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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Oh No They Didn’t! LinkedIn Avatars Gone Wrong



ResumeBear Blog

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 09:56 AM PDT
Some days I scan through my LinkedIn search results and am simply amazed at the choices some folks make when selecting their profile picture / avatar.  LinkedIn is, after all, a professional networking site used for business purposes, right?  And unlike Facebook, you only get ONE picture to sum you up to the outside world, so that one photo becomes a very important part of your professional brand.
Whether you’re job seeking, networking to grow your business or just using LinkedIn to stay in touch with former coworkers, it’s important to choose a photo that exudes professionalism and is appropriate for a business forum like LinkedIn.  This isn’t Facebook, Twitter or Match.com…  It’s LinkedIn and it’s externally viewable to a very wide audience.  A picture’s worth a thousand words, right?  So what does YOUR profile picture say about you?
While it’s all in good fun and everyone’s obviously entitled to pick whichever avatar they like, here are some examples of the classic mistakes that I see most often:
1.  Too Many People
A profile pic should contain one person and one person only… you.  If you include a group, we’re left to guess which one is you and since the box is so small, we can’t really see anyone in the group anyway.  How does this group really represent YOU as a business professional?
2.  Too Sexy
LinkedIn isn’t the place to bare your cleavage, pouty lips or hulking biceps.  Please cover up and show us that you have the good judgment to save those pics for other forums!  :)
3.  Too Juvenile
It’s good to be young at heart, but what message does a cartoon convey to your audience?  Are you coming across as a mature, capable, professional individual?  If you only get one picture to sum you up to the LinkedIn world, is this one really the best choice?
4.  Too Schticky
It’s cool that you’re a big fan of Quentin Tarantino movies, espresso or rugby, but your LinkedIn avatar probably isn’t the best place to share that with the world… Better to leave that stuff for Facebook.
5.  Too Staged
Okay, for real?  These shots always make me grin and cringe at the same time.  How can we take you seriously when you obviously take yourself a little TOO seriously?!  :)   Relax and just take a nice, professional headshot… lose the props and the posing.  We don’t want to picture you posing for your LinkedIn pic at the local Glamour Shots in the mall! ;)
6.  Too Random
I’m not too sure what these photos say about the individuals they supposedly represent, but I don’t think they’re saying much.  Think about your online brand and select a photo that supports that brand.  Your avatar should represent you, not just be a random bumper sticker…
7.  Too Personal
It’s okay to be a family man, love your wife/dog/cat, or have a baby who just celebrated a birthday.  But these shots are really best left for Facebook or your personal Twitter account, not your LinkedIn profile.
8.  Too Showy
It’s great that you just got that new Mercedes, yacht, Rolex, etc.  But showing it off on your LinkedIn avatar is sending the wrong message!  Show us evidence of your success via the business accomplishments and work history in your LinkedIn profile, not by flaunting material items in your avatar…
9.  Too Small
Your profile photo box is only one square inch, so be sure to crop correctly and/or choose a photo that we can actually see.  Full body shots just don’t work in this case…  I’m sure you’ve got good stuff in your pic, but if it’s too small to see, then it’s not serving its purpose!
10.  Too Spammy
If your avatar looks like an advertisement, then you may want to rethink your choice.  ‘Nuff said.
11.  Too Bizarre
Not too sure what to make of these…  ;)

San Diego, CA, United States Most Connected Woman on LinkedIn ~ Blogging about Social Media, Recruiting, Networking and Job Search Tips & Tricks… Pay It Forward!
Posted by Elizabeth at 4:24 PM 0 comments
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The Work Buzz's Latest News: Why education and employment go hand in hand



The Work Buzz's Latest News: Why education and employment go hand in hand

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 11:46 AM PDT
In the new movie "Larry Crowne," Tom Hanks plays a Navy veteran who is a manager at one of those big box stores where you can buy bananas, a TV, new tires for your car and fish tank all under one roof. Although he is something of a superstar employee, he's unceremoniously let go when the company downsizes, and one reason he's given is that he lacks the college education many other professionals have.
Of course, magical movie land, Hanks decides to go to community college to get an education and revamp his career. After making friends with a delightful group of students who ride scooters—because why wouldn't they?—he develops a crush on his embittered speech teacher, played by Julia Roberts. You can only assume that romantic hilarity ensures. This is, after all, a comedy starring Hanks and Roberts. You'll recall that last year she played a woman who needed to escape the confines of daily life and decided to eat her way through various countries. Along the way she ate and prayed and still looked fantastic. And Hanks managed to make being stranded on a deserted island fun and heartwarming. In other words, this movie's goal isn't to expose the anguish the average American would feel in this situation. The predicament, however, is all very real for many workers.
Veterans in the workforce
That Larry Crowne is a veteran who finds himself in a tough professional spot isn't surprising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "The unemployment rate for veterans who served in the military at any time since September 2001–a group referred to as Gulf War-era II veterans–was 11.5 percent in 2010." (Admittedly, this group of veterans would be of a different generation than Crowne's.) Although the overall employment rate for veterans is approximately the same or slightly better than nonveterans in most categories, younger veterans have a moderately higher unemployment rate than older veterans.
A recent article on the Chicago Sun-Times highlights the plights of many unemployed veterans. According to the article, "Among the reasons for the high rate of veteran joblessness, advocates say:
  • Military culture, language and job skills are not easily translated or understood in the civilian world.
  • Many veterans coming out of the service don't know how to effectively market themselves.
  • Insufficient private-sector involvement in government programs designed to help veterans transition into the civilian workforce."
Education and career advancement
Another significant issue facing workers is education, or a lack thereof. The Lumina Foundation, an education advocacy foundation, has assessed the education level of the current workforce overall and state-by-state, and they found that college degrees will continue to be deciding factors in employment.
Recently on PBS's "Nightly Business Report," Jamie Merisotis, the president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, explained where we're headed as a nation.
"The facts show that the number of jobs for workers with high school diplomas is shrinking, rapidly. In many cases, entire industries that employed these workers are vanishing," Merisotis said. "Lifetime earnings of college graduates are nearly double of high school graduates."
This outlook is mirrored by Dr. Mary B. Hawkins, president of Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb.
"Higher education is an economic issue when the unemployment rate for people who've never gone to college is almost double what it is for those who have gone to college," she explains. "It's an issue when nearly eight in 10 new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end of this decade."
That said, workers face serious hurdles when it comes to obtaining a degree: time and money. In the movie, Crowne can afford to go back to school and spend time with his scooter pals. In reality, workers would be panicking to pay for school and find a babysitter for their children or another job to offset the cost. Granted, this would have made for a downer of a film.
Some people have been able to overcome the time dilemma with online courses at schools like Bellevue or countless others, which allow for flexible schedules. Some students opt to take a lighter class load so that they can continue to work and earn money. Even with these options school is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor that workers, their families and maybe even their employers will continue to deal with in the future.
To get a clearer picture of where Americans are headed with regard to education, check out this extensive study, which breaks down education attainment state-by-state. It's worth a read to see how the country's workers what the workforce in your state looks like and what your job-search competition looks like. It might inspire you to hit the books or at least to revamp your résumé and cover letter to emphasize your educational qualifications. (Or maybe you'll meet a teacher who looks just like a movie star and fall in love! If that happens, let us know in the comments section.)
As always, we're interested in your experience. Has a college education been a boost to your career? Do you think employers are demanding a college education as a minimum requirement these days? Have you or anyone you know gone back to school to improve your career prospects?
Posted by Elizabeth at 4:23 PM 0 comments
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