Ziggs

CFOs Primer for Building Online Visibility

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These great comments came from one of my FEI readers. And he’s right, he probably isn’t the only one asking these kinds of questions. Here’s his post:

I would appreciate your thoughts about all the different “connecting” or some type of affiliation based programs out there.  I have recently received invites for Linked-In, Plaxo, Facebook and Konnect.   They are all “not quite the same” and of course, do not allow data sharing with each other.  And of course, we must “twitter”. I think I just hit the “information overload” stage.  I need to simplify and I don’t think I am alone in this quandary.

He’s got it right … he needs to be visible and the sites he mentioned are all tools to create visibility. If time is of the essence, here are my top picks for building visibility.

Linked In is a must. It is the largest online business networking site, and at least for today, the best place to create your portable portfolio. Be sure to open the account under your name and email address, not your company’s, so you own the account. If you’re new to Linked In, you can request a copy of my article “5 Easy Ways to Beef Up Your Linked In Profile” by sending me an email (cindy@cfo-coach.com).

Two other recommended sites include Ziggs and Zoom Info. Because Linked In only allows folks in your network to see your contact information, Ziggs and Zoom Info provide that information AND add to the credibility of your footprint.

I like Facebook and encourage my CFOs to join. Part of the allure of this site is that it allows you to deepen your brand by painting a complete picture of who you are as a person. What you care about (values) and your interests are easy to discern by decision makers hiring for culture fit. 

Leverage the power of the Google search engine by creating and managing your Google profile. I recently read that your Google profile will soon show up first in every Google search, so … need I say more?

There are a few sites out now that allow you to consolidate your online profiles, make changes once, and update all of them simultaneously. A few of those sites are reviewed by KillerStartups. 

Next post … Twitter for CFOs

No Blogging Allowed

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Another great question from the AFP conference …

How can I build visibility if my company has a policy against personal and/or corporate blogs?

Unfortunately this is a roadblock many people face. Obviously, attempting to get the policy changed is one approach. Since corporate visibility and credibility also boost your individual visibility and credibility, corporate blogging is really a win/win. A legitimate argument for corporate blogging might include what the competition is doing, or not doing, as a way for your organization to get onboard the Web 2.0 phenomenon.

If there isn’t a corporate policy against writing and publishing articles, especially for industry–related websites, trade journals, and magazines, that can be a great back–up plan for increasing online visibility by including a link back to your Linked In profile.

Failing those two strategies, think about visible leadership roles you might assume and then create press around the benefits of what you’re doing. These leadership roles might include presenting at conferences, chairing the local chapter of an organization, or even holding an officer position in a national organization.

The inability to raise visibility through publishing or pontificating increases the importance of a professional, branded presence on Linked In, Facebook, Zoom Info, and Ziggs.

 

Reputation Management

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Some great questions came out of my presentation at the AFP conference in LA last week. I’ll cover a few of them here over the next few days.

How do I handle the situation where someone shares my name, has a high Google Quotient, and a less then desirable reputation?

This question points to the importance of knowing and understanding what Google is saying about you. While it is impossible to control other people and their reputation, you can raise your Google Quotient through posting, publishing, pontificating, and partnering … thereby pushing others behind you.

It also illustrates the importance of having complete profiles on some of the key sites (Linked In, Facebook, Ziggs, ZoomInfo) so there is NO question about who you are.

Move Beyond the Ostrich Position

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The current economic uncertainty is a perfect breeding ground for indecision and paralysis. And it has never been more important to be decisive then now! If you’ve been imitating the ostrich, here are a few action steps you can implement today …

––Adopt the “self–employed” mindset

If you haven’t read the great book by Cliff Hakim, “We Are All Self–Employed,” I highly recommend it. Log onto Amazon and order it or stroll into your local Barnes & Noble and begin reading. Those folks who embrace the “self–employed” rather than “other–employed” mindset will proactively control their careers rather then reactively respond to someone else’s control, whether that someone else is a CEO, Board of Directors, or investor group.

As finance executives, you understand the concept of managing your career the way you manage your company. Understanding though is different then doing. Create a 3–5 year career management plan and then work daily to execute your plan.

––Get visible

Linked In, Facebook, Naymz, Ziggs, Zoom Info, Twitter … to name a few of the “must” places you can create and maintain visibility. Begin today! If you would like a copy of my article, “5 Easy Ways to Beef Up Your Linked In Profile,” send me an email with “Linked In article request” in the subject line.

A quote pulled from the 2008 Recruiting Landscape report published by Zoom Info says, “Savvy recruiters know that the best hires come from candidates whose web presence speaks to their contributions to their companies’ success – not those who are likely to respond to a job ad.”

To be viewed as the “best,” creating a branded, visible presence is critically important. The people who need to know about you are already visible on the Internet and they are hunting passive, top–talent!

––Begin networking

Networking is time–consuming … and one of the most effective things you can do for your career. If you have been so busy working in your job to the exclusion of working on managing your career, today is the day to re–connect with at least one person and then add 10–15 minutes of networking time to your calendar as a daily appointment. With all of the online social networking outlets available, squeezing in 10–15 minutes can happen before dawn or at 11:30 at night … from the comfort of your home. The ROI will be well worth the effort.

So tell me, now that you’ve made the decision to read this post, what action step will you take today?

Execunet Market Intelligence Report

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Execunet has posted its annual Market Intelligence Report for executive job seekers. It’s always great information and you can download your *free copy at their site.


I found the following information interesting … and validating.  


–Job search stats: 41-50 years of age – 9 months; 51-60 years of age – 11.9 months


The search process is still a long one. Continually positioning yourself as a passive candidate will minimize, and can even eliminate, the “unemployed” stigma that can negatively impact marketability.


–The unpublished job market is not a myth with 86% of corporate recruiters and 61% of third party recruiters saying they do not routinely post $200,000+ positions


The “best-of-the-best” candidates do not spend the majority of their time on job boards and recruiters recognize that fact.


–Networking, including social networking, still accounts for 70% of executive opportunities


If you aren’t on Linked In, Facebook, Zoom Info, Ziggs, and Naymz, for starters, you won’t be found by the people who have the opportunities you want to know about. You can’t play the game if you aren’t in the game!


If your network is dead when you don’t need anything from them, it probably won’t be very productive when you do need their help.


— 86% of executive recruiters routinely scour online sources for candidate information … beyond the resume, with 7 out of 10 recruiters saying candidates’ prospects improve when positive information is found


A positive, visible online presence is a critical piece of proactively managing your career. The more consistent the available information, the more credibility you have and the more desirable you become.

Passively Social

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I just returned from the Kennedy Recruiting Conference in Orlando. This was a hotel full of “internal” recruiters … those folks who are employed in–house to source potential candidates for their companies. And the four words and two themes we heard over and over were …

–Passive Candidates
–Social Networks

What internal recruiters want is the coveted A–player who is currently employed. Where they go to find them are social networking and job aggregator sites like Linked In, Ziggs, ZoomInfo, and Naymz.

If you want to play the game, you need to get in the game. If you aren’t where recruiters are looking, you won’t be found by them.

Email me with “Passively Social” in the subject line for a copy of my full article on this topic.