In previous articles, we’ve offered tips for using social media in your job search. That’s because more and more recruiters and hiring managers are using social networks to learn about and even contact potential candidates.

While most know how to lock down their profiles through privacy settings on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn is a little different. The point there being that the information you’re putting on the site is critical and relevant to your job search; therefore, your picture should also be professional and relevant to your job search. Even with your career transparency on LinkedIn, for all three sites (or however many you may be using), your profile picture is the one constant that’s nearly always visible.

“Your image is conveyed through your photograph, and it’s part of the first impression you make on others,” says Barbara Pachter, a business communications and etiquette expert who’s authored numerous books on social media professionalism. “You want to post a photograph that is professionally appropriate. You want to look like a credible, approachable person, not like you just came from the beach.”

The beach would be a treat, honestly. Some of the photos I see? For shame, people, for shame. So let’s go through some examples of what you should and shouldn’t be doing in your profile picture.

1. Use a head shot. This means that it should be head and shoulders, highlighting your face. It should not be some weird photo from a party. 

2. Your photo should be flattering. Who wouldn’t want to be portrayed in the best light? However, this doesn’t mean you should use butter on the lens to give that soft glamour-shot effect.

This example is neither a good head shot nor is it flattering; also, it should be in color.
Leave your artsy photos for the gallery.

3. Your face is the focus, not the background. Again, this is a headshot. That means you posing near the Great Wall is probably not the best choice for a main picture. Is it cool? Absolutely. Professional? Not unless you’re an ancient bricklayer. Keep your face in focus too — nothing is worse than a blurry photo. Well…

Yep, your face is typically important. Biceps, deltoids and other body parts should be left unseen.

4. Be fully clothed. The number of people I’ve seen without clothes or who post images of others sans clothing is appalling. Remember, your profile is seen by everyone, so clean up your act and keep the more risqué photos for “Missed Connections.”

5. Don’t make any funny faces. Pachter says, “If you are frowning or scowling, why would someone want to hire or work with you?” This is equally true for those who try to use more suggestive pictures. What kind of work would an employer assume you’re interested in? So while this ties in with No. 4, I still see photos of people with clothes on who are making weird, goofy faces. A smile will work nicely, thank you.

6. Keep your photo current. Make sure your photo actually looks like you. Stop using a photo that you love from five-plus years ago. Again, not only is this off-putting, but if people meet you and realize you’re being deceptive, why would they trust you as an employee?

I was less wrinkled and much thinner then. But still not a professional photo – I mean, look at that shirt.

7. Find a photographer. Whether you pay or find a friend or student to take your photo, it’ll be better than your mirrored self-portrait with your phone or a webcam shot. Trust me, the effort in having a professional shot will be worth the trouble of setting it up.

The moral of the story is this: If your account is locked down, put up any drunken/Halloween/inappropriate photos you want in your “Shameful Moments” gallery. But keep your profile image respectable, even if you are not using it as part of your job search. Google and other search engines will pull in your profile images when recruiters or managers search your social profiles (especially Google+).

See how nice a professional headshot can be, even if it’s taken by a photographer friend?

Please note all the photos above are of me, even though I so wanted to put certain people on blast for their awful photos. You know who you are.

Tell me about the worst profile picture you have ever seen or if you’ve ever judged candidates based on their profile pictures in social media!

In this particular episode, the makeover subject was nominated for the show by her co-workers, who thought her unprofessional style was hindering her career. While the premise makes for entertaining television, I couldn’t help but wonder how this scenario would play out in real life. I, for one, would not be too pleased if five of my well-meaning co-workers teamed up to tell me how dowdy I was.

Still, most of us can probably think of a colleague who could use a makeover: the intern who wears low-cut tops, the IT guy who lives in track pants, the boss who doesn’t iron his shirts. This person may be a great employee, but his professional image could use some fine-tuning. And you might have an occasional itch to tell this co-worker to put a little more effort into his appearance — for his own sake, of course.

But outside the realm of television, is it ever OK to advise a colleague on something as personal as appearance? Before you decide to dole out style or grooming recommendations to your office-mates, there are a few things to consider.

1. Do you have an obligation to say something? If you manage someone who is violating the company dress code or whose cologne cloud gives the rest of the office a headache, you should consider raising the concern.

