Never include a photo or headshot on a resume unless the job you are applying for specifically mentions that one is required to apply to a position.

The first reason is that a photo of you might be used to make a discriminatory hiring decision. A recruiter or hiring manager might have a bias (maybe even one they are unaware of) for selecting candidates who look a certain way. They may make a decision based on your race, or have a preference for someone who looks serious, or is smiling, or appears to have a certain style. All of that information has nothing to do with how to do the job. You don’t want to work for that kind of person or company.

The other reason for not including a picture of yourself is less common. Some businesses will not even consider a resume if it includes a photo, usually because hiring managers and HR professionals are so risk-averse, that they never even want to have a conversation about discriminatory hiring practices. For this reason, they will automatically reject candidates who reveal what they look like.

There’s no reason to include an illustration, emoji, or stylized portrait either. While these might get around the issues outlined above, they still have the same problem: they don’t tell a person why you would be a good fit for the job.

If the role you are applying for involves appearing on-camera, on television, or as a spokesperson for the organization, they may ask for a headshot, which is a professionally taken photo usually used in the entertainment industry. In these cases, the employer will tell you that you must include the headshot in order to be considered for the role.

Once you are interviewing for a role, it is normal to meet in person or virtually through a video call. At this point, the employer will obviously know what you look like and that’s okay. If the employer is interested in making more diverse hires based on gender, race, or culture, the appropriate time to begin making decisions based on that information is after they have selected a qualified pool of candidates to move forward for consideration.

After you are hired, the company may want to put your photo on their website or share the news on social media. They may ask you for a headshot, in which case you can provide one (or request that they help you acquire one) if you feel comfortable with them sharing your face publicly. It’s okay to tell them if you don’t want your photograph to be made public.

Some hiring managers and HR professionals will disagree with the information above. They may prefer resumés with photos on them, or believe they are free from bias when it comes to making hiring decisions. The truth is that as a candidate, you simply don’t know these preferences. That’s why we recommend you do what’s safest, and leave the photo off your resumé.