I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but in the business world, appearances are everything.

Yesterday, for example, I received a pitch from a veteran PR guy who looked downright angry. If I saw him down a dark alley, I'd run the other way. I think the company he's representing would be mortified to know that that's the face associated with their product.

I'm sure this guy and other "offenders" had no idea their photo was attached, so to speak, to their e-mail, but that's no excuse. We're living in a social-network society, where nearly any image you post online has the potential to be viewed by others -- even if it's ostensibly for "friends" only. Thus, it's your responsibility to project a more professional you.

Need help creating a better, smarter profile pic? Check out It's a fairly straightforward -- some would say obvious -- set of suggestions, but worth heeding if you're just not sure what constitutes "professional." For example:

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...