“Managers need to ask, ‘Is this person’s clothing or grooming distracting other employees from the work at hand or offending customers?’” says Leigh Steere, co-founder of Managing People Better LLC. “You may not like a worker’s choice of attire, hairstyle or makeup, but has the employee crossed the line into becoming a distraction or an offense?”

Steere offers the following examples of issues that may need addressing:

• Strong body odor — it may create an offensive smell that permeates the office and disturbs other workers.
• Strong cologne can cause employees to sneeze repeatedly.
• Skirts that are too short or shirts that show too much cleavage may be causing employee eyes (and thoughts) to stray.
• Clothing that causes a conflict of interest, for example, Toyota logo apparel worn by a Ford employee.

One additional note: If you are a man and the problem is with a female employee, consider having another woman address the issue, and vice-versa.

2. How well do you know the person? Your best friend at work who is continually getting passed over for promotions because her wardrobe projects a bad image to clients is one thing. The new guy who hasn’t quite found the balance between business and casual, however, is another.

“Unless it is really bothering you or you know the person well enough to care about how he or she is being perceived, it’s risky, not to mention potentially not your place,” says Donna Flagg, founder of The Krysalis Group, a business and management consulting firm in New York City. “The point being that it really depends on the relationship. I would never tell a client that their clothes were ‘wrong,’ unless I knew that person quite well and was doing it to help him or her.”

3. Your goal is to help, not humiliate. If you decide to address the issue, remember that your goal is to be helpful.

“Perhaps the most important thing to remember as you approach such a highly sensitive topic is that you care about the other person and want to help him both address the issue and not feel humiliated in the process,” says Kerry Patterson, co-author of The New York Times best-seller “Crucial Conversations.” “Keeping this in mind will go a long way toward setting the tone and helping an awkward discussion go quickly and smoothly.”

4. Be very careful in your use of terms. “While there is no word that doesn’t carry with it a bit of a stigma, words like ‘skanky’ or ‘offend,’ certainly don’t work,” Patterson says. “Similarly, don’t go for political or cute language such as ‘wardrobe malfunction.’ This isn’t a laughing matter.”

The bottom line is that personal appearance is a touchy subject. Unless you are in a position where you feel obligated to tell an employee her clothing is distracting to others or you’re really trying to help a close friend at the office , it’s better to stay out of your co-workers’ closets.

For more on office etiquette and workplace wardrobes, see:

7 tips for improving email etiquette

Business etiquette around the world

Your work wardrobe 101

Photo courtesy of TLC

As you can see, when I rounded up the shoes from six of my nearest co-workers, I realized that we could outfit a staff double our size.

But shoes aren’t the only things people are bringing in to work and leaving at their desks.

When I asked our Twitter followers what they kept, I got some interesting responses including bobbleheads, tradeshow tchotchkes, gargoyles and a whole bunch of bric-a-brac. The weirdest one: A follower’s co-worker collected used microwave meal trays.

And when I looked around our desks a little more, I noticed how much people really do “move in” to their spaces. But when does it cross the line from “lived in” space to closely resembling something featured on an episode of “Hoarders”?

Earlier this year we conducted a survey on workplace hoarding, and the results were shocking. People openly admitted that they let their desks become overwhelmed with clutter, whether that clutter meant Happy Meal toys, Koala bears or bananas, all of which can be found in the photo below.

(Please note I’m not saying that my co-workers have cluttered desks, I just liked how this shot showed off a lot of gems).

But here’s my question — what’s okay to have stored at your desk and what isn’t? We learned from the survey that employers had negative perceptions of workers who had Hoarder-like work spaces. Thirty-eight percent of managers said piles of paper covering a desk negatively impacted their opinion of that person; 27 percent felt they are disorganized, while 16 percent said they are just messy.

Here are my basic, non-scientific recommendations for what to keep at your desk/office/workplace:

• Extra pair of shoes: I’ll give you this one. When it’s pouring rain, the snow has surpassed the two-foot mark or if you have to hoof it a mile to get to your destination, just go ahead and wear comfortable shoes. Besides, dress shoes can cost a pretty penny, so you might as well just keep them at the office where they’ll remain pretty and less beat up from travel wear and tear.
• Blazer: Called into a client meeting or know that the VP is stopping by your area later? It’s probably best to have a jacket at work just in case. Being able to dress up your look in a minute is key.
• Accessories: For men, I’d recommend keeping a tie handy. Ladies, a fancier accessory such as a bracelet or necklace should work; not the crown jewels, of course.
• Umbrella: Self-explanatory.
• Sweater/jacket: Good for when the weather changes and the heat hasn’t kicked in yet.
• One coffee mug plus one set of cutlery: Instead of using Styrofoam, be kind to the environment and use a mug from home. Also, for cutlery, I find that I break plastic forks at a rate of 10:1. Therefore, I keep my own knife, fork and spoon at work.
• Some pictures or fun mementos: It’s nice to have memorabilia that either reminds you of your family while you’re away or shows off your work accomplishments.

