One of the best things about attending a job fair is making personal connections with prospective employers, making an impression and giving them a way to remember you. A good-quality photo can help them do that.
Lisa and Ron Rigdon of RW Rigdon Images in Fenton will have a booth set up to take photos at no charge at the Jefferson County Job Fair, to be held from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Fox C-6 Service Center, 849 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold.
They plan to set up a backdrop and position high-quality lighting equipment to capture the best photos possible.
“We’ll be taking professional headshots,” Lisa Rigdon said. “People can also use them for resumes, if they want.”
Job seekers face a dilemma when deciding whether to include a photo on their resume.
Many human resource specialists advise against the practice, in order to protect employers from any hint of discrimination in hiring based on race, age, weight, gender, attractiveness, etc.
Strictly speaking, appearance is not relevant unless the job is something like modeling or acting.
But for many other positions (salespeople, receptionists, bartenders, financial planners, public relations representatives, recruiters, etc.), a neat, approachable, professional appearance is an asset.
So, what was once a no-no is becoming more common.
A recent article in Forbes magazine makes the point that we live in a visual, multimedia age and have become far more visual in our communications than in previous times.
“Resumes are in a state of rapid evolution,” according to the article.
“The advent of various graphic presentation services will only escalate the evolution of personal storytelling and branding.”
Photos can also be used for business cards and for social media, Rigdon said.
“People can use them for a LinkedIn profile, that kind of thing,” she said.
Depending on the attendance at the fair, there may be a chance to tailor the experience to each client.
“We’re not just rushing through to get done; we want them to have something that best represents who they are,” Rigdon said.
“If it’s not too busy, we may take several shots. We will give people an opportunity to see the image, and if they don’t like it, we’ll take another.”
Job seekers should plan to wear professional attire – but Rigdon said that can encompass a wide range of looks.
“Typically, it’s a shirt and tie, if not a suit, for men,” she said. “For women, a nice blouse or shirt with pants or a skirt. But even a polo can work, and if the best they have is a T-shirt, well, we can work with that.
“The idea is to help them best present themselves to a future employer.”
Those who opt to have their photo taken will have the finished product delivered to them electronically.
“We’ll have a signup sheet, and they can let us know how they’d like to get their images,” Rigdon said. “We can link them to a site, use Dropbox, or just email them the files.”
The Rigdons have been shooting local events and people for more than a decade.