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Bedoor Bluemoon

Everyday writing to expose the soul

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تذكرتي أيامي بك

تلك التي كانت والتي لم تكن

الأماكن التي جلسنا نحتسي فيها القهوة وتلك التي لم نجلس فيها

ولكنها ايضا تذكرني بك..

كيف ذاك؟

ارى كيف جلسنا وكيف وضعت يدي في يدك بتملّك عجيب

وكيف نظرت الى عيني 

واعترفت لك بكل شيء 

اعترفت بحبي لك

وبشوقي 

وهيامي

وجنوني الذي بدأ بك 

وانتهى بك

اعترفت عيني بكل نظرة حب تبادلتها معك

وبكل دمعة سكبت وهي بعيدة عنك

فأين انت الآن؟

هل ترى وجهي في فنجانك كل صباح؟

هل ترى دموعي في قطرات المطر؟

هل ترى تموج شعري في امواج البحر وهي ترتطم بكل يأس؟

هل تسمع صوتي يتخلل اغاني عبدالحليم؟

“بتلوموني ليه؟ تارا”

فها انا أتمشى في شوارع المدينة 

واراك في كل ازقتها

تتخلل المحبين وتغدو ثالثهم

وانا اراك

البعيد القريب

لا أستطيع الوصول إليك

ولكنك معي دائما

يستوقفني عازف القيثارة 

واختلس النظر الى جانبي 

لأراك تسرح مع النوتات

فلا أجدك

ويأخذني العزف الى واقع اخر

الى حلم اصبح في مخيلتي حقيقة

الى حياة لا تبدأ قصتها بكان يا ما كان

تبدأ ب(لو كان هناك مكان،

وزمان اخر)

لاصبحت قصتنا مختلفة

فاتمايل مع العزف

واحتضن معطفي

علّه يقيني من برود 

هبّ فجأة

وتركني وحيدة

0

Management By Surprise

There are many management styles and theories in history and managers are usually open minded in trying them out.  Two of the basic management styles we learned back in college were the theory X of management and the theory Y of management; theory X basically states that all employees are bad and don’t want to work so they need to be constantly supervised and disciplined (we put a big X on them).  Theory Y states that all employees are good and are willing to work and need guidance and positive reinforcements.  Through my somewhat limited years in management, I have tried out both and saw that the best fit depends on the employee, the manager, the organizational culture, and other factors; management is both a science and an art since managers are dealing with different personalities and emotions.

Emotions are being recognized nowadays as an important factor in organizations and emotional intelligence is a fairly recent concept introduced to the world.  What I think, in my opinion, is that using emotions to manage is a good tool even though it might seem to some a bit manipulative.  Visiting a sick employee in the hospital creates an emotional tie between the employee and the manager; not visiting the same employee will create a negative grudge that will forever stay with the employee and his psychiatrist will be the only one to assist him in letting go. (Let it Go- Frozen soundtrack).

So what other emotions can we use?

Put yourself in this situation: you are sitting at home watching TV and all of a sudden, your spouse walks in and tells you how much he/she appreciates you.  Well, that’s sweet.  Now picture yourself in the same situation and a complete stranger walks in (let’s assume you kept the door unlocked) and tells you how much he/she loves you.  Wait, what? You feel different because of the element of surprise.  Interesting how surprise causes an adrenaline flow.

Now back to the business environment.  Picture yourself sitting at your desk checking your emails and your boss suddenly announces that you must all pack your things as he is taking you out to the beach to discuss how to best develop your jobs.  Wait, What?  Why is surprise a good thing?  Well, people are habitual creatures; they like to fall back on a specific routine and have things all within their comfort zone.  The salesman who was assigned in branch A for the past two years is content, relaxed, happy, and doesn’t want any change. He is probably doing the minimum as he is working on autopilot from the second he stepped out of his home.  What can you do?  Change his schedule and shift him to another place (employee rotations).  He will have to think which route to take, will have to try out different routes on the way to work, will meet different types of people in the new location and will have to, at least, pay attention to the different things around.  Now that is beneficial for the organization and even to the employee who will be able to increase his skills and knowledge.

