Career Column: Tweet Your Way to Career Prosperity

Leveraging Social Media

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Traditionally, a job search involved looking at ads in the local newspaper to see if there were any positions open in the area where a person lives that matches their skill set. This has evolved radically in recent years with new technologies and strategies that individuals can use to find a job. One of the ways that people can look for a new job involves using Twitter. However, people are often confused about how to use Twitter to find a job. Fortunately, there are a number of concrete steps that people can take to utilize Twitter in their job search.

How to Use Twitter to Find a Job

Begin By Strategizing
Before actually using Twitter to help find a job, people need to begin by formulating a strategy that will make them seem attractive to potential employers. It is best for people to have a clear idea of their goals before they even sign up for an account. Individuals should write up a brief plan of the goals that they hope to achieve and how they intend to do so.

Create a Twitter Job Search Account
It is always best to use an account that is cultivated specifically for professional use when utilizing Twitter in a job search. Individuals who already regularly Tweet with friends and family may want to consider signing up for an additional account. When doing so, they should highlight their profession and location in their account name. This will help potential employers quickly identify your skill set and the type of job you are looking for. In addition, the profile should feature a professional picture, an attractive bio line and a link to a website that reinforces your competency like a LinkedIn profile.

Make Your Resume Easy to Share
Twitter limits posts to 140 characters, so it is best to use a URL shortening service like bit.ly to create a short link to an updated version of your resume. These can either be Linkedin profiles that have been optimized to get specific jobs or a resume hosted on a blog or personal website. The best thing about using a URL shortener is that you will be able to see how many people have clicked on the link.

Follow the Right People
When using Twitter for a job search, it is essential to follow the right people in the industry that you are targeting. This can include hiring managers, movers and shakers in your field and job recruiters. Be sure to follow appropriate people back if they choose to follow you.

Begin Tweeting
At this point, you should begin posting Tweets. It can be a good idea to begin with a few messages before you start following anyone and continue to Tweet on a regular basis. Everything that you post should be in some way related to the industry that you are searching for a job in though do not be afraid to show a little bit of personality. If you find it difficult to compose new Tweets every day, you can use a service to schedule Tweets in advance. Just remember to keep up with any replies that your posts may get.