What Is a Biodata Photo? When and How to Use It! +Tips

A biodata photo is a biodata picture. It is a photograph of yourself that you add to your marriage profile or a job biodata (your resume).

Biodata images can help your resume stand out from others. A picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, a carefully selected photo for biodata can give recruiters an idea of your personality and how well you will fit in the company. Nonetheless, remember that biodata pictures do not suit every job application.

On the other hand, your picture works as a first impression and is necessary for a marriage biodata. Most people will decide whether you are a match or not based on the looks of your matrimonial photos.

Whichever biodata you are creating, a profile picture is a prime element that influences the way you are perceived. Appropriate biodata images can boost your chances of obtaining your goal, whether getting a job or finding a romantic match. 

🎯 Biodata for job

As tempting as it is, some countries or particular jobs are not so into job seekers using a photo for their biodata. Consider the following aspects when deciding whether to use a picture in your biodata for a job: 

1. Country

In many cases, it boils down to each country’s preferences. For example, in the United States and Ireland, resumes with photos are not common or recommended. In these countries, anti-discrimination laws protect potential candidates from having to give out too many personal details.

On the other hand, there are other countries like the Czech Republic or China where having a photo in the resume or biodata is pretty much the norm (Although most of the time it will not hurt your application if you decide to omit it). Therefore, research before handing in your resume.

2. Industry

Another aspect to consider before preparing a photo for your biodata is the industry you’ll be working on if you get hired. Within some industries like finance or economics, recruiters could consider your picture on the resume unprofessional.  

3. Job requirements

Unless you are applying for a modeling job or a TV presenter position, most of the time, adding job biodata images is not a must. Job positions like sales, customer service, or acting will not mind if you add a biodata photo. 

However, recruiters will feel that a biodata picture makes the resume look unprofessional in some other jobs. Consider whether your appearance will matter for your application. Otherwise, it might look like you are trying to compensate for poor skills.

4. Cons of including a photo in a job biodata

Finally, also consider the possible negative impact a biodata picture could cause. You might be taking up some valuable space in your biodata by adding a photo. It is hard to fit the most important information on only one page. Add your skills and capabilities if your appearance is not vital for the job. 

Another drawback is that you might end up facing discrimination. Sometimes, employers might be unconsciously-biased against certain races, genders, physical attributes, or even clothing styles. Therefore, biodata images could cause more harm than good. Do it only when the conditions are ideal: right job, right country, right industry.

🎯 Biodata for Marriage

On the other hand, appropriate marriage biodata images are a must if you want to boost the responses to your matrimony profile.

Including appropriate pictures in your marriage biodata can make the difference between your profile getting a lot of visits or being ignored. Your photo creates a first impression that’s quite rare to change. Do your best to make a positive one!

Whatever photo for marriage biodata you use will be the first thing someone sees. It will heavily influence their decision on whether to move away from your profile or interact further to reach you. 

Add an appropriate biodata photo if you decided you are using one. You have to use a photo that was taken by a professional (Well-lit, clear, focused). Wear an outfit that makes you look the part!

Avoid weird angles that might make it hard for recruiters to recognize you. Similarly, stay away from sunglasses, hats, and hairstyles that may cover your face. Make it easy for the HR team to match your face to the job biodata picture.

Follow these tips, and you will have a killer biodata photo:

✅ Choose a photo that looks like you.

As obvious as it sounds, you should use a biodata image that looks the way you look now. Recruiters will question your credibility if you went through an extreme make-over, cut your hair, or even dyed it and look different from the picture you sent them when you enter the interview stage. Take a fresh pic that represents your actual image.

✅ Your face should take up 60% of the frame.

Images of biodata for jobs look the best when your face fills the frame. Remember, you want the recruiter to know how you look so your face should be the main subject of the photo for your biodata. A good guide is to crop it from the top of your shoulders to the top of your head.

✅ Don’t choose a photo that contains you and others.

Rather than showing your teamwork skills, a picture with many people on it might be a bit more chaotic than you expect. The HR team might be confused if the only picture you provide has plenty of people in it. Do not forget that the purpose of a biodata photo is to let the recruiting team know you in advance.

✅ Don’t use a selfie.

It is okay to take the biodata picture with a cellphone (nowadays, most have good quality). However, refrain from taking a selfie. Most front cameras have a lower resolution, and selfies are sometimes uncomfortable. Ask a friend to help you take the picture to be more relaxed and look natural and comfortable.

✅ Check your expression in the photo.

Taking a professional-looking picture does not mean that you need to be emotionless. An appropriate smile can make your biodata picture stand out by conveying friendliness and approachability. Practice in front of a mirror to understand your natural expressions and choose the one you feel the most confident doing.

✅ Choose a simple background.

