Contrary to what you might think about LinkedIn, this popular social media site is not just for job seekers and recruiters. It’s a valuable platform for many different types of businesses and professionals. Of course, that’s IF you know how to use it appropriately and effectively. As a compliance professional, there’s much to be gained by leveraging LinkedIn for your financial institution.
Like most social media outlets, LinkedIn harnesses the power of personal connections. While many compliance professionals are doing a great job building a strong profile, there are many other benefits available to you. If you're not using LinkedIn at all yet, perhaps due to concerns about misuse or an inability to access it on your financial institution's network, it's probably time to reconsider.
You're already doing the incredibly challenging job of dealing with compliance issues at your institution; taking advantage of LinkedIn will be a breeze. After you set up your all-star profile, these 5 expert tips to succeed in the world’s most popular professional social media platform.
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You may be the only professional (or one of few) at your financial institution tasked with the nuanced responsibilities of ensuring compliance, but in the compliance field at large, you are not alone. There is a community of people with similar interests, questions, and challenges, and they’re all accessible at a click. By taking advantage of this network, you can learn from your peers, stay on top of industry news, and build a professional community of colleagues and friends.
That said, one way to leverage LinkedIn is by becoming a member of compliance-related groups. To find and request membership to these groups, use the following options:
Search by name or keyword:
Browse recommended groups:
Here are a few useful groups to get you started:
Once you are granted access to a group (or a number of groups), take full advantage by actively participating; post discussions, ask questions and comment on communications. While engagement with compliance-related groups on LinkedIn may not always be high, individuals who ask questions and share valuable resources are always appreciated. Utilize your email digest to navigate group activity; the cadence at which you receive these emails is controlled by you in your personal settings.
Credentials and certifications are vital to reflecting expertise in your industry. Not only do they attract greater numbers of profile views, but they also open up opportunities for professional discussion and position you as a thought leader. As a compliance officer or manager, it is beneficial to both you and your institution to showcase your expertise.
If you have earned the following or other compliance certifications, be sure to add them to your profile:
Below are the steps involved in adding a certification:
You worked hard for those certifications, so show them off! That said, it's not just about copying and pasting from your resume - the beauty of LinkedIn is that you get to showcase your professional achievements while still being yourself! The best profiles provide a glimpse of their individuality, while still inspiring trust in their professional ability. Feel free to be more informal (yet still professional) on your profile, because your jobs, certifications, recommendations, and valuable insights you share will tell the story of your aptitude for you.
Recommendations and endorsements on LinkedIn make your profile look robust, and also showcase your achievements. In addition, getting endorsements from colleagues, clients and other professional connections lends credibility to you and your institution. These peer comments speak volumes about your commitment to compliance.
Fortunately, you don’t have to sit and wait for someone to take action here. You can actually request a recommendation (that will be displayed on your profile page) by following these steps:
While you're exploring your network to find individuals to write a brief recommendation on your behalf, you may also stumble across individuals you'd like to get to know. It's absolutely appropriate to reach out to them to connect. Just make sure you include a short note about why you'd like to connect, and if applicable, who your mutual colleague is.
As a compliance professional, and a valued expert at your financial institution,you’re in a unique position to share knowledge and insights. Not only canyou benefit from the resources shared by those in your network and professional groups, but you can also be a thought leader by actively participating and posting your own valuable finds.
Your role requires you to stay abreast of current and changing regulations, news and happenings in the financial compliance sector, so you probably already have a short list of blogs and articles from industry leaders. Take this one step further by sharing any posts or communications that have been particularly helpful to you.
Some great resources you should be utilizing include:
Pulse is a LinkedIn mobile application for news aggregation, and it provides:
This app is a great way to see what your peers are reading and stay up to date on the top industry news. It should be leveraged to keep yourself and your institution at the forefront of evolving information in your field. To download, visit the LinkedIn Mobile Apps page and scroll down to LinkedIn Pulse. Click on the application download option that’s specific to your mobile device.
For more helpful tips and insights on compliance topics in the financial sector, be sure to subscribe to our regulatory compliance blog today.