Are there any synergies created for CFOs and other Finance Executives by using both Linked In and Facebook? I’ve actually blogged about this several times in the past, but the question was raised again … so I’m happy to respond again.
I believe there are synergies. The traditional view, and one that is held by many Chief Financial Officers and Senior Finance Executives is, draw a line in the sand and never the two shall mix. With all due respect to those who hold that view, it’s an outdated view for many of the reasons I cite in my previous post about CFOs missing the social media boat, and the sequel.
Here’s the skinny from my humble vantage point …
In the tough and competitive job search climate today, a presence on Facebook combined with a strong professional presence on Linked In can actually work to a candidate's benefit … if done correctly. The ability of a candidate to showcase a 360-perspective is very restrictive on Linked In. Facebook, on the other hand, is much more open and transparent (hobbies, interests, circle of friends, communication style, including grammar and spelling). And, Facebook privacy controls help to keep private things private and non-private things public.
Culture fit is the most difficult part of hiring today. With a branded Linked In presence and a professional / personal Facebook presence, a recruiter and/or a company get a much more accurate, and complete, picture of a potential candidate. When you walk into a room … that picture already precedes you and can give you a huge advantage over the competition during the interview process – your fit with the company culture has already been decided.
The more tools you use, the more of a time drain social media “can” become. However, with all the seamless integration now available across platforms, it is almost painless to create one post and populate your Linked In status bar, Facebook page, and even Twitter simultaneously.
And that is all good for building density around a digital footprint that screams … Subject Matter Expert … while separating you from the competition.
Cindy, although I’m not exactly your target demographic, I’ve recently joined FB and am now exploring the intersection of a strong LI presence along with FB & Twitter. This blog entry puts into words something I knew but couldn’t express: thank you.
Thanks for your kind words, Ed! There are great synergies to be had amongst many of the new social media tools. I wish you much success with your new SM plan!
Any thoughts on complementing Facebook and linked in with Twitter? It seems that at the very least the next generation of recruits will utilize Twitter as much as other media.
Absolutely, Catherine. Very few CFOs really utilize Twitter which is why I didn’t comment on it … this time. But I’ve blogged about integrating Twitter into an overall social media strategy many times. Here are a couple of those posts …
https://www.cfo-coach.com/2009/09/why-cfos-should-venture-beyond-linked-in.html
http://bit.ly/ckyajJ
Cindy
Your comments about being well rounded (Professional on LinkedIn, Personal on Facebook) are very relevant.
I have found that many financial executives are on LinkedIn and Facebook, but many don’t take the time to ensure that their Facebook is appropriately private and professional.
My blog piece “Is Facebook a Career Killer?” http://bit.ly/aHUtER discusses how Facebook can be detrimental to a career if not managed properly.
Thanks for your continuing valuable insights.
Samuel
Samuel Dergel
Senior Partner & Practice Leader, CFO Search
Web: http://www.cfo2grow.com
Blog: http://thefinancialstatement.com
Twitter: @cfo2grow and @cfo2dergel
Cindy, great article.. With aggregators like Hootsuite, the time drain is no longer an issue! What most people need to know is that there are conversations happening around your company and/or niche market. Whether you choose to participate is what will set you apart from the rest. Hence, once you have started to participate what you do with that valuable information will contribute as well!
RM – InBoundMarketingPR