Prepare Ahead with Confidence! 3 Things to Do Before Your Job-Hunting Photo Shoot
You've booked your ID photo session as the first step of your job search (shukatsu), but you're not sure what you should do before the shoot... Sound familiar?
In this article, we've put together a list of things worth doing before your shoot day.
If you want to arrive on the day feeling fully prepared, give them a try!
Contents
- Things to do before your job-hunting ID photo shoot
① Check your outfit
② Decide on your hairstyle and makeup
③ Check how to get to the studio - Bonus: Facial muscle and posture stretches
- Summary
Things to Do Before Your Job-Hunting ID Photo Shoot
① Check your outfit
First, decide what you'll wear in your photo.
For tips on choosing an outfit, please see the articles below.
[Job-Hunting Basics] What to Wear for Your ID Photo (Women's Edition) | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos | Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Not sure what to wear for your job-hunting ID photo? Check out this article! Women's suits come with a wide variety of blouse styles. We also explain how each one changes your impression...
19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos | Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
[Job-Hunting Basics] What to Wear for Your ID Photo (Men's Edition) | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos | Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Not sure what to wear for your job-hunting ID photo? Check out this article! It also includes advice on how to wear a recruit suit (the standard dark suit used for job hunting)...
Once you've decided on an outfit, it's even safer to try it on at home once.
While wearing it, check for wrinkles or stains in visible areas and whether the size fits properly.
If you find wrinkles or stains, you can iron or wash the item before the shoot. If it no longer fits, you can have it altered or buy a new one in advance.
② Decide on your hairstyle and makeup
After your outfit, decide on your hairstyle and makeup. You don't need to do anything special. A neat, clean-looking hairstyle and makeup are all you need.
The articles below introduce recommended hairstyles for ID photos.
[Job-Hunting Hair] Recommended Hairstyles for Your ID Photo: Short & Bob | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos | Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Recommended job-hunting hairstyles by hair length. This time: short cuts to bobs. Even if you can't tie your hair back, keeping the area around your face tidy makes a big difference in your impression...
[Job-Hunting Hair] Recommended Hairstyles for Your ID Photo: Medium Length | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos | Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Recommended job-hunting hairstyles by hair length. This time: medium-length hair. If you choose a style you can easily do yourself from the photo stage, you can recreate the same look with confidence on interview day...
[Job-Hunting Hair] Recommended Hairstyles for Your ID Photo: Long Hair | 19Studio Shinjuku Job-Hunting Photos | Same-Day Booking OK, Lowest Price
Recommended job-hunting hairstyles by hair length. This time: long hair. With so many ways to style it, choose a look that's easy to do and feels like you as you head into your job search!
[Job-Hunting Hair] Recommended Hairstyles for Your ID Photo: Men's Edition
Recommended job-hunting hairstyles by hair length. This time: men's hair. Even if you don't normally style your hair, you'll be fine once you know the key points for looking neat and polished...
If you're planning to style your hair or do your makeup differently from usual for job hunting, it's reassuring to try it out once beforehand. It really does happen that people use an unfamiliar styling product and end up with messier hair, or that getting ready takes much longer than usual and they arrive late.
By testing it in advance, you'll know how long it takes and whether it's a hairstyle and makeup look you can do yourself.
③ Check how to get to the studio
Be sure to check how to get to the photo studio ahead of time.
If you have plans before your shoot, check the route from that place to the studio. If you're heading there from home, check the route from your home. It also helps to confirm that any train transfers will go smoothly.
Getting into this habit will also make you less likely to be late or go to the wrong place during your job search!
Bonus: Facial Muscle and Posture Stretches
Here are some stretches for anyone who wants to look even better in their ID photo.
＜Stretch to prevent tilted shoulders＞
Many people end up with tilted shoulders when having their ID photo taken.
To prevent this, we recommend a stretch that helps level your shoulders.
First, stand in front of a mirror, raise and lower both shoulders, then relax them and check which shoulder sits lower.
Once you know, let's begin!
- Sit on a chair or the floor, keeping your pelvis upright
- Straighten your back and raise the arm on the lower-shoulder side
- Lean your body sideways, stretching your waist and the side of your body for 15–20 seconds
It's a simple stretch, so you can do it in spare moments.
＜Stretch to loosen your facial muscles＞
It's hard to smile just the right amount in an ID photo, isn't it?
A great exercise for this is the "oo-ee exercise" (ui-ui taisō in Japanese).
- Shape your mouth as if saying "oo"
- Then shape it as if saying "ee"
- Repeat steps 1 and 2
That's all it takes to practice a natural, beautiful smile, and it can also give a slimmer-looking face.
It's also practiced at talent agencies with many well-known actresses and at announcer schools.
Summary
In this article, we introduced things to do before your ID photo shoot!
With careful preparation, you can arrive on shoot day feeling relaxed and confident.
- I love writing and I'm currently studying copywriting. I turn the questions our guests often ask and the things I notice in the studio into easy-to-read articles about job-hunting and ID photos, so that even first-timers can understand them.
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