It’s easy to underestimate the importance of a good photo on your teaching profile.
You’re probably in a hurry, and want to fill out an online teaching form in as many teacher student introduction sites as you can, in a short period of time. You’ve got things to do, so when you get the the part of the profile where you have to upload a picture of yourself, it’s tempting just to use whichever one seems decent and is on your phone or PC at the time.
However, rightly or wrongly (probably wrongly) people will judge you on how you look and how you present yourself in your photo.
Students in Japan will look at your teaching profile and if the associated picture looks professional and you look friendly, then it’s likely they’ll read your profile and not skip on to the next one.
If you look like you’ve been on a four day bender or your in a picture with your mates on a night out, it’s unlikely serious language students will give your profile much consideration.
So with that said, here are Orango Teacher’s top 5 dos and don’ts when you’re submitting a photo for your language teaching profile.
- 1. DO smile in your photo. Even if you’re unhappy, force one out. Try your very best to look sane and if you can, friendly.
- 1. DON’T look miserable or too serious. Try not to look like you could make a student cry if they mess up their past progressive tenses.
- 2. DO appear in the picture by yourself. No matter how wonderful your partner or children are, they shouldn’t be in your profile picture. Maybe a pet, but certainly no other human.
- 2. DON’T put up a picture with you and all of your kindergarten students, or with any of your students.
- 3. DO look smart and professional. If not smart formal wear, at least look like you’ve not been sleeping in a bin.
- 3. DON’T look like you’re trying to get a date.
- 4. DO use a high resolution picture which clearly shows your face.
- 4 .DON’T submit a photocopy of your passport photo.
- Good luck teaching in Japan!
Students in Japan will see your profile on the OrangoJapan.com website.
