What Facial Expression Works Best for a Professional Headshot?
Research on 315 respondents reveals which facial expression makes you look most competent in professional photos. The answer might surprise you.
What Facial Expression Works Best for a Professional Headshot?
Should you smile in your professional headshot? And if so, how much? It seems like a minor detail, but your facial expression measurably affects how competent people think you are.
A study by Yandex.Practicum and HeadHunter tested this with 315 respondents — and the results challenge some common assumptions.
The Experiment
Researchers photographed 13 IT professionals (8 women, 5 men) with three different expressions:
- Serious — neutral, passport-style
- Slight smile — subtle, natural
- Wide smile — broad, "American" style
Respondents rated each person's perceived competence based solely on the photo.
The Winner: A Slight, Natural Smile
The slight smile scored highest across the board. Not the serious look. Not the big grin. The sweet spot is somewhere in between.
A subtle, natural smile — the expression that scored highest for perceived competence
The wide smile actually performed worst — perceived competence dropped compared to even the serious expression. This aligns with other research suggesting that overly enthusiastic expressions can undermine perceived professionalism.
The serious, passport-style face scored about 4% higher than the wide smile, but still lost to the subtle smile.
Surprising Factors That Matter More Than Your Smile
The study uncovered several variables with a bigger impact than facial expression:
Facial Hair Adds Perceived Competence
Participants with beards scored 5.09 on average vs 4.74 for clean-shaven. The effect was larger than changing facial expressions. In a professional context, a well-groomed beard may signal experience and maturity.
Glasses Help Too
The only participant wearing glasses scored 5.01 — above the overall average of 4.77. The "smart person in glasses" stereotype apparently holds up even in split-second judgments.
Gender Gap Persists
Women received competence ratings 4-5% lower than men with identical expressions. In Western markets, experienced recruiters partially compensate for this bias. The study found no such correction in their sample.
Practical Takeaways
Based on this research, here's what to aim for:
- Go for a natural, slight smile — it universally scores highest
- Avoid the "say cheese" grin — it reduces perceived competence
- A serious face is OK but not optimal — it beats the wide smile but loses to the subtle one
- Authenticity wins — a forced smile is worse than a calm, neutral expression
- Grooming matters — glasses and well-kept facial hair can actually boost perception
Getting the Expression Right
Nailing a natural, relaxed smile on demand is harder than it sounds. Most people either overdo it or freeze up in front of a camera.
One option: create your headshot with AI. Upload a few casual selfies where you look natural, and the AI generates a professional portrait with the right expression, lighting, and background.
AI-generated from regular selfies — natural expression, professional result. Try it free