But, in the course of my people-watching over the next few days, I also know there will be times when I feel seriously uncomfortable; Feelings brought on by getups that will make me wonder “Where does this lady work that she doesn’t have to wear pants?” or think “Yikes. That is one brave man, right there.”

Because inevitably, when people are given the option to ditch business casual for a day and dress instead as whatever they want, there will be some who take it a little too far.

Halloween is fun, and if you have an office that is cool enough to celebrate it, then by all means, dress up! Just remember the golden rule of office revelry: “There is a time and a place for everything.”

Here, guidelines to help you figure out what’s work appropriate, and what you should save for the weekend. (Because after high school, it’s not cool to be the girl who gets sent home to put more clothes on.)

1. Be a nurse, not a sexy nurse. It seems that the manufacturers of Halloween costumes for adult women follow the same predictable formula year after year: Take an occupation, animal or Disney princess and slap the word “sexy” in front of it … Ta da! But, even though it may require a little more effort to find a costume that’s not based on a foundation of underwear and fishnets, if you plan on dressing up for work, plan on putting in the extra time to find something full-coverage.

2. Avoid controversy. If there’s a question in your mind that your costume might offend your co-workers or spark an argument, go a different route. Your friends might get a kick out of your Casey Anthony costume, but do you really want to listen to your co-workers argue about whether or not she’s guilty all day? Didn’t think so.

Some other popular-yet-controversial costumes for 2011 that will probably cause more of a headache than they’re worth at work? A Wall Street protestor, Osama Bin Laden, Amanda Knox, and any member of the crowded cohort that includes Anthony Weiner and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.  

3. Don’t be a nuisance. If your office fully-embraces Halloween, chances are it won’t be the most productive day of the year. Still, there will probably be some work that needs to get done, so make sure your costume isn’t too distracting. If your getup has pieces that make noise, light up, blow bubbles, play music, etc., it’s best to leave these components home.

4. Keep your work environment in mind. If your office is small, casual and creative, you may be able to get away with more than if you work in a corporate environment or one where you’re required to interact with clients and customers all day. If you’re not sure what’s appropriate, ask co-workers what they plan on dressing up as, or what people were in years’ past.

Bottom line? Have fun, but use good judgment. If you have an inkling that your sexy, politically incorrect costume is not office appropriate, save it for the weekend, and choose something more neutral for 9-to-5. It can be your excuse to buy two costumes!

What other guidelines do you have for office costumes? Have you ever seen anyone go too far? Let us know in the comments section.

But it is possible to create a summer work wardrobe that’s comfortable yet professional, and cool yet collected. Here’s how.

1. No flip flops: Ladies, this faux-pas is typically committed by you, so listen up: “Flip flops are beach wear which transpired into ‘commuter-wear’ and then slowly into office wear,” says Lizandra Vega, author of “The Image of Success: Make a Great Impression and Land the Job You Want.”

Not only do they look unprofessional, but their namesake “flip-flop” noise is an easy way to drive your co-workers nuts every time you walk by their desks, so opt for strappy sandals, espadrilles or ballet flats instead.

2. Choose light colors: “Lighter color garments help you keep cool during hot summer months,” Vega says. “Dark colors absorb heat, while light colors reflect heat.” That said; make sure the color isn’t too light. See below.

3. No peep shows:  Summer clothing is often made of lightweight, lightly colored fabric. This can make for a comfortable commute, but it can also make for awkward over exposure. “Avoid apparel in fabrics that are so lightweight that they are see-through,” Vega says.

4. Wear an undershirt: It may seem counter-intuitive to add an extra layer when it’s hot out, but (men especially), if you don’t already wear an undershirt, you might want to start now. The extra layer will help absorb sweat during a mid-summer commute.

“Wearing a cotton undershirt actually helps men feel cooler as it will absorb perspiration,” Vega says. “[Plus],if a lighter fabric shirt is chosen, the undershirt will prevent it from being see-through.”

