Personal pet peeves or why I don't find some LinkedIn profiles amusing

(not to be taken seriously..it is not a judgement.. just sharing my views on some of the instances we have sometimes on LinkedIn)

"LinkedIn. Make the most of your professional life" they say...

There are a lot of notifications coming to my inbox with new connection requests. I am sure, you have the same. But how do you choose who should you connect to or what request you will ignore?

I am really OK with social media profiles for numerous applications to connect with people and share personal stories and experiences.

I am even OK with dating sites or applications that youngsters take seriously nowadays and older generations are connecting with for fun (presumably.. I don't judge).

What I am not OK with is LinkedIn site being used for the above reasons. Can we, please, all agree on just leaving this one place for being serious and qualified?

Profiles

• Names

I will not accept any request of a company. For one simple reason - the profile should have a name of the person, not the company name with education degree from "University of life". Does the person have permission to use company's name for profile to connect with people? Doubtful.

I will, however, follow companies. This how LinkedIn works.

• Profile details

There are profiles that say "Contact for more info". I am serious.

How difficult is to have a look around, find a nice profile and (..no, not to duplicate..) make in similar format? Or ask someone to help and make it. Some careers MAY depend on it.

Messages

I am sure there are better and more creative ways to ask someone out. Will not go into details on that.

Profile photos.

• Accessories.

Why would I accept a request of someone with sunglasses on, sitting in his/her/bosses' car or with a cropped photo in a bar from a nigh he/she probably couldn't remember? I could think of many reasons not to do that.

• Location.

Once, there was a request to connect from a lady who was posing in a washroom. And no, I don't mean those mirror selfies where you can spot a hand dryer on the wall. There was a fully pictured toilet seat and she sat next to in a "look-over-shoulder" pose. The only way it can be somehow acceptable, if the lady had a profile mentioning her former achievements in this "field" and passion for cleaning washrooms. I'd really cheer for bravery there!

• Group photos.

How do we know who are we connecting with? Should we try and fit the name to each face on the photo and guess? Should make a scoring system with that then, I'd accept the challenge.

Is it because the person feel shy or self-conscious? Or was there a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to take a picture with a royalty or celebrity and since then the same photo is posted on all social media profiles? Just to make it clear, when request comes from profiles like that, I am fully aware that accepting request will NOT magically connect me to Beyoncé or Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid. And frankly, I have big and reasonable doubts the person is connected to them as well.

• Profile photo in full body length.

Most of us travel, we have beautiful pictures with us and breathtaking views or backgrounds. We love sharing these photos with friends and families. What we don't love is to see these photos on 2x2cm size profile images where we have to make up a shape of the human before locating a face. Of course, I will recognise you next time we meed during networking and surely ask about your trip! Not.

• Photos with kids or animal.

Unless your profession directly involves kids or animals, the profile image should not include them.. It's just creepy.. Eww... And that comes from mom of an amazing boy that I am proud of and biggest animal lover with a social media account for a bird! Just everything is being attended in moderation and independently.

• Profile photos with a cigarette/cigar or nargile/shisha.

Why do I have to explain that this is wrong? It just is!

• A logo, a flower or the famous quote instead of profile photo.

If only people could have a background banner on their profile so the beautiful palette of flowers won't be wasted. Oh, wait, they can use it as a profile banner!

Maybe LinkedIn should post a requirements or terms for the account use? And get the profile approved before publishing? We supposed to be grown-ups here with jobs and all, but seems that many of users are lost in the sea of social network accounts to the point where they don't realise where they are.

Well, hopefully this piece will reach some people and they will rethink their profile photo choices. Or maybe not. But for those, who stick to old habits and think that they are free to post whatever image they want, here is an advice from HR: even though, the book should not be judged by its cover, this region does care about looks and we do look at the photo while reading profiles.

Want to have prospects interested in connecting with you? Ask your colleague to snap on the mobile a good tie/blouse photo of your face with white or office background - it is just safer this way. And stay away from duck-face - faces with pouted lips on a social media is a totally different story..

Beautiful day to all!