Should I put a photo on my resume?

The US, Canada and Australia: leave the photo off

In the United States, Canada and Australia, adding a photo to your resume is widely considered a mistake. Hiring managers in these countries are trained to screen for bias, and many companies have policies that require recruiters to flag or discard resumes with photos to protect themselves from discrimination claims under laws like the US Equal Employment Opportunity Act or Canada's Canadian Human Rights Act.

A photo gives a recruiter information about your age, race, gender and appearance before they have read a single line about your skills. Even a well-intentioned recruiter may unconsciously factor that in. The safest move is to keep the photo off entirely.

The only common exception in these markets is acting, modelling or on-camera presenting, where your appearance is directly relevant to the job. In those cases, a professional headshot is expected and should be attached as a separate file, not embedded in the resume itself.

• US: no photo; protected by EEOC guidelines
• Canada: no photo; protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act
• Australia: no photo; Fair Work Act discourages appearance-based screening
• Exception: acting, modelling, on-camera roles only

The UK: also no, with one nuance

The UK follows the same convention as the US. The Equality Act 2010 covers age, race, sex and several other characteristics, and UK recruiters are aware that a photo creates legal exposure. Standard advice from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is to omit photos from CVs.

The nuance is LinkedIn. UK recruiters use LinkedIn heavily, and your profile photo there is expected. Make sure your LinkedIn headshot is professional, because recruiters will look at it. But keep it off the CV document itself.

Germany: a photo is still the norm

Germany is the clearest exception. A professional headshot in the top-right corner of the first page is a standard part of the German Bewerbung (application). Omitting it can make your application look incomplete or suggest you are unfamiliar with local conventions.

The photo should be a recent, professional headshot taken against a neutral background. Casual selfies or cropped group photos are not acceptable. Many German applicants use a photographer who specialises in Bewerbungsfotos, though a high-quality smartphone photo with good lighting works if it looks professional.

This norm is slowly shifting in larger international companies based in Germany, particularly in tech. If the job posting is in English and the company is a multinational, a photo is optional rather than required. When in doubt, include one.

• Traditional German companies: include a professional headshot
• German multinationals posting in English: optional
• Photo placement: top-right corner of page one
• Format: neutral background, business attire, recent

Other markets worth knowing

Several other countries have their own conventions that differ from the English-speaking default.

• France: photo was traditional but is now discouraged following anti-discrimination guidance; omit unless the employer specifically requests one
• Japan and South Korea: photos are still standard on most resumes and application forms
• Spain, Italy and Portugal: photos are common and generally expected
• Netherlands and Scandinavia: increasingly moving toward no photo, similar to the UK
• Middle East: conventions vary by country and sector; check the specific employer's guidance

What to do when you are applying across multiple countries

If you are job-hunting internationally, maintain two versions of your resume: one with a photo for markets where it is expected, and one without for English-speaking markets. Label the files clearly so you do not accidentally send the wrong one.

When the employer's location is ambiguous, for example a remote role at a company headquartered in Germany but hiring globally, look at the language of the job posting. An English-language posting aimed at an international audience usually follows English-speaking norms, so omit the photo. A posting in German aimed at a local hire usually follows German norms, so include one.

If you are applying through a platform that reformats your resume automatically, check what the output looks like. Some applicant tracking systems strip images entirely, which means a photo you included may simply disappear before the recruiter sees it.

How Break-In Bad handles resume photos

When Omar builds or enhances your resume, she follows the convention for the market you are targeting. For US, UK, Canadian and Australian applications, the resume she produces will not include a photo field. For German or other European markets where photos are standard, she can note the requirement so you know to add one before submitting.

Omar also checks every line of your resume against what you have told her, so the content stays accurate regardless of which version you are sending. If you are applying to roles across different countries, you can use the resume enhancement flow to create a tailored version for each market without starting from scratch each time.

Quick checklist before you submit

Run through these points before you send any application.

1. Confirm the employer's country and the language of the job posting
2. Use the country rules above to decide whether a photo belongs on this version
3. If you include a photo, use a recent professional headshot with a neutral background
4. If you are applying through an ATS in the US or UK, remove the photo even if you are tempted to include one
5. Keep a photo version and a no-photo version saved separately and labelled clearly
6. Check your LinkedIn profile has a professional photo regardless of what you do on the resume