Daily routines kill the development of your organization and change is important.  As a manager, instead of managing by walking around, try to manage by surprise.  Shake the grounds a little, do things you never did before and ask for things you never even thought of before.  Change the format of the forms.  Change the layout of the office space.  Rotate people around and switch cubicles, buy lunch one day, the crazier you are the more ground you will shake.  The more your employees wonder what will go on in their day at work, the more you are likely to have employees who are awake.  Don’t scare them, surprise them.  Don’t spoil them, make them wonder what’s on your mind.

The best managers are alive with ideas.  Put some life back into your dead organization.

0

Don’t Tell

domestic-violence1

It was an ordinary day when Eve woke up to face yet another message from her husband.  She hoped that he hadn’t come home last night for she wasn’t up to cleaning up his mess this early.  It was the first day of school for her children and the last thing she wanted to do was clean up. She just couldn’t fathom mopping another spill nor is she up to picking up another pair of socks.  She just couldn’t.

Everyone knows Eve.

Eve is a typical girl next door.  She loves music, is part of the school’s drama team, paints her nails red on Valentine’s Day, and gets along with everyone.  Eve had dreams of becoming a great lawyer and working in one of the nation’s biggest law firm but her plans got side tracked when she got pregnant with her first child.  It wasn’t the way she wanted to walk down the aisle but her best friend continuously assured her that her little baby bump was hardly noticeable.  On that day, she believed life had so much more to give and her life with Adam was just starting.

Adam and Eve couldn’t go away on their honeymoon because they had to save up for the baby.  Giving birth was an overwhelming experience and Eve was ecstatic.  Her life seemed perfect; her life with Adam seemed perfect.

Seemed.

It started one night over a silly dispute. Adam started arguing and accidentally told Eve he was tricked into marrying her.  Scheming bitch, he called her.  Manipulating whore. My life’s biggest regret. It was different and yet the same every time.  He came up with harsher abuses every time… Then he apologized every time.

Scheming, manipulative, mistake, regret, ugly, fat, stupid… The list goes on.

She fought back once when he started painting their life pitch black because she felt like he needed to understand that she was not who he says she was.  She tried to fight back, to answer, to explain her point of view and to clear her name just to get a hard slap across her face.  She looked at him stunned.  Is this really happening to me, she wondered in bewilderment.  She looked into his eyes to see whether or not her high school sweetheart felt any shame and she saw none.  He started shouting.

Scheming manipulative bitch!

And she cried.

He hunted her insecurities.  Made her question her life and every decision she ever makes.  Removed all things that made her human, started controlling who her friends were and made sure she cuts all ties with everyone who ever mattered to her.  Made sure to turn her into his own toy, his own property.

She said nothing. He slapped her and she said nothing.  I can’t get a divorce, I don’t have a job, how can I support my kids?  He will surely win custody over them and I’ll never see them again.

He kicked her, and she said nothing.  He punched her, and she said nothing.  Say what, and to who?  There was no one around and the small chores he assigned her were mostly in the house; she had to take permission to go out and had to give a full report when she came back…so she usually stayed at home. It was never worth the hassle to conceal her bruises.

Scheming manipulative bitch.

She stopped caring.  She stopped caring how she looked.  She stopped caring to cover her bruises even from her children since they already disrespect her and see the arrangement at home as ‘normal’.
She stopped wondering if there is a different life for her out there. Her reality was obstructed by what she heard and saw everyday.  Abuse. Verbal and physical abuse.

She stopped thinking for herself and took everything told to her as given truths.

She stopped questioning if she was worthy of living let alone loving.

Loving?  Oh he told her he loved her constantly. Before a beating, after a beating, and sometimes during a beating.  Why did you make me do this to you? He would say holding her tight after smacking her.  Why are you doing this to us? Why do you cause us such misery?

Scheming manipulative bitch.

