5 Ways to Make Your Avatar Shine On Coroflot
One of the easiest ways to stand out to potential employers and fellow creatives is with your Coroflot profile picture, also known as your avatar. During the application process, this is one of the main things our team looks at when we review applications. Beyond that, your avatar is potentially your chance to stand out among the Coroflot community and a way to forge an instant connection with whoever may be checking out your profile or portfolio. Whether you're applying to join Coroflot for the first time or you're updating an existing profile, here are five ways to make your avatar stand out and shine.
1. Keep it professional
You would think this one would be a no-brainer, but alas it is not so. Depending on your specific industry, professional may have different meanings. For example, if you're an industrial designer, you may opt to have a more serious looking picture than someone who works in animation and illustration, which may be a little goofy. We'll touch on that more in point #2. Generally speaking, we recommend uploading a well-lit, properly framed, good old fashion headshot. If you're thinking about posting a selfie where you're making a duckface while out at the bar, you might want to think again. You don't need to hire a professional photographer to come up with something halfway decent. Then again, if you're in the design world, you probably know a photographer or have some skills yourself.
If you need a visual, here are some examples of professional avatars used by Coroflot members. Each of these is different, some are more professional than others, and all of them show are people we'd probably be happy to work with:
2. Represent your style if possible
Some Coroflot members choose to get extra creative and make their avatar an extension of their creativity. This can be good or bad, but when done well it's a cool way to show your attention to detail and passion for your work. We tend to see this done well by people in the areas of art direction, illustration, and graphic design. Some people also use their personal logo for their avatar, which is a good idea but may throw off employers who may think you run your own company and will potentially move on to the next potential candidate. Curious about what we mean when we say represent your style? Here are some examples:
3. Stay positive
We've all seen the pictures of the dead serious industrial designers, staring coldly into the camera as if on a mission to save the world. We can't deny that sometimes this style demonstrates sharpness and focus, but would it kill you to smile? It may sound shallow, but if you think of yourself as a brand and potential employers as customers, a simple, genuine smile is one of the most effective tools for increasing job and brand appeal. What also works well is a more candid shot where you're caught in the moment laughing or smiling. Here's an example of a professional looking smile and a candid, in-the-moment smile:
Professional:
Candid:
4. Pay attention to your dimension
This is the design world, which means that visuals play a vital role in presentation. That's why there's nothing that kills us more than seeing a portfolio filled with excellent work alongside an avatar that is pixelated or stretched. At a minimum, you can upload a .jpg, .gif, or .png that is 220x220 pixels. It never hurts to size it a little larger just in case.
5. First impressions are everything
There are lots of ways to make a first impression these days, but at the end of the day, people will be looking at your face. Regardless of whether they look at your work or not, the first reaction they have will be - subconsciously or not - when they see your avatar. Always keep this in mind, and if you make sure to stick to the previous four points, we can promise you'll definitely make a strong first impression!
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Read also:
Introducing the Coroflot Process