Resume Builder Tips: With or Without Photo?

It's not always obvious whether you should or shouldn't put your headshot while building your resume. There's very mixed advice on this: some say you should, while others say you definitely shouldn't. As always, it seems that the truth is somewhere in the middle and depends on your specific use case. Which resume builder is the best for your case will also depend on these factors.

❌ When you shouldn't include a photo in your resume

The main issue with photos in the resume is that it can create bias. This is why there are legislations in some countries that regulate including resumes with photos. All these laws are against discrimination in the workplace, which results in employers being forbidden to ask for any personal information, such as photos on resume. Here's a few countries where this is regulated:

United States has the Equal Employment Opportunity laws (EEO) which prohibit employers from making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or age
Canada has the Canadian Human Rights Act which protects job applicants from discrimination
United Kingdom adopted the Equality Act 2010 which consolidates anti-discrimination laws

And more than that, some employers might have a [requirement to not include photo] in the job descriptions, and all the resumes with photos would be auto-rejected in this case.

This is why it's super important to always read the job description. Alternatively, you can use AI for this. Here's the prompt you can apply to every job description:

      Analyze the following job description carefully and determine:

      1. Whether there's any explicit mention of including or excluding a photo in the resume/CV
      2. The country where the job is located based on contextual clues (location, currency, company headquarters, language requirements, etc.)
      3. Whether including photos in resumes is appropriate for that country

      Please extract any specific wording related to resume photo requirements. If there's no explicit mention, indicate this clearly.

      Then provide a recommendation based on:
      - The explicit requirements in the job description (if any)
      - The standard practice in the identified country

      IMPORTANT: For the following countries, photos in resumes are NOT RECOMMENDED and should be avoided unless explicitly requested:
      - United States
      - United Kingdom
      - Canada
      - Australia
      - Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland)

      For all other countries, including a professional photo is generally acceptable unless specified otherwise in the job description.

      Job Description:
      [PASTE JOB DESCRIPTION HERE]

Of course, there are some exceptions to the rule. Actors, models or other visual professionals should always include a photo.

Resume builder without photo

To start your resume from scratch that doesn't include a photo, you should try ApplyMate. It will create a resume without a photo for you, but not only that. The main idea behind the app is to optimize it for automatic applicant tracking systems to increase your chances of getting noticed. It functions as a resume builder to pass ATS effectively.

On top of all that, ApplyMate will help you tailor each resume for every job description, to increase your chances of getting a job even further.

Resume builder interface without photo option

✅ When you should include a photo in your resume

When is it a good idea to add photo to your application? The short answer is pretty much any other country, again, unless there's a specific requirement not to do it in the job description. The photos are generally expected in the following countries:

Germany: Photos are traditionally expected
France: CVs usually include a photo
Japan: Photos are standard on resumes
China: Photos are commonly included
Most Latin American countries: Photos are customary

If you do include headshot, don't just include selfie, add the professional headshot if you have one. Or at least a photo that looks like one. There's a plenty of tools that can help you create a very realistically looking photo: HeadshotPro

Resume builder with photo

If you need a more customizable resume builder with tons of templates and the ability to add a photo to your resume, Rezi should be your choice, it's an AI-powered resume builder with different photo integration options.

Resume builder interface with photo integration

Conclusion

The decision to include a photo on your resume ultimately depends on geographic location, industry standards, and specific job requirements. When in doubt:

Research the company and country-specific practices
Review the job description carefully, using a resume builder based on job description can help optimize your application
Consider creating two versions of your resume (with and without photo)
Prioritize content quality over visual elements

Remember that your skills, experience, and qualifications should always be the focus of your resume, regardless of whether you include a photo.