How to use Twitter in Your Job Search
The continued and rapid growth of social networking / social media has changed a lot of corporate procedures, including recruitment. Job seekers are now utilising platforms, such as Twitter to land their dream jobs. This innovative job search technique has made it possible for employers to find the most appropriate candidate without spending their cash on formal recruitment procedures. Traditionally, recruiters had to advertise their vacancies through newspapers on a specific day of the week. The Internet, and more recently, social media has changed this, and you can now view small adverts via the social networking pages of executives in various companies, or even through a cold contact. Using Twitter to look for jobs saves the time and money you would have spent moving from one door to another. While networking is the chief trick of using Twitter in your job search, there are a few tricks you need to master in order to hasten the effort.
Your profile
Your profile is your pitch, so make the most use from this 160-character long bio. It is the gateway to your expertise, temperament and personality. It can either represent you positively or negatively. Highlight your strengths and skills in the most professional manner possible, depending on the nature of the job you are searching for. It is also good to include a professional looking avatar, and if possible, a relevant background. Do not be just another Twitter user; ensure that your profile (as with a CV), stands out from the crowd!
Your posts
Mind what you post, how you post it, and when you post it. Tweet on relevant subjects to avoid misrepresenting yourself. Make your skills known by writing about them. Better still, demonstrate them practically and convince someone on Twitter that you’re the perfect employee for them! If available, give a link to your online CV. Do not be afraid to publicly advertise your skills or inform people that you are searching for a job.
Your activity
Follow the right crowd; whether a company or individuals. Identify the types of companies you would like to work for and then follow them; this gives you the chance to learn more about the company and subsequently put you at a better position to secure a chance there in future. Follow staff working for the companies and be on the lookout for any job adverts via Twitter. Respond to their posts, ask questions, retweet their posts. Use this also as an opportunity to learn whether that is the company you really wish to work for.
Twitter job search tools
Thousands of tools are created every day to help address user problems around the internet, and Twitter has not been left behind. There are various hashtags that were specifically created to help job seekers with their job search. If you are looking for a fresh job, or just want to advance your career, follow the most relevant hastags.
Manual job search
It is also possible to conduct manual job searches via Twitter, just the way you do on Google. All you need to do is type in the most appropriate keywords in the search box; since Twitter is a global network that is capable of displaying thousands of results. Make your search easier by narrowing down to the specific position you wish to fill, and location within which you desire to work from. If you can specify the name of employer in terms of company name, this will even make it faster.
Share
It is possible to share your tweets via other social networking sites such as Facebook. Link up your accounts so that you can get maximum publicity. If you have a blog, link it with your Twitter and Facebook accounts so that people can see what interests you.
Observe simple rules of etiquette
Good manners count in social networking. The last thing you want to do is to be dismissed as a potential candidate because of your rudeness or uncouth behaviour. Learn to follow people back as a show of courtesy. If you post an idea that does not belong to you, acknowledge the owner by using the default retweet protocol or by indicating their names in the post. If someone follows you, remember to thank them for their time. Do not be rude even when replying to rude tweets; make use of the unfollow button instead of spoiling all your Twitter profile.
