Online Presence

We have to all face it, the world is moving online.  And in case you have been living under a rock for the last few years, LinkedIn is where you need to be seen if you are looking for a new role or so climb the business ladder. But, like any social situation, there are rules, social ettiquettes that must be followed or you risk the wrath of colleagues (and underlings) and risk future opportunities.   As a professional network, one of the main areas of concern for those on LinkedIn is the photo.  It has to be just right, not too personal that it belongs on your Facebook account, but not to professional that it looks like you have spent hundreds of dollars paying someone to get the lighting just right.  It’s a real art.  Courtesy of Sales for Life (via The Undercover Recruiter) here are some helpfl hints for ensuring your LinkedIn photo works for you. 1) The retro shotPeople don’t care if you peaked in the 90s, they want to build an idea of what you are like now. So make sure you choose a photo that is up to date and portrays the person you are today, rather than 20 years ago. 2) The party picIt’s healthy to have a social life outside of work, but keep the photographic evidence to more personal networks like Facebook or Instagram. I’m afraid this rules out pictures of wild nights out, holiday snaps, etc. 3) Hiding in the shadows:People want to see what you actually look like, not just a face distorted by shadows, so make sure your photo is properly light. Natural lighting is best for avoiding harsh shadows. 4) The dating profile snap:Don’t use anything too alluring, that would be better suited on a dating profile. 5) Why so serious?People want to work with individuals who are easy to get along with have a positive attitude, so a photo of you smiling is much more effective than a stony-faced one. 6) The proud pet owner:Yes we get it, they’re just SO cute! But this doesn’t mean your pets should get a feature on your LinkedIn profile. Your photo should represent your professional life, so unless you work with animals, no pets allowed I’m afraid. 7) The selfie:Having a 30 minute selfie photoshoot to find the best angle may produce the most flattering photo, but overly posed selfies don’t really give off a professional vibe, so keep them for Instagram. 8) Anonymous:The first thing you should do is change the default image on your profile, bye bye Mr. silhouette man!