LinkedIn: Local Job Searching for Experienced Professionals
Here’s an observation that is sure to shock you:
Job searching isn’t easy.
As wild as this may seem, job searching online is also pretty difficult. It’s one thing to be an entry-level candidate looking to move wherever a job opportunity may be… but it’s another to be a mid- or senior-level professional in finance and/or accounting who has a family and roots in a specific city. At Burchard and Associates we work with finance and accounting professionals in St. Louis and have seen the difficulties firsthand.
Job-seeking professionals beyond the entry level may not be as familiar with the impact online networking can have on the job search. Scouring the job boards and surfing the career pages of various companies throughout your city certainly can have its benefits. If done efficiently, it can result in potential leads and information about prospective recruiters (like us!), employers or worthwhile contacts.
In today’s interactive social landscape, LinkedIn has become a vital source for employers and jobseekers alike. Becoming active on LinkedIn can be a somewhat intimidating process for professionals whom entered the job market before the social media revolution, but it’s becoming an integral source for career searches and resources. Here at Burchard and Associates we use LinkedIn to create conversation, establish ourselves as a credible source of information and keep a pulse on the St. Louis accounting and finance industries.
As a St. Louis executive recruiting firm focused in accounting and finance, it’s hard to ignore the benefits LinkedIn has to offer. By creating a complete and descriptive profile you have essentially created an online resume for employers and networking contacts to view. The key to utilizing LinkedIn, however, is staying active.
- Ask for recommendations from past employers.
- Invite friends, former co-workers, and other St. Louis finance and accounting contacts to join your network.
- Take the time to study those companies that you are interested in and work to make a contact there.
- Become engaged in niche groups: “St. Louis Accounting and Finance Professionals”, for example.
- Participate in discussions, ask questions, and make yourself available as a resource for information. Stay active.You may not find your next position listed in the “Jobs” tab. But by making valuable connections with professionals throughout St. Louis you become a known presence in the LinkedIn St. Louis networking community. And who knows—your next LinkedIn contact could be your next employer.