Three Profile Pictures I Don't Want to See if I am Considering Working with You!

Now with social media taking over the networking landscape, here are three things NOT to do on social media:

Logos as your face on a professional page and not a fan page – never place a logo in place of a face. People don’t interact with brand names and swirly letters. They like to know they are talking to (e-gads) an actual warm-blooded human being. Fan pages are different. Liking a logo works in this case. I can think of a handful of “logos” I interact with and wonder, “Is this a guy or girl?”

Mug shots are scary – don’t use your iPhone to snap what appears to be nothing more than another Lindsay Lohan mug shot. If you’re genuinely using your social media to market and network, try a nice and professional head shot that is appealing. I’m not saying you need to look like a super model or GQ guy just keep it nice and “in focus.”

What ya got in your hands there Fred? What are you doing in your profile picture or background shot? Drinking? Table dancing? Wearing a bikini? Showing off your tramp stamp? You do realize prospective clients, and customers and employers do research to check out people on social media. If you’ve got photos of these questionable activities, please re-think it. 

P.S., all you social drinkers out there ... I've said this a bizzillion times so here I go again because I continually see the mistake. If all you ever do is drink at mixers and every single social shot you take you're holding a wine glass, please rethink it. One photo, no problem, two photos, all right, three photos, what you thinking? Four photos, uh-oh, does she have a problem with booze? Five photos, holy cow she's drinking ... again! Six photos, crap she's drunk ... again? Seven, does she know she needs help? Eight, maybe someone ought to say something to her family? Nine, I hope she's not drinking and driving! Ten, it's time for rehab! See my point? And BTW, the message is actually subtle and gets noted in the subconscious. Just a little notation for people who think it's harmless to post those photos.