Get Started
First of all, if you haven’t followed the flocks of people embracing this new social media medium, you should! Sign up for a Twitter account if you haven’t already. You will notice that people get very creative, funny, even borderline inappropriate with their Twitter “handles”. The term “handle” simply applies to the name that follows the @ symbol. From a professional standpoint, pick something that reflects your personality without deterring employers from contacting @DatCrayCrayGurlJessie. I mean, who can blame them? It also is becoming more and more common for recruiters and employers to study job applicants’ social media etiquette, so as Ron Burgundy would say, “Stay classy” whether you are in San Diego or not.
Put a Linkedin Profile link in your Twitter Profile
You spent hours updating your Linkedin profile, so put a link to your ramped up resume in your Twitter profile. Employers who do their recruiting on Twitter are busy people, so take out all the guess work and make hiring you even easier.
Tweet at people you admire
Who inspires you? If you could have anyone’s job, who would you trade places with? Tell people what you want, what you dream of, what your goals are. You will be astounded how willing people are to help you achieve them. Follow your idols and tweet at them to tell them how much they and their work influences you.
Formula for getting a response
- Be Complimentary: Everyone likes to hear that they matter.
- Be Persistent: Keep Tweeting. Be respectful, but assertive.
- Be Interested: Ask questions or advice, you’ll be surprised who will lend you a hand or some words of wisdom.
Tie it altogether
Use your Twitter as your own personal PR firm. Are you featured in this week’s school newspaper? Did your latest blog post just go up? Are you working on a really exciting project? Tweet, link and repeat. Including such accomplishments and your current endeavors will allow recruiters, colleagues, and potential employers that you not only are competent in your are of expertise, but you are capable of using social media to optimize your work.
Twitter chats
Is there a specific industry you want to work in? Many of them have Twitter Chats where prominent persons pose questions for discussion. So, what are you waiting for? Join the conversation! Some examples include Sports Business (#sbchat) or, for you marketers out there (#mmchat).
Twitter is also a great resource to search for open positions. If there is a specific company you are interested in working for, look to see if they have a Twitter account for career opportunities (for example @ESPNCareers). Many in fact do. Also look for the recruiters (like @RecruiterStacy), as many use Twitter to actively search for eligible candidates! Twitter has provide the platform to connect with anyone and everyone, so use it! You never know, only 140 characters may stand between you and the opportunity of a lifetime.