Photos, Keywords, Questions

On LinkedIn? Looking for a job? Paul Boutin at The New York Times' Gadgetwise blog says "there are three things a lot of LinkedIn users don't seem to know that can help raise your chances of being recruited." First, Boutin says that in the "Facebook era," LinkedIn users who haven't posted photos to their profiles seem as though they haven't put much thought into their online presence. "It doesn't need to be a professional headshot," he says, though he adds that "business attire" is best. Boutin also suggests that users post keywords to their profiles, as employers often utilize the site's search function to query certain terms. "Other people won't find you if they aren't searching for words that match your entry," he says. "Pack your LinkedIn profile with as many popular job terms as you can think of related to what you do." Finally, Boutin says that "sending a question to your LinkedIn network is one of the best ways to remind people that you still exist, and are still looking for work," adding that while doing so may only turn up a lead or two, "it's probably better than blindly sending out résumés and watching your inbox in vain."