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As the title says: Should I put a photo of me in the C.V.?

I'm applying for a Google Internship for a Business position. This will include sales/marketing etc.

I do look very presentable and smart, I also have a good photo of me in a suit with white background. I'm male.

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    Why do you think it matters if you send a photo in your CV? – Makoto Nov 15 '15 at 4:09
  • I thought it would be better since I look good in uniform (not being narcissistic) – GRS Nov 16 '15 at 19:40
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Who you're applying to is irrelevant; including a photo will do you no good and may do you harm.

You aren't applying for a modelling job. What you look like should make absolutely no difference. The picture will be discarded the moment the application reaches HR.

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    Where you are applying is relevant, there are countries where a photo is expected, sometimes even explicitly required. On the other hand, my experience (I had an interview but was not hired) is that Google operates according to North American principles (no photo, no specific feedback, acute concern not to appear to be discriminating) even in countries where that's not usually the case (namely Switzerland). – Relaxed Nov 15 '15 at 7:58
  • Obviously, if you know it's required ignore me. If you arent sure if it's required, phone them and ask. In th US, antidiscrimination laws make it much more problematic than useful except, as noted, for jobs where appearance is explicitly part of what they're hiring for. – keshlam Nov 15 '15 at 16:44
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In theory a photo should make no difference, in practice if you happen to be drop dead gorgeous it can very well make a good impression on some people who have the first option of binning your resume or passing it on.

I don't care what people say about political correctness etc... In my personal experience good looking people have a better chance at many things all else being equal (or even slightly unequal).

So since I can't see a reason why a photo would hurt you (unless they are specific about what they require), go for it.

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    (+1) There is psychological research backing this up. Except if there is a process in place to remove/hide the photo before the decision maker(s) see the resume, it might have an impact. On the other hand, one reason a photo could hurt you is that in some countries putting a photo on a resume is really not a done thing and could make you appear unprofessional/unaware of good practices and business mores. – Relaxed Nov 15 '15 at 8:00
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Photos do not belong on your CV/resume unless you're applying for a job where looks matter more than intellectual competency. The average resume is scanned for 60 seconds to determine if the candidate meets qualifications.

You could your photo on your LinkedIn profile (which you should create as part of your job search process if you haven't already created one). That's where I look for pictures of candidates and new coworkers.

If you are considered a qualified candidate, your social media presence will be reviewed. Make sure all your social media is cleaned up. We had a lovely co-op student who lost her position before she started because of the types of pictures on her Facebook account. (Drunk pictures from parties in college, racist comments on her wall posted by friends, etc.) Make sure that if someone Googles your name, they won't find something that you would be embarrassed to explain.

(Edited)

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  • This does not provide an answer to the question. To critique or request clarification from an author, leave a comment below their post. - From Review – Michael A Nov 15 '15 at 23:26
  • @Codingo "Photos do not belong on your CV/resume unless you're applying for a job where looks matter more than intellectual competency." This sentence implies NO, and therefore does indeed answer the OP question... – Anthony Nov 16 '15 at 2:01
  • @Anthony This has been heavily edited since my original flag (see history). Note that the flag is also used to identify answers that are more appropriate as comments (such as one liner answers). – Michael A Nov 16 '15 at 2:01

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