Indian professionals most conscious about online profile pictures: LinkedIn study

Say their first impression about someone is based on their online profile picture, second highest globally after China

Indian professionals most conscious about online profile pictures, says a LinkedIn study. The study 'New Norms@Work' released by the professional networking website showed that nearly 35% Indian professionals said that it is important to regularly update their profile picture, making it the highest among the 19 countries surveyed. 

Overall, more than one in three Indian professionals across all age groups said that their first impression about someone is based on their online profile picture, second highest globally after China (38%). Interestingly, this figure was the highest (39%) amongst Indian millennials (aged 18-34).

Indian millennials are also conscious about their online professional presence, over 42% admitted being more careful about their profile picture on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn as compared to other social networks. This behavior was most prominent amongst professionals representing industries such as travel & transport (50%), human resources (44%) and arts & culture (44%). 

"Even if you don’t update online profile pictures regularly, in the professional context it is worthwhile to invest in a good professional profile picture that can be leveraged for a longer period of time,” said Deepa Sapatnekar, Head of Communications, LinkedIn India and Hong Kong. 

Overall, 66% Indian professionals across all ages defined themselves as ‘yes employees’, which is much higher than the global average of 43%. Interestingly, this figure was even higher at 76% for Indian millennials (aged 18-34). In comparison, less than half (45%) older respondents (aged 55-65) described themselves as ‘yes employees'.

Forty-eight per cent of this group would also challenge the opinions of their bosses. Also, Indian respondents across all age groups representing education (37%), finance (35%) and legal (13%) are the least likely to stand up to the opinions of their bosses. 

The study findings also revealed that appearances mattered amongst Indian professionals when it came to creating good perceptions. Fifty-eight percent Indian respondents said that they wore smart clothes to feel more professional at work. Majority of Indian professionals (70%) from the travel and transport industry, across all ages said they needed to dress the part at work to feel more professional at work. 

In India, one quarter of full-time working professionals reported wearing a suit or formal dress to work the most frequently, compared to only three percent of their counterparts in Sweden. 

In April 2015, LinkedIn partnered with Censuswide to survey more than 15,000 full-time professionals around the world. Respondents between the ages of 18-66+ were surveyed in 19 countries including the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, to unearth unexpected mainstays in office culture and gain a better understanding of how full-time working professionals view themselves today and are reshaping their professional brand for the modern workplace.