Five LinkedIn Groups Accountants Need to Join

  • Accountants of the Future
  • Accounting Today
  • Tax Pro Network
  • Successful QuickBooks Consultants
  • Finance Club

LinkedIn groups are a feature of the popular social media site that help significantly with networking, and an increasing number of finance and tax students and professionals are joining one of the LinkedIn groups for accountants. These groups are essentially message boards or forums where newbie and veteran accountants can discuss best practices, news, and technology specifically related to their field. According to Forbes, LinkedIn groups allow professionals to demonstrate their expertise and make connections that can lead to new job opportunities. Some groups for accountants include the following.

1. Accountants of the Future

With over a thousand members, this group is primarily for accounting contractors or the owners of small businesses who are seeking out ways to use technology to enhance their accounting practices. Discussion primarily relates to tech advancements and how these are changing the future of the industry. Many of these professionals are future-oriented and excited about the various possibilities available with cloud accounting and the changing role of the accountant.

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2. Accounting Today

This is the accounting LinkedIn group that serves as a discussion board for the Accounting Today blog and magazine and has over 17,000 members. There are two main areas of conversation. The first involves updates and analysis regarding policy changes and news related to the industry. Experts discuss how these events will change their own accounting practice and the field as a whole. The other topic discussed involves interpreting the current economic climate and using this analysis to advise their clients. Expert business and financial advisers weigh in on trends and strategies for corporate growth.

3. Tax Pro Network

Composed of nearly 6000 members, the Tax Pro Network welcomes professionals who specialize in both business and individual taxes. This LinkedIn discussion group is geared more toward professional development than accounting practices or news. Members ask for and offer advice regarding interviews, salary negotiations, and benefits packages. They help each other find leads for jobs that best utilize their skills.

4. Successful QuickBooks Consultants

This is one of the largest accounting LinkedIn Groups with over 150,000 members, and discussions surround the QuickBooks software package offered by Intuit. With all the different features available in this package, there are many ways to optimize the program based on the needs of a particular client. Members of the group offer tips, answer questions, and share their philosophies on how to best utilize this technology. QB Power, a popular accounting and QuickBooks podcast, references this group and uses the platform as a discussion group for the show as well.

5. Finance Club

Out of all the LinkedIn groups related to money and finance professionals, the Finance Club is the catch-all group as it accepts students and professionals from every branch of the financial sector. The traditional areas like banking, accounting, tax prep, insurance, and portfolio management are represented, but the group also includes the related fields of real estate, venture capital, and capital markets among others. In each subgroup, industry trends and practical techniques are discussed along with career advice and resources for professional development.

LinkedIn groups usually require some form of verification that an individual actually works in finance, so they generally are very professional and have very little spam. This way, members of LinkedIn groups for accountants can focus on engaging discussions about finance while making personal connections with their peers.