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4 April 2015 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com FEATURE F r o m r e g u l a r m e e t- u p s w i t h col leag ues to socia l media, execu- t i v e s o f a c c o u n t i n g f i r m s h a v e m a ny avenue s w hen it come s to c o n n e c t i n g w i t h o t h e r s a n d en larg ing their circles. Read on for 10 tips on how to get the most out of your net work s. BE A R ESOU RCE FOR YOU R CONTACTS. Here's the cardinal rule of ne t wor k i n g: Don't on l y reach out to your profes- sional acquaintances when you need help. Instead, give as much as you take. Be an active participant in your circle. Pay attention to what your contacts are talking about and ofer your assistance. Be that person who makes valuable introductions and brings people together. A SK FOR H ELP W H EN YOU N EED IT. At the same time, don't be a f ra id to reach out to you r network for advice or assistance. A separate Robert Half survey found the top mistake profes- sionals make when networking is not asking for help when they need it. Your contacts w i l l be f lattered that you value their expertise, and your tea m w i l l respect you for it. L eaders who come ac ross a s a l l- k now ing w ill w ind up weakening their connections. HAVE A RECRUITER ON SPEED DIAL. Net work i ng i s t he l i fe- blood of recruiters. Teir job i s ba se d on h av i n g plent y of strong connec- tions in the industr y. Build a strong relat ionsh ip w it h recr u iters who specialize in accounting, and you' ll be t hat much closer to ot hers i n your feld. GI V E A H A N D. In the earlier days of your c a r e e r, c h a n c e s a r e a more senior accountant helped you with a recom- mendat ion, gave you a heads-up on a soon-to-be-vacated p o s i t i o n o r o f f e r e d t h o u g h t f u l advice. Now that you're at the top, it's your chance to pay it forward by p a s s i n g job p o s t i n g s a nd ot he r o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o c o n t a c t s w h o might beneft from them. ACK NOW LEDGE OTH ER S' SUCCESSES. M a ny soc i a l me d i a s ite s of fer autom at ic upd ate s r e g a r d i n g w h o i n y o u r network has received a promotion, won an award or landed a new job. W hen you see news about one of your contacts, reach out with a quick cong rat u lat ions. T h is gest u re of goodw i l l goes a long way towa rd strengthening your relationships. STAY CU R R ENT ON TOPICS A N D OPIN IONS. Use your network, particularly on social media, to stay abreast of news in your industry. To be seen as credible and reliable, be careful with what you share or promote to your contacts; make sure it's all relevant information from reliable sources. BRNCH OUT TO OTHER ONLINE NET WORKS. You m i g ht b e on t he bi g t h r e e — F a c e b o o k , LinkedIn and Tw iter — but what about YouTube for v ideos, I nsta- gram and Pinterest for photos, and Vine for short-form v ideo sharing? W h i l e i t 's i m p o r t a n t n o t t o spread yourself too thin, don't be a f r a id to e x plore v a r iou s s oc i a l media platforms and fnd a combi- n a t i o n t h a t s u i t s y o u a n d y o u r professional brand. Expanding your online presence is a good way to get your name out there and bring in new business. BE HU M A N ON SOCI A L M EDI A . W h i l e y o u s h o u l d n't post any thing too per- s o n a l o n l i n e , s o c i a l media is a good way to come across as more three-dimensional to your c l o s e r c o n t a c t s . G o a h e a d a n d include some personal information: Share a family selfe on Facebook, t weet about you r favor ite tea m's latest win or post a cool landscape photo on Instagram. ATEN D EV ENTS. From holiday gatherings to afer busy season par- t ies a nd compa ny pic- nics, events are a fun way to catch up with colleagues you don't see very ofen. Additionally, social- i z i ng i n per son helps you gauge employee morale and deepen rela- tionships with your team. Te same goes for events outside of the frm. Virtual net work ing is important, but nothing beats one- on-one interaction. STEP U P YOU R PROFESSIONA L IN VOLV EM ENT. Vo l u n t e e r i n g i s a good way to get more face t i me w it h you r ex ist ing net work a nd to add new people to your circle. Ofer to host an event for an industr y association o r s e r v e o n a b o a r d f o r a l o c a l nonproft. For a n upcom i ng con ferenc e , p r o p o s e t o l e a d a w o r k s h o p o r session. For you r net work to see you a s a t houg ht leader, present yourself as one. Did your contacts help you land your current job? Great — but don't let net work ing end there. To take your business and career even fur- ther and to maintain your reputation as a leader in your feld, make culti- vating and w idening your circle a professional priority. Top 10 Networking Tips for Leaders of Accounting Firms By Paul McDonald t's no secret that networking is great for job seekers. But building a strong professional network is beneficial for much more than landing a new position. In a Robert Half Management Resources survey, 60 percent of CFOs said the primary reason they network is business development. Paul McDonald is senior executive director with Robert Half, the world's frst and largest specialized stafng frm. Over the course of his 30-year career with the company, he has spoken extensively on employment and management issues based on his work with thousands of companies and job seekers. MAKE CULTIVATING AND WIDENING YOUR CIRCLE A PROFESSIONAL PRIORITY