Everyone has caught the ick at least once in their lifetime. Once you get it, it’s hard to move forward with a romantic prospect, and it turns out that this is also true in the professional world. The ick can creep up on you at any time – especially on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has changed the world of employment. It’s given jobseekers another way of putting their best foot forward when applying for a job. However, if you’re not so careful, your LinkedIn profile might stop you from landing your dream role.

From oversharing to inappropriate selfies and unsolicited sales pitches, the team at The Audit Lab conducted a survey exploring the top LinkedIn icks so that you can make sure to keep your professional persona polished at all times.

Adding qualifications to your name

Your name should be just that: your name. Don’t add different letters from qualifications of years gone by. Yes, you may be proud of your degree, but a BA has no place in your title. Sure, you want to stand out and make sure that potential hirers notice your excellence quickly, but your profile should speak for itself without going overboard – so let’s keep those certificates to the appropriate ‘about you’ section.

Instant sales pitches

LinkedIn messaging can be a great tool for connecting yourself and your brand to your network. However, you need to master the art of conversation on LinkedIn.

Long, spammy sales pitches are a guaranteed turn-off and will have potential employers reaching for the mute button – especially if that person has only just accepted your connection request.

10 things that give employers the ick on Linkedin