diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3eb91bd..9d69f09 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 LinkedInt.cfg
+*.html
+*.csv
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/LinkedInt.cfg b/LinkedInt.cfg
index 28cdf94..755df71 100644
--- a/LinkedInt.cfg
+++ b/LinkedInt.cfg
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 [API_KEYS]
-hunter = 
+hunter = ""
 
 [CREDS]
 linkedin_username = 
-linkedin_password = 
-
+linkedin_password = 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/LinkedInt.py b/LinkedInt.py
index 781524f..212fb75 100644
--- a/LinkedInt.py
+++ b/LinkedInt.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ def get_search():
                     data_picture = ""
 
                
-
+                data_slug = repr(data_slug.encode("utf-8")).replace("\\x","%").replace("b","",1).replace("'","")
                 parts = data_lastname.split()
 
                 name = data_firstname + " " + data_lastname
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ def authenticate():
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     print("")
-    a = open(baseDir + "banner.txt","r")
+    a = open(baseDir + "banner.txt","r", encoding="utf-8")
     print(a.read())
     a.close()
     print("")