Should I Include A Recent Photo With My CV?

The simple answer to this question is no, you should never consider including a photograph of yourself with your CV when you decide to apply for a job. The reason for this is because of the strict anti discrimination rules that we adhere to. It is rooted in principles of diversity, inclusion and anti discrimination. Employers adhere to this to create a fair and impartial hiring process to create an environment where decisions are based on the candidates professional suitability for a role. It is a deliberate and thoughtful choice aimed at cultivating workplaces that value compliance with anti discrimination laws and fair hiring practices..

The absence of a photograph included in a CV aligns with UK equality legislation laws such as the Equality Act of 2010 which emphasises the importance of equal opportunities.

When a company decides to post vacancies in order to recruit new staff, they should always be able to prove that they were not influenced or biased in any way because of how someone looks, their gender, their age or their country of origin.

We tend to all make assumptions in the first few seconds of meeting someone and the same goes for a photograph. If you are shown a photograph of someone, you automatically start to profile them and make judgements about them based upon what you see. As the saying implies ‘what you see is not always what you get’, and quite often people can make a wrong assumption about someone. That is why it is imperative that everyone remains neutral and that the job applications are all processed fairly and without prejudice or discrimination.

There are many countries where photographs are actually acceptable and even requested when applying for a job. These countries include the Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America and several European countries. However, with the exception of certain jobs in the UK such as modelling or certain acting roles when often a certain appearance is required, then you should never include a photograph or any physical description of yourself, no matter how good looking you think you are as you should not be able to influence the recruitment process with your physical charms.

By focusing solely on professional credentials, employers can make more objective hiring decisions by fostering a fair and inclusive recruitment environment where qualifications, experience and skills are prioritised over personal appearance.