Eve, the girl next door who wanted to work in one of the country’s biggest law firms took up acting instead.  On stage, she paints her nails red for Valentine’s Day, but every day red blood is a part of her attire.  On stage, her name was darling wife but backstage she remains the cause of all of the world’s problems.

Scheming manipulative bitch.

#Break the silence, stop the violence. 

1

Family Matters

o-addams-family-facebook

Growing up, I was fortunate to be around my cousins.  Yes, it was great sharing those wacky years where we made up names for scary monsters and scary things that didn’t exist.  It was also great losing our minds and acting all silly.  Yes, I am glad to say that Royal Rumble was an expected game regardless of our gender and acting out dares almost always ended up in tears.  I went through times when I felt out of place and unwanted and at other times, I felt adored and looked up to.  Sitting down with my cousins and talking about the good’ol’days always warms our hearts.  These are the cousins from my mother’s side of the family.

Now my cousins from my father’s side are a different story.  Back when I was young and arrogant, I didn’t think that these cousins mattered.  In fact, I didn’t even know who they were if I were to meet them in the street.  I know that there were ties once as I have some vague memories of running around in one of my uncle’s house and a video taping of other cousins playing around in our house.  After that, we seemed to have lost touch.  Now that I’m older and a bit more humble, I started seeing things different.  It all started when my father decided to have a small get together.  I was very intrigued because, you know, they’re my family.  I looked forward to the event and was shocked to see one of our relatives look very very very similar to my sister.  Hmm… I thought to myself, this is probably the “blood” they’re referring to in “blood is thicker than water.”  It was one of the greatest days in my life: a resurrection of something I never knew existed and a realization that these cousins, too, are a part of who I am.

What’s ironic, though, is that even though I grew up with cousins from my mother’s side, the similarities between my cousins (dad’s side) and I are more.  Have I drifted away from how I was raised or have I come home to who I really am.

Another situation that made me realize that I didn’t need to know my cousins to feel their pain was when one of them lost her spouse.  It was tragic and sudden.  To see my cousin (who had to be pointed out to me, I dare say) devastated and crying tore me to pieces.  I would have given anything to change this unfortunate fate.  I held her and cried.  Years later I saw her with her sisters.  By the end of the visit, I had to ask which one was the cousin who lost her husband.  It’s so sad that in all these years I didn’t contact her.  But, blood is thicker than water and I pray for her piece of mind.

Regardless of who our family is, family matters.  Whether it’s genetics or growing up with your family that ties the bonds, I am proud to say that I am honored to have such great cousins.  Cousins that I share stories of a “big green eye walking,” “picking jasmines and meeting the dreaded cat,” “ducky go down the hooooole” and all the jokes from Friends.  And cousins that look like me and surprisingly act like me although we’ve been raised differently.

Addams Family Theme Song

They’re creepy and they’re kooky

Mysterious and spooky

they’re all together ooky

the Addams Family.

 

0

The Photocopied Prescription

Doctor-Perscription-card-300x200.jpg

There are some people in your life who you have to trust: your parents, your spouse, your best friend, and your doctor.  Your relationship with your family doctor is important for your well being and sanity so when you find a good family doctor who you trust, stick with him.

People go to doctors to ease their pain and reassure them in many cases of paranoia, especially when it comes to mothers and their children.  It is also important when the doctor is supposed to be experienced in their field and can work wonders; the person’s belief in the doctor helps with the cure.

A while ago, I was referred to a fertility specialist who was supposed to find out what was the reason behind our delayed pregnancy.  I started answering her probing questions and believed in her ability to pinpoint if there are any medical issues.  I would go to my appointments, wait in the overflowing waiting area for a long time (which did give me some time to read and extra belief in her ability to cure), and go in for a few tests.  After finding out there was no medical issues with me or my husband, I didn’t know what to do.  This was when “trust” came into play.

Because of Web MD and google, people identify their symptoms and research ailments before going to a doctor.  I think it’s good to have knowledge but it’s also important to keep in mind that we are not capable of diagnosing things for certain.

