Now What

Who Owns Your Linked In Profile?

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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.

You Are Out of a Job …

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“You’re Out of a Job, Now What” in Today in Finance at CFO.com is perfectly timed for the Personal Branding Summit being held today from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

<<Coke is the real thing, while with Allstate you’re in good hands, and Nike just does it. What’s your brand? How do potential employers, former colleagues, and service providers perceive your brand of management and business savvy? Part of the answer is in your personal style, says Croddock, who has worked with many CFOs who run tight ships, but remain detached and even abrasive. Applying such an approach to job hunging won’t work, says the executive coach. Rather, work to become more involved with people, not just the work, during a transition and beyond.

Proul claims that "career goals may change, but a branded individual will have the ability to make transitions easier and at their discretion." And the building blocks of a personal brand are probably already listed on a job seeker’s résumé, including the types and size of the industries, markets, and companies a candidate has worked in, as well as career path, work/life balance, skills, strengths, and expertise, says Proul.

Also, candidates should co-brand themselves through association with employers or departments, writes Proul in a report he authored for Century Group. He explains that many candidates are called in for interviews because of the strong reputation of the company, industry, or products with which they are associated. Writes Proul: "Your employer already spends time and money on marketing; you can capitalize on it. In no other business relationship can you more freely use the branding and name of a company without consent.">>

The entire article is terrific … and a must read for every finance executive who understands that a business plan for his career is just as important as the business plan for his company.