Should you put a photo on your CV?
In the UK, Ireland and the US, leave the photo off unless the employer asks for it or the job is about appearance. In the Netherlands, no photo is the safe default. In Germany a photo is still common and you can choose to include one, but no source we found says it is required. Check the job ad first.
A photo is normal on some CVs and a reason for concern on others. Here is what public sources say for five countries, and a simple way to decide.
In this article
Whether to put a photo on your CV depends on where you apply. The short answer is at the top of this page. This post goes country by country, using public sources, and ends with a way to decide.
Nothing here is legal advice. Laws and employer practice change, and a job ad that asks for a photo is the best signal for that employer.
United Kingdom
Leave the photo off unless the ad asks for one or the work depends on appearance, such as acting or modelling. No source we found says a UK CV needs one.
The Equality Act 2010 bars an employer from discriminating in the arrangements it makes for deciding who to offer a job (section 39). A photo can show things like age, sex, race or disability, so a CV without one keeps the reader on your experience.
Ireland
Leave the photo off unless the employer asks for it. A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator once said that requiring a photograph with an application was open to allegations of prejudice, and recommended that State bodies review the practice. That was a recommendation in a case where the age claim itself failed, not a general rule.
United States
Leave the photo off. The EEOC says employers should not ask for a photograph of an applicant, and that a photo needed for identification may be obtained after an offer is made and accepted. State rules can differ.
The exception is work where appearance is part of the job, such as acting or modelling, where a headshot is part of the application.
Netherlands
No photo is the safe default. We found no Dutch rule that requires one, and Dutch equal treatment law prohibits discrimination on listed grounds, including in employment. If a Dutch ad asks for a photo, that is the employer's choice, and you can ask whether it is needed.
Germany
A photo is still common on German applications, and you can include one. The CIO.de report says it belongs to an application almost as standard, that the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency criticises the practice, and that it is not required by law. The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) aims to prevent disadvantage on grounds including race, sex, religion, disability and age.
If you include one, use a recent, plain photo of your head and shoulders. If you apply to an international company, leaving it off is also reasonable.
How to decide
- Read the job ad. If it asks for a photo, decide whether to follow it.
- Check the country. The sections above cover five.
- Think about the layout. A photo in a header or column takes space and can confuse software that reads your CV into fields.
- Keep it optional. You can send different versions to different employers.
Can CVTailor handle the photo question?
CVTailor builds your CV from your own work history and the job ad. The profile photo is optional, and you can leave it off for any application.
Frequently asked questions
Is a photo on a CV illegal?
In the countries covered here, putting a photo on your own CV is not illegal. The legal pressure falls on employers, who may not discriminate in hiring. A photo can show age, sex, race or disability, which is why employers in some countries are told not to ask for one.
Can an employer require a photo?
In the US, the EEOC says employers should not ask for a photograph of an applicant. In Ireland, a Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator recommended that State bodies review the practice of requiring one. In the UK and Germany, discrimination law applies to the whole hiring process, so a photo requirement carries risk for the employer.
Does a photo affect applicant tracking systems?
It can. Software that reads your CV into fields has no use for an image, and a photo placed in a header or column can interfere with parsing. Our guide on ATS-friendly CVs covers the layout checks.
Should I add a photo if the job ad asks for one?
If the ad asks for a photo, follow the instruction or ask the employer whether it is needed. Use a plain, recent, well-lit photo of your head and shoulders.
Sources
- The EEOC says employers should not ask for a photograph of an applicant, and that a photo needed for identification may be obtained after an offer is made and accepted. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Section 39(1) of the Equality Act 2010 bars an employer from discriminating in the arrangements made for deciding to whom to offer employment. legislation.gov.uk
- A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator said a requirement to include a photograph with an application was open to allegations of prejudice, and recommended that State bodies review it. The claim itself, about age, was dismissed. Fieldfisher Ireland
- Dutch equal treatment law (Algemene wet gelijke behandeling) prohibits discrimination on listed grounds, including in employment. wetten.overheid.nl
- The German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) aims to prevent disadvantage on grounds including race, sex, religion, disability and age. Gesetze im Internet
- A 2020 dpa report says a photo belongs to a German application almost as standard, that the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency criticises the practice, and that it is not a legal requirement. CIO.de