I feel that profile photos are extremely important when it comes to getting offers. I haven’t received any offers recently, and it’s been over six months, so I’m thinking of having my photos retaken. Is getting a staff member who’s good at taking photos also a matter of luck, just like getting offers? I’d hate to voice too many opinions and have it affect what the staff writes in my comments section. I’m even more nervous about this than meeting a man for the first time. Please tell me the best way to handle it.

I’m Fuu, a column writer. Whether you get a staff member who’s good at taking photos is a matter of luck. Since they’re all amateurs, though, I don’t think there’s a huge difference in skill. What you can do is practice posing in front of a mirror before the reshoot, figuring out which angles and poses make you look your best. If you’re recording a video as well, I’d recommend preparing and thinking through what you want to say beforehand. There’s no need to be nervous—many of the staff members are friendly and kind. Try to make a good impression on them too, since that will be reflected in your profile.

Maezawa from the President’s Office here—I’ll answer as well. > Is it also just a matter of luck whether you get a staff member who’s good at taking photos, just like with offers? Basically, yes, it’s luck. That said, if the staff member who interviewed you initially is working that day, they’ll often be the one to take your new photos as well. You can also request a specific staff member when you have your photos retaken. You could say something like, “I’d like Mr./Ms. XX to take my photos, if possible.” Of course, that person may be off that day, so you’ll need to adjust your schedule accordingly. And even if you do, they might suddenly get scheduled for a male counseling session, meaning another staff member ends up taking the photos instead. (Male counseling sessions take priority ＞＜) So, as you said, being too forceful may leave a bad impression on the staff. But it’s perfectly fine to casually mention your preference. You could even give a reason—whether true or not—such as, “A friend spoke highly of Mr./Ms. XX, so I was hoping they could take my photos.” Until recently, the photography skills of almost all the staff had improved considerably, so I thought anyone would be fine. But the other day, I asked one staff member, “It looks like this photo wasn’t taken with the aperture wide open. Was there a particular reason?” They replied, “What does ‘wide open’ mean?” After explaining it, I asked why they had stopped down the aperture, and they said, “I stopped it down to adjust the brightness” (they meant exposure adjustment). Then they asked, “What’s wrong with that?” I was left completely speechless. Apparently, there are still some staff members who are a miss ＞＜

I’m だて◎ゆめ, a male member. Haha! I totally understand how you feel. The staff have done a lot of research into photography, and they’re all pretty good at it. It’s only happened to me once, but I actually thought the photo looked “better!” than the person herself. Since a photo captures your expression exactly as it is at that moment, I think it’s a good idea to practice a little beforehand so you can put on your best expression when the shutter clicks.