CRT Graduates - photographs and looking for work.

This one gets a little contentious sometimes because "it shouldn't matter what I look like" is quite true.  This, though, is a very literal outlook to have and a photograph is about a lot more than if you are photogenic or not.   

While initial thoughts are quite right and it doesn't really matter "how you look" on a physical level, a picture is still worth 1000 words.  As a graduate you don't have a long list of the places you've worked and so on.  You're just starting out and your CV can be a little "thin" which is perfectly understandable!  The problem here is that much of what you will be able to put into it says "I'm a qualified teacher", you've only just graduated after all, and not "I'm ready to be a professional".

 A CV with a head/shoulder shot of you dressed in professional attire with your hair done neatly etc can be a good way to signal "I'm ready to be a professional" in the absence of a work history.  You've gone to the effort to get a photo that is appropriate which is, in itself, a professional thing to do.  Don't dress up to the nines, and ladies don't feel the need to slather on the makeup.  The idea is not to look "good" but to look like a professional!  Appropriate dress for the schools in your area is pretty much what you want.

High schools, for example, tend to like their teachers a little more "formally dressed" than primary schools.  Regional schools are often looking for a more casual "rural" feel (perhaps outside) while Metro schools tend to appreciate indoor shots of you at a computer and so on.  If you are a PE teacher they will be looking for pictures of you dressed appropriately for PE, possibly holding a piece of sporting equipment, and so on.  These aren't "hard and fast" rules by any means and of course it's not an all inclusive list but it should put you in the right frame of mind.  These are the kinds of things you'll want to be considering when sorting the photos that make you look "the most professional".

Another thing that sometimes takes graduates a little bit of time understand is that often schools will look up potential staff on Facebook as well as other social and professional networking sites, especially if you are applying for contract or permanent positions (though it is far less common for CRT work).  Make sure the photos you use there are also "profession appropriate" as are any comments visible to the public.  It can be a good idea to lock down your profiles on these social networks as prospective employers and students alike WILL look you up sooner or later.

One thing that was a "craze" while Harry Potter was big was a lot of uni students were putting "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" in their occupation on facebook.  It's a fun and happy kind of thing to do while you are at Uni and all is well.  Unfortunately it can also lead some schools to consider perhaps that you are a bit immature in certain aspects and become a little wary.

Also consider a profile on a professional networking site such as LinkedIn to serve as an addendum to your CV and provide a link to your profile. When using multiple ports of call, it's a good idea to "mix up" the photos.  Have one in your CV, a different one on FB, a 3rd on LinkedIn and so on.  Graduation photos etc all do well for graduates.

If a prospective employer goes looking, you now have one in your CV in professional attire, facebook has a graduation picture and on LinkedIn there's another of you in professional attire.  This will show prospective employers that you are serious about teaching even though you may lack experience.  Again, it's not about how you look, it's all about showing yourself as a dedicated professional.

Over time, of course, you can change these up.  A picture of yourself in a classroom and so on (make sure no students are identifiable in the photos and make sure you are aware of the school's policies if they are more strict than this).

What to steer away from;

• "Selfies"
• Anything sexually provocative (even in fun).
• Pictures of you on a night out or dressed for a night out.
• Holiday snaps (unless you've taken care to take some that are appropriate for this purpose).
• Fuzzy pictures.
• Dark or unclear pictures.

In the end, by no means is it mandatory to include a photo in your CV and they certainly don't need to be from a professional photo shoot or anything.  You shouldn't feel forced into doing it, it's definitely a choice, but it can be a really good idea on a many fronts.

Choose wisely!

Regards,

Mel.