As social media tools continue to be a critical piece of an overall corporate recruiting strategy, CFOs and senior finance executives will want to leverage powerful positioning on Linked In. How your profile is perceived by recruiters is paramount to getting a second look or, even better, a call on a first look.
Five key areas to pay attention to include …
— A Powerful Branded Summary
This is not your daddy’s boring bio either. This summary, limited by 2,000 characters, is your opportunity to showcase how you do what you do (your brand) that is different and unique from others who do the same or similar things.
This limited summary section forces you to concentrate on the value you offer and deliver it succinctly. The process of unearthing and condensing down your marketable value proposition into a clear and compelling accomplishment statement is one of “the” most valuable things you can do for yourself.
Ignoring the summary section relegates you, by omission, to commodity status. Do what others are NOT doing and get noticed!
— Complete Experience Section
It is great to have your employers and job titles, past and present, listed as part of your profile. But that is not enough. In the world of key searches, more is better. The amount of information online acts as a pre–qualifier and gives both you and a prospect a framework to begin establishing a relationship.
— Vanity URL
Grab your vanity URL to increase your Google rankings and add branded consistency to your online presence.
— Join Groups
Within the 60 million Linked In ocean of users, you are a mere bait fish. By joining groups, the size of the pond shrinks and your presence grows exponentially. Joining groups allows you to mingle with like–minded folks, gain access to their contact information … even if the person is not a 1st degree contact in your network, and become even more visible to recruiters.
— Get Recommended
Third party recommendations are extremely important on Linked In. These are very powerful endorsements that add credibility to the statements in your profile and employment history, and are critical to your positioning.
What does your Linked In profile say about you? Do you stand out from the other Chief Financial Officers who have done the same or similar things as you … or are have you relegated yourself to commodity status?
If you're a Chief Financial Officer and you're on Linked In, please consider connecting with me and joining our CFO Careers group.