A recent study conducted by The Ladders proves that your LinkedIn profile is a critical consideration of your prospect as a candidate for employment. I’ve often wondered how profile photos could affect someone’s job search efforts on LinkedIn. Especially since we don’t include photos on resumes—and mostly because they can be cause for discrimination. In theory, doesn’t the same apply for LinkedIn profiles?

An unprofessional image of you on LinkedIn can definitely hurt your chances of consideration for employment with an organization. The study found that recruiters viewing a LinkedIn profile spent almost 20% of their time on the person’s photo. That means that recruiters are analyzing your image and profile photo. This is why it’s vitally important to have a professional image on LinkedIn. Below are some tips for having a professional LinkedIn photo.

Don’t include photos that have more than one person in them.

Don’t utilize photos of yourself in a social setting, drinking, or engaging in questionable or unprofessional behavior.

Wear an outfit similar to what you would wear to a job interview.

If possible, take a professional headshot from the shoulders up.

Smile!

Remember, that although most recruiters will not admit it, you are being analyzed and evaluated based on the image on your LinkedIn profile—so it’s critical to keep it professional.