CV photos & job applications

What should your CV photo look like when applying to big companies? 30 brands people want to work for

Updated: 13/08/2026 · 8 min read · Written by the Ảnh Thẻ Gạo Nâu team

Applying to a large company does not start with a photo, but the CV photo is the small detail that makes an application look more polished from the very first glance. The photo should help the recruiter recognize you clearly, feel that you fit the working context, and not be distracted by the background, the clothing, the expression or heavy-handed retouching.

This article uses Anphabe 2025 (a Vietnamese employer-brand survey) as a market reference for the group of large employers in Vietnam. The list of 30 brands below is an editorial/SEO shortlist put together by Gạo Nâu to shape the content. It is not an official ranking of how much people want to work there, not a statement about any relationship between Gạo Nâu and those companies, and it should not be read as their hiring rules.

What questions should a CV photo for a large company answer?

A good CV photo does not try to make you look "fancier" than you really are. It answers three very simple questions: is the face clear, does your presence fit the role, and does the photo work on the various application platforms?

At a large company, an application usually passes through several steps: an ATS or an application form, the recruiter in charge, a department head, and sometimes LinkedIn or an internal profile. So the photo should be safe enough for a printed CV, a PDF CV, LinkedIn, TopCV (a popular Vietnamese job site), an application email and an online profile. If the form has no photo field, you can still use the photo for LinkedIn or a profile signature, but do not push it into places the recruiter never asked for.

Unlike an official ID-style photo, a CV photo can be a little softer. You still need a clearly visible face, tidy hair, clean light and moderate retouching, but the expression can be friendlier, the shoulders more relaxed, and the background can be white, gray, light blue or a soft studio backdrop. If you do not have a suitable photo yet, the CV photo shoot page from Gạo Nâu is a better starting point than reusing your ID card (CCCD) or passport photo for the CV.

Choosing your CV photo tone by industry group

The table below is not a rule set from any individual company. It is an editorial suggestion by industry group, so candidates can pick a photo style that fits their application better.

What are the 30 brands in this shortlist used for?

The shortlist covers Vinamilk, Unilever, Vietcombank, Vingroup/VinFast, FPT, Viettel, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Masan, Techcombank, BIDV, MB Bank, MoMo, VNPAY, VNG, Shopee, Grab, Lazada, TikTok, AEON, PNJ, L'Oréal, Ogilvy, Mondelez Kinh Đô, Acecook, Honda, AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

What they have in common is that candidates tend to look things up before they apply: company culture, the hiring process, how to prepare a CV, LinkedIn and their personal image. But every company has many departments, many levels and many hiring channels. So this article only helps you choose a direction for your CV photo by industry; before you apply, you should also read the careers page and the job description of the company you are applying to.

If you are preparing applications for several companies at once, you do not need 30 different photo styles. A good CV photo set should have 2-3 broadly usable variants: a square photo for LinkedIn, a 4:5 portrait for the online CV, and a small crop for the printed CV. If the roles are very different, for example a bank and an agency at the same time, you can pick two photos with slightly different expressions or clothing from the same session.

How is a CV photo different from an official ID photo?

An official ID photo serves paperwork: the CCCD ID card, a passport, a visa, notarized files, a staff badge or any form that needs clear identification. It normally has a neutral expression, a background set by regulation, little creative room, and retouching that must stay very light so the identity is not altered.

A CV photo serves your professional profile. It still has to show your face clearly and honestly, but it is allowed to be more natural. You can smile lightly, choose a blazer that suits your industry, use a clean gray background, keep a confident gaze and export the file in several ratios. If you need a photo for official paperwork or a business visa, move that purpose over to the ID, visa and passport photo package instead, so the two standards do not get mixed up.

A common mistake is using a stiff blue-background ID photo for every CV. The opposite mistake is using a lifestyle shot, a selfie or an event photo taken too far from the face. A good CV photo sits in between: close enough to recognize you, bright enough to be likable, tidy enough not to throw the CV off tone.

