On June 25, 2025, Upwardly Global held its first Picture Day event at LinkedIn’s San Francisco headquarters — a new initiative designed to provide immigrant and refugee job seekers with free professional headshots to support their career advancement.
More Than Just a Photo
A high-quality headshot represents more than just a simple photograph — it’s a powerful first impression that can open doors. In today’s digital job market, platforms like LinkedIn are often the first place recruiters and employers encounter a candidate. A polished, professional image helps job seekers establish credibility, stand out from the competition, and increase their chances of securing interviews.
Access to professional resources shouldn’t be a luxury, yet it remains a significant barrier for many job seekers, particularly those who face unique constraints on their time and resources. According to a 2023 Upwardly Global report, 65% of young immigrants have fewer than five hours per week to dedicate to their job search. Many balance multiple subsistence jobs, caregiving responsibilities, and complex immigration processes. For women, these constraints are more severe.
Our Picture Day aims to address this by providing a critical professional resource at no cost, removing one more obstacle newcomers face in their pursuit of meaningful employment.
Building Community Through Connection
Beyond the photo sessions, Picture Day created valuable networking opportunities for participants to connect with Upwardly Global staff, program alumni, and fellow professionals. These conversations fostered encouragement, shared wisdom, and community building, reminding participants that they are not alone in their career journeys.
Expanding Our Impact
As we prepare to expand Picture Day to our offices in Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C., we’re excited to help even more job seekers take this important step toward professional visibility and confidence.
Share Your Story
Whether you attended Picture Day or want to share your journey as an immigrant or refugee professional, we’d love to hear from you. Your story could inspire others facing similar challenges and help build the supportive community that makes initiatives like Picture Day possible.