Keep the background clean and simple. When it is too colorful or with a complicated pattern, it could take the focus from you on your biodata picture. It does not need to be a white background or a single colored one. As long as you ensure you pop in the biodata image, you’ll do great. 

✅ Dress professionally.

For your biodata photo, wear what you would for a job interview. You can adjust it based on the position you are applying for to add some personalization. An extra tip is to avoid busy patterns as sometimes they overwhelm cameras and look strange in the picture.

✅ Pay attention to the light.

Nothing beats natural lighting! Nonetheless, avoid taking photos for your job biodata in bright light. Shadows may create an unappealing effect on the picture. Therefore, the best time to shoot it is on an overcast day. The clouds help you avoid direct sunlight while keeping the picture bright enough. 

To help you further visualize the concepts we presented, here are three examples of good job biodata photos:

On the other hand, below are three examples of a bad job biodata photo to avoid: 

Similar to job biodata images, marriage biodata photos should also show what you look like. However, for marriage biodata, you have more freedom to put some of your personality into it. Moreover, try to avoid pixelated pictures. People might think you are using an old photo if you don’t. Finally, make sure you look good! 

Here are some tips on  how to take a photo for marriage biodata:

💡 Choose an upper-body portrait.

At least include a professional headshot. A close-up that shows who you are clearly. After all, the main purpose of your matrimonial photo is to let potential partners get a glimpse of your image and personality. A photo on your marriage biodata won’t be helpful if your face is or too far to be seen in the pictures. So choose one that both shows your face and upper body.

💡 Pay attention to your hands.

What to do with your hands when taking a picture is a common question. Many people struggle with nervousness and end up having their hands in an awkward position. 

Men should go for poses they are comfortable with, such as putting their hands in their pockets or crossing their arms. Women, on the other hand, can slowly move their hands to achieve a natural look for a good picture of bio data on their matrimonial profile.

💡 Make sure the light is good.

Good lighting can be the difference between your skin looking young and vibrant versus direct sunlight making you look older than you are! A good idea for great marriage biodata images is to use a window as a filter to diffuse natural sunlight and obtain beautiful enhancing lighting. 

💡 Avoid a distracting background.

The background of your marriage biodata photo should enhance you, not steal the focus. Keep it simple to assure you always stand out. If you are taking the picture indoors, keep an eye on the cleanliness of the room. The last thing you want is some trash in the background of your otherwise nice-looking biodata photo.

💡 Pay attention to the composition.

One way to make your pictures stand out from other marriage biodatas is to pay close attention to the composition. The simplest way to do it is using the rule of thirds. Basically, you divide the picture into thirds (horizontal and vertical sections) and place the subject of the photo along the imaginary lines. 

💡 Look confident and smile.

A key to effective matrimonial photos is to transmit confidence through the images. Wear clothes that fit well, if you look good, you feel better. Do not slouch and remember to smile! The best pictures are those where you know you look well and can show it in front of the lens.

💡 Show your good side.

Practice in front of a mirror or using your phone. Find your good side (we all have one). Try not to be facing the camera straight forward and get a more appealing angle. Once you know your good side, you will have great marriage biodata photos.

💡 Avoid the double chin.

You will also have to keep the double chin in mind if you want to increase your chances of looking better in your matrimonial photos. By pressing your tongue against the back of your front teeth you will tighten the neck muscles. You can also play with the angle and move it a bit over the eye-line.

Here are three examples of good marriage biodata photos for better reference:

Alternatively, these are three examples of bad marriage biodata photos you should avoid:

The position you put your job biodata images in is as important as the content itself. Ensure it stands out without taking away from the other sections. Most likely, you will want to put it at the top of your biodata. 

• Biodata for Job

We recommend placing your picture at the top left of the resume. It is usually the first place recruiters notice, and it will link well with other interesting information like your name and personal data. The top right corner is also a good place to place your biodata photo.

• Biodata for Marriage

The positioning for the main picture does not change much. As long as you place the marriage biodata photo on the top of your biodata it will look great. Other than the top corners, you can also place it right in the middle!

Depending on the tool you use, there are different ways to add the picture:

🖥 CakeResume Resume Builder

It is easy to add and place images thanks to our resume builder. All you need to do is hold down the image and drag it into your resume. A window will pop up and let you upload your biodata photo if you click on it. You can also drag the picture to upload it automatically. 

CakeResume supports JPG, JPEG, PNG, and GIF files. Make sure that the size is within 5MB.

🖥 Word/Google Docs

Both platforms work similarly. You can use the insert function and then select "image". On both platforms, you can choose to upload the biodata picture from your computer, search the web, or just drag it into the file. Google Docs allows you to use images from your Drive while Microsoft Word lets you get them from OneDrive.

--- Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa ---