Having a LinkedIn photo is the number one thing you can do to get more profile visits, connection requests and messages.  But it doesn't mean you should just slap any photo up there!  After all, a photo is worth a thousand words and your LinkedIn photo often gives a recruiter and hiring manager a first impression about who you are.

LinkedIn is the number one business networking tool and it is a great place to show off your personal brand and the message you want conveyed.  The core of anyone's message should be professional so make sure you are falling into one of these common photo mistakes:

​1.  Not Work Appropriate

LinkedIn is for business networking.  It is not Facebook or Instagram.  So please no pictures of you in a club, drinking or wearing outfits that you wouldn't wear IN the office.  That includes this "selfie" I took of myself before a walk.  

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2. No Cropping

So what if it is a nice picture of you, if you need to crop someone out of it, the forget it!  It not only looks weird, it is unprofessional!

3. No Distracting Accessories

No sunglasses, no big scarves, no hats - nothing that distracts from YOU.  Let the person coming to your profile or seeing your photo on any activity you like/share/write about actually see you!

4. No Wedding Guest Photos

I see a lot of photos on LinkedIn that you can tell were taken at a wedding.  And I get it, you are usually wearing an amazing outfit and your hair looks great BUT it isn't professional!

5. No Photos with someone/something else.

This isn't a shared profile, this is YOUR profile so please do not include a photo of you with  your husband, children, friends, pet, etc.  Just you!

So what kind of photo can you have?

A nice photo of you, wearing a nice professional outfit.  A photo of you smiling that shows you are approachable and personable.  

It doesn't have to be a headshot.  But have someone take the photo for you or use a tripod and blue tooth camera remote.  I know a lot of people who have gone for passport photos who just smile!  Make sure the message you are trying to convey starts with your photo.  

Is the photo just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your LinkedIn profile, does it need some loving attention?  If so, reach out - I can help with that.

Did you miss my Q&A this week?  Click here to watch it, it is a good one.

We dive into how to talk about money in an interview - one of the most dreaded topics!

I talk about:
1. How to research salary and the Pay Transparency Act
2. How to deflect the money question
3. How to be open and honest to get what you want.

In the competitive world we live in today, kindness can be easily overlooked.  Too often to we view our coworkers and management teams as annoyances, competition or people to just put up with.  On top of that we gather with those colleagues we do consider friends and tend to gripe and complain.  It can turn negative pretty fast.

In honour of Work Kindness Day, I wanted to bring kindness back to the workplace.  I'm not one to suggest complete overhauls and I know for myself that never works - it just leads to more feelings of overwhelm.  What I do love is the little things that we can do that don't cost us a lot of time, effort or money.   Little things like Random Acts of Kindness which is a concept that has taken over the world with children doing it at school and home, with people buying coffees for those in line behind them at the drive thru.  I think it is time to take it to where we spend a lot of our time, to the work world with these 20 ideas you can get started with today.

1. Buy a Coffee for someone who looks like they need it.
2. Bring in a sweet treat, like donuts for the office on a Monday or a dreary day.
3. Offer to help someone on a project.
4. Be Positive when others start talking negatively.
5. Invite someone to lunch like a new colleague or someone who eats alone a lot.
6. Buy an Assistant or Receptionist Flowers, they are often treated poorly so deserve a treat.
7. Mentor a new employee, especially a new grad.
8. Brag about someone to your boss.
9. Leave a motivating and kind Post It Note on the bathroom mirror (a la Operation Beautiful)
10. Be interested, ask your colleagues questions about their live outside of work.
11. Smile and Say "Hi" to everyone you pass in the hallway.
12. Put the phone away when talking with colleagues!
13. Be polite, say thank you and your welcome.
14. Hold the door open for people.
15. Remember birthdays and decorate their work-space.
16. Talk to everybody - from the CEO to the cleaning person and security guards.
17. Hand write a thank you note to someone who helped you out.
18. Leave a inspiring quote on a whiteboard.
19. Create a library exchange.
20. Invite someone to join you in completing Random Acts of Kindness.