One day, I walk into my appointment wondering what her game plan is and hoping that I would be convinced.  She was sitting behind her table, looked at my file, and reassured me one more time that there was nothing physically wrong with us as a couple.  So she states that she will start me on some Clomid pills (clomiphene) is a non-steroidal fertility medicine. It causes the pituitary gland to release hormones needed to stimulate ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). (wikipedia).

It seemed like a game plan, at least.

She then reached for a photocopied prescription page and handed it over to me.

She didn’t even bother to write my name on it!  I was shocked!!  Apparently, she was using a “one-size-fits-all” approach for all her patients that she came to a point where she decided a photocopied prescription would save her time.

Did I go for it?  No.  Did I ever go back?  Definitely not.  Did other people benefit from her photocopied prescription?  Probably, but I didn’t want to take a risk.

The life lesson I learned: when your doctor hands you a photocopied prescription, run.  Run far away and don’t look back.  Trust your parents, trust your spouse, trust your best friend, and trust your doctor.

Just make sure you don’t forget to trust yourself first.

 

0

Email Writing- The CAPS Story

Business-Email-1080x675

Writing this post seems like deja vu to me but I can’t seem to find any previous post that addressed this topic.  A similar post is Hold your Horses- Reality Funnier than a Joke since it discusses a pretty annoying email I received a while back but this contains other issues.

So this is what happened today: I received an email from, let’s say a work colleague who I’m not so keen about, requesting some missing documents to finalize some issue being cleared with a governmental agency.  Fair enough.  The problem is I received the email directly after I was given the bunch of papers requesting the same documents penciled in on the top page.  Now firstly, if you are requesting something, give the person time to get it done; I would not be able to handle your request from the ground floor till the second floor, it’s impossible!  You see, the issue wasn’t that I was asked more than once, the issue was with the timing of both requests.

The cringe factor while reading the email came up when I SAW THE EMAIL WRITTEN IN CAPS.  WHY?  Why would you request something from someone, anyone, in caps?  I felt like the person who sent the email was sitting behind her desk throwing a tantrum.  The email was basically as follows:

Subject: NEED MISSING PAPERS

Dear Ms. Bedoor,

Please check the list of missing papers we need.  Thank you.

1- ORIGINAL PASSPORT OF THE THE EMPLOYEE
2- AUTHORIZATION LETTER ADDRESSED IN THE NAME OF MR. X 
3- XXX
4- YYY

When I first read the subject line, I thought that the MISSING PAPERS were urgent and couldn’t wait.  It only occurred to me later on that it was the last day before the weekend which means that nothing can be done until after, so why bother jumping through hoops for something that can easily be obtained and also postponed.

I did just that.

For people who work with emails, please note the following tips that could help your emails be more professional:

1- Enter a thought of subject in the subject line.  You want to introduce the recipient with the topic of your email

2-Use the correct name of the person you are addressing.  Make sure the spelling is correct and you know the gender (Mr. or Ms.).  I received an email from Turkey, I think, and the lady was clear enough to sign her name with a Ms. in the end to inform me that she is a lady since their names were unfamiliar to us.  I thought it was a smart move, it makes dealings more realistic.

3- Use a simple greeting and ask about the person on at least wish them well.  Yes, this is merely diplomatic but we need to give our emails a bit of a human touch.

4- Be clear and precise about what you are communicating.  Make sure your words are not misunderstood by using simple and straight forward sentences.  Keep your sentences short especially if you are dealing with people who don’t have English as a first language.  If possible, use the recipient’s first language to communicate.

5- Do not give extra information.  The more information you give, the longer the email gets and your point gets lost.  They don’t need to know about the new taxation rules your country is enforcing because it doesn’t matter.  When proofreading, think of every single sentence and how it adds/takes away from the value of your email.