5. For women, dresses are best: Women are at a serious advantage when it comes to dressing for summer at the office for one simple reason: They can wear dresses.

“Dresses are a great option because it avoids having to wear a jacket,” Vega says. “A wrap dress, a sheath or shift dress are appropriate options.”

If you will be forgoing the jacket, look for styles with short or three-quarter length sleeves, even sleeveless if you feel comfortable. Tank-style dresses are too casual for the office without a jacket or cardigan, though.

6. Keep an extra layer at work: Women can keep a wrap or lightweight, neutral-colored cardigan in their desks in case the air conditioning is kicked into overdrive. Men can do the same with a blazer or sweater.

What is your go-to outfit for summer? What’s the biggest faux-pas for office attire? Share your opinions in the comments section, below.

A simple way to prove this principle? Take a look around your office. Chances are, there’s a woman in a low-cut blouse, or a man wearing equally low-cut white athletic socks with his black suit, despite the fact that most people consider these to be clear “don’ts” for office attire.

Sometimes, people are really just clueless about what they should and shouldn’t wear to work, but more often, offensive outfits are the result of laziness, or a comfort-level reached by people in their office environments  (i.e. the thought that “I’ve been working here for five years — I don’t need to worry about my outfit because my work speaks for itself.”) But this kind of complacency can actually harm your career.

According to Barbara Pachter, a business etiquette expert and author of “Greet! Eat! Tweet! 52 Business Etiquette Postings To Avoid Pitfalls & Boost Your Career,” “Many people forget that their clothing always needs to project professionalism, regardless of their company’s policies.”

If you need a refresher in “Office attire 101,” here are five things that should never be a part of your work wardrobe.

1. Clothes that don’t fit: While super-tight clothing might be the more obvious office faux-pas, wearing clothes that are too big is equally unsuitable. “You look like a little kid in your big brother’s or sister’s clothing. Your clothing needs to fit,” Pachter says. This rule is especially important for men — since even the most expensive suits will look more sloppy than suave if they fit poorly. Don’t have a ton of money to spend on new suits? Take the ones you have to a tailor.

2. Clothes that show too much leg: For women, this means no short skirts. “They draw attention to your legs. Is that where you want people to look? Plus, you can get labeled: [I knew a] woman named Susan wore very short skirts and her co-workers referred to her as ‘Suzy Short Skirt,’” Pachter says.

For men, the “too much leg” rule applies to socks. “Short socks or socks that fall down expose skin and hairy legs on men when they sit and/or cross their legs,” Pachter says. Not usually a pretty sight.

3. Cleavage: Ladies: Make sure your clothes pass the “Friday night” test. If you’d choose a top for a Friday night out on the town, you might want to reconsider it for the office. “Sexy is not a corporate look,” Pachter says. “Low-cut tops that expose cleavage draw attention to this body part and are not appropriate in the office.”

4. Lots of loud colors: A pop of color in any outfit is a great thing, but choosing a loud hue for your whole ensemble probably isn’t a wise choice for the office. You don’t want to be labeled “the man in the green pants,” Pachter says. If you’re a guy and you want to add some interest to your outfit, do so with a colorful tie or a pocket square. Women can do the same with bright accessories, scarves or shoes.

5. Overly casual clothing: Although more offices are embracing casual dress codes, a relaxed atmosphere shouldn’t be seen as a free-pass to pajama town. Also inappropriate: sweatpants/gym clothes, clothing that is stained or torn, or anything with a cartoon character, vacation destination, etc. on it. Jeans are fine, as long as your look is polished. Think darker denim, button downs and shoes that aren’t sneakers.

To eliminate potential wardrobe woes, Pachter suggests asking yourself two questions before you head out the door in the morning:

1. Is my clothing appropriate? “Appropriate” clothing will vary for everyone, so ask yourself if what you’re wearing is in line with your job, your profession, your company’s dress code, the region of the country you’re in and the activity or event that you are attending, Pachter advises. “What is appropriate for a big financial company in the northeast may be different from what is appropriate for a smaller organization in the south. What’s appropriate for a lawyer going to court may be very different than an advertising executive making a creative sales pitch. If unsure whether something is appropriate, choose something else,” she says.

2. What message am I sending through my clothing? Your clothing sends a message, so make sure that you know — and like — what that message is. Ideally, says Pachter, strive for clothing that “tells others that you take your work seriously and pay attention to the details.”