I think you're overestimating it. Recruiters usually use LinkedIn's tools to send automated messages to people based on some criteria (years of experience, current job title, location etc). They aren't sifting through profiles and judging people, least of all based on their profile pictures. And the way you look affects hiring anyway - at some point you'll have to talk to someone over video or in person.

> And the way you look affects hiring anyway - at some point you'll have to talk to someone over video or in person.

The problem is that you probably won't get that far if an employer doesn't like the color of your skin, your gender, that you're in a wheelchair, etc. Your resume will probably go in the trash as soon as they see your photo.

But if you can at least get into an interview, you have an opportunity to sell yourself as a candidate.

I really doubt that anyone's interviewing skills are so good that they can cure the interviewer's racism.

The problem itself is real of course, I just don't think that having or not having a profile picture will make any difference. And there's other factors too - do I need to hide my name so I don't give away that I'm from a foreign country or that I'm a woman?

I don't want to pretend that I have a solution for racism/sexism/etc. in hiring but I really don't think that tiptoeing around people's prejudices is the way to do it.

> I really doubt that anyone's interviewing skills are so good that they can cure the interviewer's racism.

Racism can be very subtle and insidious, though.

You don't always need to talk them out of beliefs like "we are going to take your country away from you," it's more about dispelling unexamined gut beliefs like "the best candidate will probably visually resemble the people who have been good in that role before." The latter is less difficult to overcome if you can get yourself into the face-to-face stage.

The same thing probably applies to ageism. Sure, you can tap dance around putting a lot of specific dates on your resume. But generally it's pretty obvious within a decade or so. And, if you really go whole hog and don't even put any durations, you probably don't want to look like you're maybe just out of school if you've just had a couple long duration jobs--and the company's application form will probably make you fill in dates anyway.

To each their own, but my mom who is nearly 60 and still enjoys working, had good experience with just removing the years from her college and like her first 4 jobs.

I'm not sure what that proves though. I got my last job well into my 50s and my approximate age was certainly no secret to the people hiring me given that I knew them personally. I guess my feeling is that there's generally not a good reason to hide things that are going to be obvious the minute someone lays eyes on you, especially if doing so might itself raise a flag in someone's mind.

Sorry, I should have added: until she did that she wasn't getting any responses.

I suppose it's possible for people without much of a public presence to hide their appearance on the web. Though many of us have photos plastered all over the place--and I'm not talking Facebook/Instagram but also conference presentations, etc. But, as you say, they're eventually going to be meeting live--whether virtually or physically.

Everything matters. Given two more or less skilled candidates, I guess if one looks like Brad Pitt, well, that's something no? Or if someone has a really nice voice, that has to count for something. Perhaps the company is thinking in terms "oh, candidate 2 has a magnificent voice! If we ever present tech conferences, he will do great!"

This is not a world where "only your brain" matters. If you have brain and a decent surface (i.e., face, body, voice, manners) then you'll beat the ones who "only" have brain.

That's an issue. I am so in favor of not providing a birthdate or picture in job applications. But then I like LinkedIn as recruiting tool, which has a picture and more often than not a birthdate... Not sure what to make of it.