Whether to put a photo on your resume depends on the country and the employer. In the US, UK, Canada and Australia most applicants leave it off. In much of Europe, the Gulf and parts of Asia a photo is common. If you add one, use a recent, plain-background head-and-shoulders photo, and always follow the vacancy's instructions.
These are common practices, not laws, and individual employers differ. When a job posting or application form says what it wants, follow it.
Resume photo by country
| Where you apply | Common practice | Note |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Canada | Usually leave it off | Many employers avoid photos to reduce bias in hiring |
| United Kingdom, Ireland | Usually leave it off | Not expected on a standard CV |
| Australia, New Zealand | Usually leave it off | Not expected unless the role is image-based |
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland | Often included | Traditionally part of a full application; increasingly optional |
| Other EU countries | Varies | The Europass CV has an optional photo field |
| UAE, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf | Often included | Check the vacancy; see the UAE CV format |
| India | Optional | Many private employers do not need one; some forms ask |
| Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia | Often included | Common on local applications |
When to leave the photo off
- The employer or country usually does not expect one (see the table).
- The job is applied for through an online system that only reads text.
- The page is already full and the photo would push experience onto page two.
- You do not have a suitable recent photo; a poor one hurts more than none.
What a good resume photo looks like
- Recent, and looking like you do now.
- Head and shoulders, facing the camera, with a plain light background.
- Clothing you would wear to an interview for this job.
- Good light and sharp focus; a phone camera is fine near a window.
- No filters, sunglasses, group shots or cropped social media pictures.
Where to put the photo on the page
Top corner of the first page, next to your name and contact details, at a size that does not crowd the text. Several resume templates have a photo area built in; in ArcPixel six templates support a photo (Aurora, Helix, Sprout, Marquee, Onyx and Beacon). If you do not use a photo, choose a template without one rather than leaving an empty frame.
Header with and without a photo (fictional)
With photo: [Photo] · [Your Name] — [Target role] · [Phone] · [Email] · [City]
Without photo: [Your Name] — [Target role] · [Phone] · [Email] · [City] · [LinkedIn]
- Should I put a picture on my resume?
- Only if the country or employer expects one. In the US, UK, Canada and Australia most applicants leave it off; in much of Europe, the Gulf and parts of Asia a photo is common.
- Does a photo affect applicant tracking systems?
- The system reads the text, not the image, so a photo adds nothing for it. Make sure your name and contact details are real text, not part of an image.
- Can I use a selfie as a resume photo?
- A well-lit phone photo is fine if it is head-and-shoulders against a plain background. Avoid obvious selfie angles, filters and cropped group pictures.
See the full section order in how to write a CV, and pick a layout with or without a photo from the resume templates.
