume is the focus of this expert guide. Whether to include a photo on your resume depends almost entirely on where you are applying. The norms vary significantly by country and industry. Getting this wrong can cost you before anyone reads your first bullet.
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US, Canada, and UK: generally no
In North America and the UK, photos on resumes are not expected and are sometimes seen as a bias risk. Many companies have policies against considering photos in hiring decisions. Leave it off unless you are applying in a field where visual presentation is explicitly part of the role, such as modeling or acting.
Europe, Asia, and Latin America
In Germany, France, parts of Asia, and much of Latin America, a professional photo on your resume is standard and often expected. If you are applying internationally, research the norms for that specific country. For more on this, see our guide on should you include volunteer work on your resume.
When photos make sense
Profiles in performing arts, modeling, brand ambassadorship, or certain public-facing roles are different from standard professional resumes. Know your industry.
LinkedIn photos are different
Your LinkedIn profile absolutely should have a professional photo. That is different from your resume. A strong, current LinkedIn headshot helps recruiters feel confident when they look you up after reading your resume.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a recruiter spend looking at a resume?
Recruiters typically spend 6-10 seconds on an initial scan. They look for job title relevance, company names, and whether the most recent role is at the right level for the position.
What do recruiters look for first on a resume?
Most recruiters look first at your most recent job title and company, then check dates for gaps or progression, then assess whether the experience level matches what they need.
Should I include a summary at the top of my resume?
Yes, for experienced candidates. A 2-3 sentence summary that speaks directly to your target role helps recruiters understand your value instantly.
How many bullet points should each job have?
3-5 bullets for recent roles, 1-2 for older ones. Each bullet should describe an accomplishment or outcome, not just a task or responsibility.
Recruiters spend an average of six to ten seconds on their first pass through a resume. That initial scan focuses almost entirely on job titles, company names, and bullet points. If those three things do not immediately connect your experience to the role, your resume may not make it to a second read. Understanding this reality changes how you approach every element of your document, from the font size to the order of your sections. For more on this, see our guide on sales resume guide.
In my experience reviewing thousands of resumes, the candidates who get callbacks consistently share one trait: they write about impact rather than activity. Instead of listing what they were responsible for, they describe what changed because of their work. A simple shift from “managed social media” to “grew Instagram engagement by 47% in six months by shifting to video-first content” tells a recruiter exactly what you bring to a new role.
Formatting also plays a larger role than most candidates realize. Applicant tracking systems parse resumes before a human ever sees them. Tables, text boxes, headers, and footers often fail to parse correctly, which means critical information disappears from your digital file. Keeping your format simple, with standard sections and clean column layouts, ensures that your content survives the screening process intact.
The length question comes up constantly. For most professionals with under ten years of experience, one page is the right target. For senior leaders and executives, two pages is acceptable when every line adds genuine value. The test is not word count. It is density. If a recruiter could cut any section without losing information that differentiates you, that section should go. For more on this, see our guide on nurse resume guide.
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