Choosing clothing and background by seniority

Fresh graduates and entry-level candidates should favor a bright, clean, friendly photo. A white, light blue or light beige shirt, or a simple blazer, is the safe choice. There is no need to force a "manager" feeling if the role you are applying for is intern, trainee or executive.

Mid-level candidates should aim for a steadier presence: straight shoulders, a clear gaze, clothes without creases, a background that is not busy. For sales, marketing, operations or finance, the photo needs to show initiative without showing off. For engineers, data, product or IT, it should look modern and easy to use on LinkedIn rather than overly formal.

Managers, specialists and senior candidates should invest in a more controlled photo: a well-fitted blazer, colors that do not distract, clean light, and careful retouching that still looks natural. A senior photo does not have to be stern; what matters is that it feels like a real person with experience, someone you can trust.

Which file should you use for LinkedIn, TopCV and recruitment emails?

You should keep at least these three files:

• A 1:1 square photo for LinkedIn, TopCV, recruitment profile avatars and some internal portals.
• A 4:5 portrait photo for the PDF CV, a portfolio, a personal profile page or a profile sent by email.
• A small cropped photo to place in a one-page CV without weighing the layout down.

If you are applying to a multinational, the photo should be clean, with few local details that are hard to read. If you are applying to a Vietnamese company in banking, manufacturing, retail or FMCG, keep the traditional formality. If you are applying to an agency, or to content, product or platform roles, you can pick a photo with more energy, as long as the CV photo does not turn into a social media photo.

The 970.000đ CV/LinkedIn Photo package at Gạo Nâu focuses on exactly this part: style advice by industry, a neat portrait session, basic clothing support, moderate retouching and files that work on many platforms. You can call the hotline (+84) 775 243 530 or check the contact information before booking.

When should you also prepare visa, passport or paper-file photos?

Applying to a large company does not mean you always need a visa or passport photo. Even so, a few situations can come up after you pass the hiring rounds: onboarding, training, business trips abroad, an employee badge, insurance paperwork, a work permit for an international position, or a trainee program with rotations.

If you already have interviews lined up at a multinational, in aviation, hospitality, international logistics or any role that may involve travel, keep the high-quality original files. Once you receive specific guidance on size or background, the studio can re-crop them to the right standard instead of you shooting again from scratch. For premium service or aviation positions, you can also look at the airline application photo package if you need both a headshot and a full-body shot.

CV photo mistakes that make an application look less polished

The first mistake is a photo that is too old. If it looks very different from you today, the recruiter may see the application as out of date. For CV photos, every 18-24 months is a reasonable cycle to replace the shot, sooner if you change your hairstyle, your weight, your style or your career level.

The second mistake is over-editing. Skin that is too smooth, eyes that are too bright, a face that is too slim or a background that looks unreal all cost the photo its credibility. A CV photo should clean up temporary details, not turn your face into someone else's.

The third mistake is choosing a photo that does not fit the industry. Applying to a bank with a photo that is too casual, applying to an agency with a photo as stern as a passport shot, or applying to pharma with a photo that is too fashion-forward all send a mismatched visual signal. There is no single standard for every large company; the right standard is the one that fits the role.

What does Gạo Nâu help with for job application photos?

Ảnh Thẻ Gạo Nâu does not write your CV for you and does not build your work experience. The studio only handles the visual side of the application: light, background, clothing, expression, retouching and files in the right ratios, so you can use them on your CV, LinkedIn, TopCV or in recruitment emails.

The 970.000đ CV/LinkedIn Photo package suits people applying to large companies, preparing a job-change application, updating LinkedIn or simply needing a tidy office portrait. Gạo Nâu has 3 branches: Hanoi, District 10 in Ho Chi Minh City and District 3, open 08:00 - 20:00 daily. If you are in northern Vietnam, you can look at the Hanoi branch; if you want to ask about clothing beforehand, call the hotline or message us on Zalo at Ảnh Thẻ Gạo Nâu.

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