There's a weird trend I keep noticing on LinkedIn. Electricians in suits. Plumbers with corporate backdrops. HVAC technicians looking like they're about to present quarterly earnings.
And every time I see it, the same thought crosses my mind: why are these people pretending to work in an office?
It's not that the photos are bad quality. Most of them are perfectly fine headshots. The problem is they're the wrong headshots. They create a disconnect between what someone does and how they present themselves – and that disconnect costs them trust.
The Suit-and-Tie Trap
Somewhere along the line, trades professionals got the message that "professional headshot" means "dress like you work in finance."
It doesn't. And honestly? It backfires.
When a homeowner is looking for someone to rewire their house, they don't want the guy who looks like he just walked out of a board meeting. They want someone who looks like they know what they're doing with their hands. Someone who's comfortable on a job site. Someone who looks like they actually do the work.
A suit-and-tie headshot for a trades worker creates cognitive dissonance. Your credentials say one thing, your photo says another. And when there's a disconnect between what people read and what they see, trust takes a hit.
Hard Hat Photos Can Look Absolutely Badass
Here's what kills me about the whole situation – trades work photographs incredibly well when you lean into it.
A welder in proper gear with sparks flying? That's cinematic. An electrician with a hard hat and tool belt, looking confident and capable? That communicates competence instantly. A carpenter in a workshop surrounded by their craft? That tells a story.
These images have texture, context, and authenticity. They show someone in their element rather than awkwardly posed in front of a fake office backdrop.
Think about it from a psychological standpoint. When you see someone dressed appropriately for their profession, your brain immediately registers them as credible in that role. A chef in chef whites. A surgeon in scrubs. A construction foreman in a hard hat and high-vis vest.
But when someone's attire doesn't match their stated profession, your brain flags it. Something's not adding up. And that subtle confusion undermines the trust you're trying to build.
The best trades headshots I've seen embrace the work environment. Clean, well-maintained gear. Good lighting that shows confidence and capability. Maybe the job site in the background, maybe a workshop, maybe just a solid-color backdrop that doesn't try to be something it's not.
You don't need to look dirty or disheveled. You need to look like you belong in your industry – because you do.
The White-Collar Inferiority Complex Needs to Die
Let's address the elephant in the room: a lot of trades workers feel pressure to present themselves as "professional" in a way that really means "white collar."
This is absurd for about twelve different reasons, but let's start with the obvious one – skilled trades often pay better than the office jobs people are trying to imitate.
According to recent data from The Hill, elevator and escalator technicians earn a median salary of $106,580, with top earners hitting nearly $150,000. Electrical power-line installers can make over $125,000. These aren't outliers – plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians regularly out-earn many college-educated professionals while carrying zero student debt.
And here's what's wild: 42% of Gen Z workers are now pursuing blue-collar or skilled trade careers specifically because they've done the math. They're looking at job stability, earnings potential, and the fact that these roles can't be automated or outsourced.
So why would anyone in a lucrative, in-demand, skilled profession put on a costume to look like someone making less money in a cubicle?
The trades are having a moment. Embrace it.
What Actually Works for Trades Professionals
I've seen thousands of professional headshots across every industry, and the trades workers who nail it share a few common elements:
They dress for their actual job. Clean work gear, company polo, or industry-appropriate attire. Not a costume. If you'd wear it to meet a client on a job site, it works for your headshot.
They look confident, not apologetic. Direct eye contact, good posture, maybe even a slight smile. The energy says "I'm great at what I do" not "please take me seriously despite my profession."
They include context when it makes sense. A background that suggests their work environment – whether that's a job site, workshop, or just a neutral backdrop – reinforces their expertise rather than hiding it.
They invest in quality. This is where a lot of trades workers get it wrong. They think the only two options are "expensive suit photo" or "blurry selfie in the truck." Neither works. A quality headshot that shows you in your professional element is the move.
I've written before about the psychology behind headshots that convert, and the core principle applies here: your photo needs to match the expectations of the people you're trying to reach. For trades workers, that means looking capable, experienced, and comfortable in your industry – not like you're trying to escape it.
Your Clients Want to See the Real You
When someone needs an HVAC repair in July or a burst pipe fixed at midnight, they're not thinking "I hope this person looks like they work in finance."
They're thinking: Does this person look like they know what they're doing? Do they look trustworthy? Would I feel comfortable letting them into my home?
Your headshot answers those questions before you ever get a chance to speak. And the answer should be an obvious yes – not a confusing maybe.
The trades professional who shows up looking like they actually work in the trades builds instant credibility. The one who shows up in a borrowed suit looking vaguely uncomfortable raises questions they shouldn't have to answer.
Stop Apologizing for Your Career
There's this underlying assumption in the suit-and-tie headshot choice that trades work is somehow less respectable than office work. That you need to dress it up to be taken seriously.
That assumption is wrong, and it's increasingly outdated.
Skilled trades are essential. They're well-compensated. They require genuine expertise that takes years to develop. They can't be done remotely or outsourced overseas. And in a world where everyone's worried about AI taking their job, trades workers have security that most white-collar professionals don't.
Your headshot should reflect pride in that reality, not embarrassment about it.
The electrician who looks like an electrician – clean, professional, confident in their gear – communicates something powerful: "I'm excellent at what I do, and I'm not pretending to be anything else."
That's attractive to clients. That builds trust. That wins business.
So ditch the suit. Put on your actual work attire. Stand up straight, look at the camera, and let people see who you really are.
Because the best version of your professional image isn't a costume. It's you, doing what you do best, with zero apologies.