6- Have a call for action.  You are sending the email because you want something to be done, what is it.  Ask clearly.  Use sentences such as, “based on the above, please…” and “Therefore, we would appreciate if you…”

7- Stay formal.  The email you are sending is for business communication, make sure it stays as such.  Do not use emoticons (I really feel like I wrote about this!), do not use slang words, and do not use acronyms such as “btw” and “lol”.

8- Proofread.  proofread your email to make sure it contains all the points you wanted to address and you do not have any excess fat.

9- Fill in the correct email address.  I prefer to add the email address after making sure it’s ready to be sent.

10- Close with a thank you and best regards.  Make sure your signature contains the correct information.

10- Do not use caps and expect your email to be regarded positively.

 

0

Vision Boards

vision board

Vision boards were first introduced in one of the best selling self-help books in 2006 The Secret.  The law of attraction and the importance of living with our goals staring us in the face was implied in both the movie and the book, and actual results from using vision boards were also displayed to us.  That was when people started using and believing in The Secret and the law of attraction.

In a nut shell, you attract what you perceive whether it is good or bad.  I am not here to discuss my belief or disbelief in the law of attraction because this topic has been overly questioned and I do not have the experience to do so; I am merely here to demonstrate how I have been creating my vision boards.

What I believe is that your vision board should make sense to you.  What do you want to be displayed in front of you and how do you understand it?  If you are a visual person who prefers only pictures, then by all means use only pictures.  If you are more comfortable with words that indicate something to you, go ahead.  Most people like to use a combination of both so as to target both sides of their brains but my vision boards only contained images and pictures of things that I wanted.

Some people prefer to concentrate on one aspect in their life in their vision board such as their career. Their vision boards usually have more details in regards to that topic such as an image of a big office table, the picture of a secretary, signing agreement papers with a high end expensive signature pen, a picture of a bank statement showing a big sum of money, and so forth.

Other vision boards may represent a road map to something; it contains one goal and how to get to it.  An example could be losing weight (the goal) and pictures of healthy food, gym membership, the weighing scale with the target weight, an exercise schedule, and a picture of a person with the “ideal” body.

Vision boards can contain anything.  Engineers could have a 3D printout of their future home, artists could have a painting of their”target” family,and poets could have a poem describing them in a 6 foot yacht. Vision boards can be made of anything and use any sense as long as they shine light on the goals.

My vision boards are more general and contain the different aspects in my life that I deem valuable.  Because I am a person who wants to keep things balanced, I thought of my values.  While searching for images to print out, I realized that the Wheel of Life is a great tool which at least gives me the headlines for my vision board.  It wasn’t applied fully but parts of it gave me a significant starting point.

I started in the core of my beliefs: God.  I believe that when God is in the middle, everything falls into place.  So I printed a picture with God/faith.  I then thought of family, career, health and weight, finances, and personal growth.  So in the middle, I had God and the rest of the topics were clustered around the corners.  I printed pictures of how I saw the “utopia” of each goal and how happy I looked achieving the goal.  So for example, a picture of 4 adults in a meeting was representative of the communication and synergy at work.  I think this helped not only in keeping my goals in view, it helped maintain the life balance I sought after.

Throughout the year, I kept the vision board in front of me to remind myself of what it is I was working towards.  Not only is the Vision Board a tool for the universe to conspire and give you what’s on it, it’s also a tool that let’s you maintain focus and not lose your priorities.

Motivational quotes, words that explain the goals, and pictures of you photo-shopped next to lake Lucerne with your husband raise your hopes and act as engine boosters for your future.  You know what the saying says, out of sight, out of mind so keep your goals in sight to keep them in mind.

There are many days where you lose focus, and many days that make no sense to you.  Having a bit of belief that you are in control makes it a bit better.  Knowing that there are things that do not change in your mind and knowing that you, once upon a time, knew what you wanted makes you trust yourself in days when you trust no-one.  Be there to guide yourself forward and, to me, put your faith in the middle for comfort and strength.

