LinkedIn is the social network for professionals. Oklahoma CPAs can use it to connect with fellow accountants in Oklahoma, as well as make contacts with professionals around the world.
You can also keep up with news, participate in group discussions, post or seek jobs, and find out about and promote conventions and meetings.
What LinkedIn groups would benefit CPAs and accountants the most?
What to Look For
Like anything, what you put in relates to how much you get out of LinkedIn. Find the groups in which you would actively participate.
When you research, consider the following criteria:
- How many members are there? Usually (but not always), the more members, the more active the group will be. And it’s more likely you will find members to connect with outside of the group.
- Find niche groups. LinkedIn groups are often based on specific areas such as tax law, financial services, or technology for CPAs. Find groups that target your interests.
- Are there many discussions? Groups that post and answer questions or share ideas are the most useful. Otherwise, it is just a list to have on your profile page. Look at the frequency of discussions, as well as the number.
- Check profiles. Find other CPAs on LinkedIn and look at their profiles to see what groups they have joined. If a group shows up on several profiles, it could be worth investigating.
Surefire LinkedIn Groups You Need to Join
- AICPA Group – The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants actually has a number of groups from which to choose. Type “AICPA group” in the search bar and you will find pages of specialty groups for everything from AICPA Professional Ethics to a group for discussing Employee Benefit Plans.
- SocialCPAs – If you want to learn how CPAs can use social media effectively, this group discusses a variety of topics related to social media.
- CFO Network – With nearly 300,000 members, this is one of the top groups on LinkedIn for CFOs and other financial and accounting executives. Research, white papers, studies, and technical issues related to financial and accounting businesses are among the topics discussed here.
- CIMA Group – For CPAs that are also members of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, this is the place to connect with fellow CIMA members worldwide.
- Oklahoma Society of CPAs – The only statewide professional organization for Oklahoma CPAs is OSCPA (Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants). There are over 6,000 members statewide. This group is restricted to OSCPA members. Here is where you can network with fellow Oklahoma CPAs and discuss accounting topics relevant to the state, nation, or the world.
The Bottom Line
The five groups listed above are but a few of the hundreds of CPA related groups on LinkedIn. Start with those five, and then use the guidelines included in this article to research and find others that you would find useful. LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for Oklahoma CPAs, but to gain the benefits, you need to be an active participant.
Do you use LinkedIn? What LinkedIn groups do you think Oklahoma CPAs need to join? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments box below.
And to follow up on the tips introduced in this article, be sure to download your free Information Technology Guide for Oklahoma City CPAs.
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