So, you’ve filled in your LinkedIn Profile with all the right data: an attention-getting Headline, solid About section, robust Skills, and appropriate Experience.

However, it’s possible that your carefully selected LinkedIn Photo doesn’t even show up!

Here’s why: You neglected to make it visible.

People outside your network cannot see you unless your Profile Photo Visibility is set for Public views. Here’s why this is important:  according to LinkedIn, the ability to see your face online can net you up to 21 times more Profile views.

Believe it or not, many people unknowingly neglect to choose the right Photo settings, meaning there are countless faceless Profiles on LinkedIn.

Yours could be among them if you haven’t checked Visibility settings.

So you not only need to select and upload a great headshot, but if you don’t take the right steps, it won’t be seen by prospective connections (here, we’re talking about recruiters or employers).

Changing your Photo from faceless to easily found is simple.

Sign into LinkedIn and click on the pencil icon next to your photo; you’ll see an eye icon at the lower left of your photo.

Clicking here will show you the current settings and allow you to select Public, which is the ONLY setting that ensures full access to your Photo. This is also the default setting.

Note that the other settings (Your connections, Your network, All LinkedIn members) will NOT guarantee that employers or recruiters can see it.

If you did intend to restrict your Photo views, reconsider.

Think about what happens when you’re confused and trying to track someone down on LinkedIn. Without a photo, how can you tell if you’re looking at the right Profile?

Remember, you’re on LinkedIn to build professional connections and establish rapport:  both are crucial steps to reaching next-level career success.

Unless you have a GOOD reason to hide your Photo, the Public Visibility setting will be the best choice to support your job search.

Nothing is as unique as your face… so ensure your LinkedIn audience can match it to your value proposition, name, and reputation.

Haven’t tried LinkedIn’s Publishing platform for your job search?

You’re missing a HUGE opportunity to promote your personal brand for a new CXO or leadership role.

There’s no limit to the topics or volume of posts allowed per user, and with an international recruiting audience ready at your virtual feet, there’s no reason to hold back!

Still hesitant? Consider these near-instant benefits to your job search from publishing:

1 – LinkedIn will help promote your Publishing activity.

When your connections log into the site, they’ll get a notification about your new post – and this may inspire them to pass it along via social media and share it throughout LinkedIn. 

Keep in mind this is a double-edged sword: in the same manner as your articles are promoted, others’ posts will appear in your notifications feed. (There’s no way to turn these messages off.)

You can push your message further into cyberspace, of course, through Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and any other social media platform.

2 – You’ll widen your audience.

Remember – you’re not just publishing an article, you’re promoting your expertise to employers and your industry. Similar to your Profile, the more keywords you include (in your article Headline and in the hashtag keywords accompanying it) will draw traffic from readers interested in your topic.

This means you’ll get substantial exposure from LinkedIn. If you’re “writing what you know” (which is LinkedIn’s publishing platform mantra), you’ll gain a new audience and spotlight for your skills, particularly from recruiters, who are often avid investigators.

3 – You’ll distinguish yourself among competing executives.

By staying active on LinkedIn, you’re more likely to be sourced by a recruiter sourcing executives in your field. If you’re also using the Publishing Platform, you’ll be in an even better position to stand out.

Posts stay on your Profile and are shown in your activity, so there’s no way employers can miss them. If you have a change of heart about your Publisher article, LinkedIn says you can delete it.

Of course, keyword and industry research is a must BEFORE you publish in order to maximize your results. For example, these topics could be relevant for executive job seekers:

Supply Chain Executive

• 2 ways to cut procurement costs in your global supply chain
• How international sourcing can speed up your operation

IT Director

• Cloud storage in your IT operation: how much is enough?
• 3 reasons your digital transformation plan might not survive COVID-19

Try to post at least twice per month to keep your articles in rotation.

Stumped for new ideas? Look at hot-button issues facing your target employers and then design your posts to show how you’d solve these problems (similar to an interview answer).

Of course, you should ALWAYS ensure your LinkedIn Publishing activity supports (vs. damages) your job search.

Even though you can delete a post, other members could find a way to archive it or quote you. 

Write your LinkedIn article in a positive, professional tone – avoiding rants or subjects designed to provoke an argument.

Ensure the content aligns with your personal brand, thoroughly proofread it for typos and missed words, and ask trusted colleagues to look it over.

