How often have you heard something like, “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” or “the first impression is the last impression”? These old clichés hold true today, but even more so with the advent of the digital world. In an environment where everyone sizes you up at a glance, we often don’t even get the chance to walk through the door before people form opinions based on our social media accounts. Socially, it can be easy enough and justified to brush this off. After all, if someone passes judgment so quickly, you might not want to spend time with them anyway.

But in the online world, especially while job-seeking, it might be harder to avoid altogether. When potential employers look you up on LinkedIn, they will form opinions about you, whether they mean to or not, partly based on your photo. A Princeton University study found that people can form impressions of others after viewing their faces for just one-tenth of a second. Although these snap judgments are not necessarily accurate or fair, they can influence how others perceive us. Such judgments can also reflect unconscious biases. So that headshot on your profile is actually much more important than you initially thought. We all hope to be judged based on the merits listed on our resumes or how we conduct ourselves in an interview. But if someone has already viewed your LinkedIn, WhatsApp, or other social media profiles, they’ve already started forming an opinion of you.

A digital image speaks volumes before a voice is even heard. So, in the modern world, we have to stop and consider what our digital footprint says about us. How we present ourselves digitally matters as much as how we present ourselves in person when we’re trying to get our foot in the door. In an in-person environment, presenting our strengths can come easier. We can put our best foot forward, say the right things, ask the right questions, and have the right answers. A well-composed profile photo now bears the pressure of conveying the same, without the words.

This mindset may seem shallow, but rest assured, it is not the only factor people consider when deciding whom to hire. Nevertheless, because snap judgments are part of how humans assess others, this reality should be taken into consideration while curating our online presence. This is a modern challenge that generations before us did not encounter in the same way. But we must adapt. Our first impression is no longer when we walk into an interview; it’s our faces on employers’ screens.

Professional presentation is not synonymous with attractiveness, designer clothing, or abandoning personal style. It is, however, the intersection between appearance and abilities that stretches far beyond the reaches of a single headshot and into the greater professional world as a whole. We just need to be smart about it. Understanding how to present appropriately is as important as knowing how to communicate effectively.

As we enter our professional lives, we must remember that image matters, what we wear matters, and how we present ourselves matters. You’ve done the work academically; you’re smart, qualified, and confident. Make sure the world knows it at first glance. In that one-tenth of a second, show them you are the right person for the job.