
Some time ago, I ran across a LinkedIn profile picture of a job seeker who was holding a very specific political sign over her head. In bright letters. In shorts (and no, they did NOT become her). Curious about this phenomenon, I surveyed my fine resume-writing, coaching, and careers industry colleagues at Career Directors International on the subject of inappropriate LinkedIn photographs. As a result, I came away with a very interesting list of purported job seeker LinkedIn photos that:
- Were taken from such a distance that no one would recognize them
- Included the candidate posing in a bikini on a beach
- Showed the candidate's GARDEN - without her in it
- Displayed a major league sports cap (a turnoff to the recruiter that contacted him, who noted that it was the "wrong city, wrong team")
- Were snapped at a party where the subject obviously had too much to drink
- Resembled a mug shot - no smile, just a grimace that did not put the candidate in the best light