0

Stay Away From Dementors

dementors_kiss

For Harry Potter fans out there, you will understand this post more than people who didn’t get affected by the Dementors scene with Sirius in The Prisoner of Azgaban.  https://youtu.be/G1TEF1-i5iA?t=20s

Dementors are magical creatures who, through their kiss, consume the emotions and good memories of human beings leaving them as empty shells.  So why am I talking about dementors if they are magical?  Because there are real dementors in our lives.  How so?  Bear with me for a while.

Let’s imagine a six year old child talking to his teacher about his dreams of being a singer.  The teacher, who sees that the child has an ugly voice, chooses to tell the child that he should be more realistic, that he should consider something else since singers need a good voice, and that singers are bad people anyway; this is the Dementor’s kiss.  The teacher just sucked the dream out of the child, leaving him feeling broken and vulnerable.

Adults are also faced with dementors all the time.  Spouses, siblings, friends, colleagues, all can be dementors.  They are people in your life who you feel drained just by talking to, people who are always negative, and people who find the worst in every situation.  Those who put you down regardless of what you do and those who make you feel like life is not worth living.

So how can we evaluate if there is a dementor in our life?

1- Identify the dementor:  Think of the people you are happy to talk to and who you feel good after you meet with.  These are not demetors, these are the good people you need. Now think of the people who you feel bad talking to, who you feel like it’s a job just listening to them.  People who you don’t want to share your success or ideas with.  You may be reluctant to face the truth because of the relationship you have with that person, it’s alright you’re just identifying them.

2- How long has this been going on?  Since when was the dementor in your life and when did this all start?  Are you a victim of an older sibling who enjoys putting you down?

3- What is the reason?  People are logical beings, supposedly, so what’s the reason behind the dementor choosing you to kiss?  Is it sibling rivalry?  Does your spouse feel like they are on a higher level by putting you down?  Is your colleague after the promotion you’re entitled to?

4- How often does this happen?  Is it a daily issue?  Do you feel obliged to speak to your dementor everyday and listen to the negativity all the time?

After answering the previous four questions, now is the time to get away from the dementor unless you are suicidal.  This is not a joke.  Negative people in your life will always fill it with negative energy and the more you struggle, the more you drown in the quicksand they are throwing you in.  Imagine all the negative words coming out of their mouth as trash being thrown in your direction.  Is it worth it?  Is this where you place yourself?  Do you not see yourself more than a door mat?

Colleagues, friends, and acquaintances who are dementors are easier to escape.  Try to reduce the amount of time you see them and try to cut all ties you have with them.  This will not be easy. When you try to escape, the dementors will want to show you how important he/she is in your life.  A prison guard is worthless without a prisoner.  Stay consistent and reduce the amount of time you see them. With time, you will feel the energy flow in your veins and you will be able to see the truth in how you were treated.

Dementors who are family members are much more difficult to stay away from.  You see, I can’t and won’t tell you to get a divorce or stop talking to your mother or reduce the amount of time you spend around them because these are the relationships that really matter in the end.  The dynamics of your relationship must be readjusted and you may need some outside help.  You could ty to work it out together but I doubt the dementors in them will want to discuss making things better.  These relationships are usually worth thinking of maintaining so you have to be sure of what you decide and how you go around trying to make things work (or not).

On the other hand, you need to work on your ‘expecto petronom’ to keep any new dementors away. You need to be strong, surround yourself with the right type of people and energy, and fill yourself with confidence in your strength.  Your dreams need to be set in your mind, your days need to be assessed and cherished, and your self must be given its worth.

Don’t forget, sometimes we are our own dementors.

“You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you’ll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no…anything. There’s no chance at all of recovery. You’ll just — exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever… lost.“—Remus Lupin on the Dementor’s Kiss[src]

 

 

0

Choosing a Linkedin Photo

linkedin

Linkedin is a a business oriented social networking service.  People use it to display their CVs and have recruiters (or headhunters) approach them for employment opportunities or even to network with people in similar fields.  Companies also can create their page and share news, articles, and any other important issues.  Some people use it to share their experiences and post articles they wrote in hope someone might listen to them.  Like any other social networking service, Linkedin gives the opportunity to post a photo of yourself.