Happy publishing!

Declining requests to connect because you “don’t know” other users? It’s time to reconsider… especially if you have a very small LinkedIn network (less than 500 connections).

LinkedIn isn’t a tell-all social media site (like Facebook, where you’re often judged by the quality of the company you keep).

Instead, think of the site as a massive networking meeting, where the more people you reach, the more exposure you’ll receive as a leader and executive job seeker.

Online networking and digital identity can make a BIG difference in your executive job search. 

You DON’T want to be a well-kept secret!

Here are 5 reasons to quit rejecting connection requests on LinkedIn, particularly if you’re in the market for a new leadership opportunity:

1 – You could miss out on valuable industry intelligence.

LinkedIn now contains 722 million user accounts. If you’re routinely turning down requests to connect, you’re missing out on a valuable resource for industry knowledge, current-event updates in your field, and peer contacts.

Many of your colleagues are using social media to present themselves and their talents to recruiters, as well as to position themselves as thought leaders.

One of the best benefits of LinkedIn is competitive industry intelligence! By connecting to other users, you’ll be able to view status updates and and posts showing promotions and industry topics.

NOTE:  Ensure new connections are authentic by clicking on the user’s photo, then right-click and select “Search Google for this image.” If the picture has been used in multiple LinkedIn Profiles with varying names, report the Profile to LinkedIn as fake. In addition, if it seems you are being “pitched” by a user trying to sell you services, you may also be best off ignoring the request.

In most other cases, you WILL benefit from accepting a request. Remember, LinkedIn keeps growing… adding millions of members each month and further expanding your opportunity to stay in touch with the right person for the right job. By ignoring new connections, you could be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

2 – You run the risk of looking antiquated.

If you haven’t searched for a job in the past 5 to 10 years, you’re in for a surprise.

Social media has overtaken many phases of the job hunt, from your digital identity to how employers learn about your qualifications.

Many employers are recruiters are expecting to find you online, and they’re receptive to hearing from you on LinkedIn.

It’s also simple math:  Being well-connected on LinkedIn puts you far closer to a potential recruiting contact, with a search algorithm that decides who and what to show you based on your degree of closeness.

Plus, if it looks like you’re not a reasonably active user of social media (with at least 500 to 1,000 connections), hiring authorities might wonder how “current” your skills are and whether you’re staying on top of your field.

3 – You might lose the opportunity for a recruiter’s call.

Many prospective connections exist just on the other side of a recruiter.

That recruiter could be the one who’ll make a difference in landing your next job.

LinkedIn is basically a database that allows you to continually edge closer to important resources in your industry, but only if you give it a push by forming new conections.

Employers and recruiters use paid LinkedIn subscriptions to find and approach talented executive candidates. By becoming more connected to influencers and leaders in your field, your Profile will more readily appear in front of them.

4 – You won’t be able to gauge your qualifications against competing candidates.

Admit it: one of the reasons you may be intrigued by social media is the opportunity to see what everyone else is doing. But if you refuse to participate, you might miss the chance to see how your credentials stack up against the competition.

Many social media users tend to overshare information – so use it! Gather valuable competitive intelligence from your new connections. Especially if you’re striking out in your job search, you’ll benefit from taking a look at peer candidate Profiles.

You can also analyze common career paths, education, job progression, and skills in your industry, helping gauge how you rank against other job seekers.

Perhaps you’re aiming too high in your job search, or you should be pursuing a different type of executive role. This information can be used to refine your search tactics, career goal, job search activity, and even your Profile information.

5 – Prospective connections could be employed in your target companies.

Even if you’re not familiar with a new connection, you could soon be in need of their assistance – especially if they’re in a hiring role.

By graciously accepting a request to connect and even sending a quick thank-you note to your new contact, you could be cultivating a high-value resource of use either now, or at a later point in your career.

Watch your News Feed on LinkedIn, and you’ll see connections earning new positions and promotions. Consider that these contacts might be just one degree or two away from hiring managers at their respective companies.

A user you reject today might BECOME your new hiring manager at some point.

Keep these points in mind the next time a new LinkedIn connection request pops up.

Rather than immediately rejecting the invitation, you might reap significant rewards by accepting the opportunity to welcome a valuable new contact.