This Blog was written by Saundra Lee of Dubin & Lee
Many CFOs I talk to as an
The truth is that a C level professional, such as a
Here Are the Top 5 Reasons CFOs Need LinkedIn.
1. It’s the “Golden Rolodex.” First, it is important to understand LinkedIn. LinkedIn is basically your “Golden Rolodex” on steroids! Picture every time one of the great contacts in your “Golden Rolodex” moved on that they could find you (because you’ve moved on too) and sneak into your office in the middle of the night and update their contact information.
2. Peer Group Discussions. What was once only possible at Roundtable Meetings or CPE seminars, can now can be done in real time with very specialized groups. LinkedIn is not a replacement for face to face meetings but you can get discussions going instantly which can be very time efficient for immediate feedback. Also, just like the face to face meetings, it is a great way to build your network.
3. Just because you are not a job seeker now does not mean you won’t be someday. Waiting until you need a network to start working on one (like the out of work job seeker hopping from networking event to networking event in hopes of running into that perfect contact that will set them up with an interview) is like waiting until your teenager starts applying to colleges to start saving money for college tuition…..it’s too late.
4. Finding Talent. Running a Staffing firm, I can tell you that middle
5. Beating the “Dated” Stereotype. The most common complaint I here from a CFO that is on the job market is that they think they are experiencing age discrimination. I have to say, in over 20 years of recruiting, I have not seen age discrimination but I have seen people not get the job offer because they were not on the “cutting edge”, comfortable with change or a big fan of new tools. When I see a CFO that does not have a complete profile or only a few connections, my first impression is that this person either does not see how social media can be useful, does not value his or her network or just is not that into new tools. Of course, this may not be the case but to beat the “dated” stereotype, one must do everything one can to appear on the cutting edge.
I see 2 commonalities in all professionals that have the most marketability and longevity in their profession.
1. They understand of the importance of their professional network.
2. They place a high priority on new tools to help them stay on the cutting edge.
LinkedIn is a great place to work on both!