Being a member of the Linkedin community for a few years, I have come across many photos of people I know (and people I don’t know) that make me wonder what they were thinking when they chose to upload their photo.  Well, I then decided to scroll down the list of People You May Know and be struck with disbelief.  Since this is a professional social networking site, I thought that people would care about their image; I mean, their profiles are open for recruiters and maybe their future bosses.

I came up with the following tips:

1- Selfies using any Snapchat filters are not acceptable.  Do not, under any circumstances, believe that anyone would recruit you if you have dog ears or a flower halo above your head. Even if you think you look cute, this is not the right picture.  I could even say that selfies are not acceptable because the angle is all wrong and shows that you did not take the time nor effort to have a professional picture taken.

2- A cartoon drawing of yourself is not OK unless you are the artist and are trying to show your talent.

3- A picture of yourself sitting behind a huge desk just makes you seem desperate.  Don’t top it off acting like you’re busy writing something either.  It’s so obvious.

4- A picture of you caught in mid-laugh.  This is not Facebook and it may be one of your favorite but keep it for your social group only.

5- Do not post a picture of yourself behind a billiard table.  Do not post a picture of yourself with any weird background such as the kitchen (unless you’re a chef), or in a party, or on vacation with the beach behind you.  You want to seem like you are at work, wearing work clothes, and getting work done.  If your work is associated with healthy living and yoga, for example, a picture with some tress in the background may be alright.  But if you have nothing to do with nature, stay away from it.

6-  Look approachable.  Post a picture that makes you look approachable.  A nice smile goes a long way.  You don’t want your picture to resemble a mug shot nor an adult dating service profile pic.

7- Do not post a picture with you wearing a cowboy hat (or any kind of hat).  Do not post a picture with sunglasses, people want to see your face.

8- I’m not 100% sure of this point as it may go either way.  I have seem a few pictures with the person holding a camera and another listening in his headset.  I think it’s a smart thing to be done, that is, showing people what you do; but some recruiters might not appreciate the obviousness.  This should be taken carefully, I wouldn’t feel so keen about a  bank teller holding money in his hands.

9- Make sure the picture is clear and your face shows: stay away from shadows.  Don’t use a picture with you covering your face with your arm, nor a picture with you looking away.

10- Do not use your children’s pictures.  Again, this is a professional networking site, people will want to see what you are doing not how old your child is.  You are NOT trying to get your children employed so keep them out.

11- If you choose to post a picture with something that identifies your current job, go ahead but know that you are not your job.  You have a set of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are deeper than any job can provide.  Plus, when or if you leave your job, you don’t want to forget to change your picture or you’ll end up looking desperate.  Don’t wear your uniform in your picture either (for those who have uniforms in their jobs).

12- Do not post yourself bowling, ice skating, playing soccer, playing with your pet tiger, eating out with your friends, or doing what you do in your spare time.  You are supposed to portray how you are at work, not out of work.  People want to employ you, not date you.

13-  Keep your image right side up.  Yes, some people have their pictures sideways.  Would you ever submit your CV with your picture printed sideways?

14- Don’t just crop your face from a group picture and settle for that.  This just shows that you’re lazy.  Also, don’t post yourself with someone else, it confuses people as to which one you are.

15- Make sure your image isn’t so much of a close up nor too far to be unidentifiable.  You want people to recognize you, half a face is not identifiable.

16- Do not post a picture of a logo unless you are a company.  Do not post a picture of your shoes, bag, sunglasses, or cup of coffee.  Again, this is not Snapchat.

These are just a few pointers I came up with after paying attention to the different Linkedin profile pictures, you can also go through your list of friends and can easily identify the best pictures that portray strength, confidence, and reliability.  Stay away from photoshopped images that look nothing like you and try to present yourself professionally.

Remember, you don’t want to resemble any funny high school yearbook pictures, you should know better now than what you knew at 18.

My profile pic?  I still didn’t find one that I’m happy with so wish me luck.

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