linked in profile | CFO Coach

Fast Company recently posted an informative article on what recruiters prefer to see in a Linkedin profile. It is good advice, and you can read it here. I thought I would add my two cents, aimed specifically at CFOs, to the information.

– Keep Your Profile Current

It is so easy to “forget” about Linkedin when you are not in job search mode. The reality is that recruiters are always looking for top-quality passive candidates and one of their sourcing methods is Linkedin. Keeping your profile current so you can be found, and your contributions as a problem-solving CFO are front and center, is a commendable career management strategy.

– What Constitutes a Headline?

It isn’t your current or most recent job title. The moment we identify by job title rather than value to a prospective company, we begin to lose important positioning.

Think about what entices or intrigues you to actually read an article or a post beyond skimming “headlines.” That same methodology applies to recruiters, while simultaneously differentiating you from the competition.

Honing in on how you are different from your competitors and how you have (and do) deliver value is the beginning of an effective headline.

– Your Profile Might be your Home on the Web

And if it is, it is NOT the same as your resume. Nor should it be a mere recitation of duties and responsibilities held throughout your career. Your “home on the web” is best utilized by creating an authentic and cohesive value-story that begins with your headline and ends with contributions delivered throughout your career, including any hobbies or personal interests that further or solidify your value positioning. Culture fit is the most challenging piece of the hiring process, so your ability to showcase fit-for-culture will only enhance your appeal.

If you need help crafting your value positioning on and off the web, let’s talk. You can reach me at Cindy@CFO-Coach.com or 813-727-3037.

***********************

Cindy Kraft is the CFO-Coach and America’s leading Career & Personal Brand Strategist for Corporate Finance Executives helping clients understand their marketability, articulate their value, and position themselves as the clear and compelling choice. She is a Certified Reach Personal Brand Strategist, Certified Reach Online Identity Strategist, Certified Career Management Coach, Credentialed Career Master, Certified Professional Resume Writer, and Job & Career Transition Coach. Cindy can be reached via email Cindy@CFO-Coach.com, by phone 813-727-3037, or through her website at www.CFO-Coach.com.

I received an email from a FENG member last week. I spoke to his Orlando group a few weeks ago, and one of the talking points was around the importance of having a digital footprint. Of course, that included having a profile on Linked In.

Here’s the question he posed and his follow up clarification:

I have had 3 people ask me how they fix the fact that they have 2 profiles on Linked In, without deleting all of their contacts on the profile they get rid of? I have 3 people I'm Linked In with that have multiple accounts, one did it with one firm then left, started at a new firm and did a new profile, another has her name a little different on her two profiles. She said she couldn't figure out how to transfer her contacts without deleting them.

I bet my colleague Jason Alba, author of “I’m on Linked In, Now What” would love to weigh in on this topic.

This situation points to the importance of opening your Linked In account in YOUR name, not your company’s name. When you leave that company, you want your Linked In profile, account, and contacts to remain yours.

Linkedin Profiles & CFOs

Who Owns Your Linked In Profile?