Not a passport photo
First, a key distinction: an application photo is not a biometric passport photo. A passport photo is deliberately neutral and normed; an application photo may — and should — show personality: a light smile, appropriate clothing, a friendlier feel. The two follow different rules, so don't reuse a passport photo for your CV.
The right size per use
| Where | Recommended size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PDF résumé | ~600 × 800 px (3:4) | enough for crisp print/screen, small file |
| Online application portals | per portal (often ≤ 2 MB) | check the upload limit |
| LinkedIn / Xing profile | 400 × 400 (1:1, circular) | head and shoulders, centered |
A common mistake is embedding a 4000-pixel, 5 MB camera photo in a PDF — it bloats the document for no benefit. For a CV photo, around 600 × 800 px is plenty.
The 5-minute workflow
- Crop to the right ratio (3:4 for a CV, 1:1 for LinkedIn) with the crop tool: head and shoulders, face filling about 60% of the height, a little space above the head.
- Resize to the target size (~600 × 800 for a CV) with the resize tool.
- Save as JPG at quality 85 — sharp, and only a few hundred KB.
Everything runs browser-locally — your photo isn't uploaded anywhere.
The most common technical mistakes
- Too large a file in the PDF or portal — resize and compress first.
- Wrong ratio — a landscape snapshot squeezed into a portrait frame looks distorted; crop, don't stretch.
- Blurry or low-resolution source — start from the original, not a WhatsApp-forwarded copy.
- Selfie look — an arm's-length selfie rarely reads as professional. Prop the phone up, shoot at eye level from a little distance.
What makes a good application photo
Beyond the technical side: soft daylight (by a window, no flash), a calm background, eye-level framing, a friendly, open expression, and clothing that fits the role. Dress one notch smarter than the everyday of your target industry. The photo should show you at your best on a good day — not a filtered, unrecognizable version, or the video call will create an expectation gap.
In short
- CV: ~600 × 800 px (3:4), JPG q85, a few hundred KB.
- LinkedIn: 400 × 400 (1:1), head and shoulders.
- Crop, don't stretch; start from the original.
- Personality allowed — it's not a passport photo.