When was the last time you updated that profile pic in your LinkedIn "about me" section? Turns out that what potential employers are really looking for in a candidate is someone with a hairy face.

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That's apparently what happened when online marketer Javier Sanz decided to play a little game with his profile on ODesk, a site where freelancers can bid on potential gigs. But instead of waiting for his facial fuzz to sprout, he decided to photoshop a beard right onto his avatar to "make him look older".

And the surprising thing is that it worked pretty well. When he inquired about job openings as a bearded contractor, the response rate jumped from 12 percent to 35 percent. Take note Sanz's results are limited to a very specific kind of job-searching, like freelance and contract jobs that tend to be virtual based. So don't expect to land that CEO gig just because you own an impressive beard.

[Wired]