Professional personal branding: Using a “think-aloud” protocol to investigate how recruiters judge LinkedIN profile pictures

Abstract

This study builds on previous work on personal branding [1, 2] and is one of the first to qualitatively explore how and why actual recruiters make certain decisions in selecting a candidate on LinkedIN. In this study, recruiters reviewed seven different Linkedin pictures of a job candidate applying for a ficticious entry-level Marketing Consultant Job, while using a think-aloud method. Each picture displayed the candidate in a different way, making certain cues more salient (e.g. smiling, casual holiday shot, avoiding eye gaze). The results of this study indicated that especially the cues of smiling and eye-contact (looking in the camera) appear to have a positive influence on the perception of perceived credibility. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.