Twitter is more than just idol chatter, it’s an important tool for research, learning, sharing, and, yes, even finding social media jobs. Those of us who spend a fair bit of time on the social networks know that they present some amazing opportunities. Using Twitter to find social media jobs doesn’t have as much to do with searching for listings as it does with engaging with others and acting the professional. Here are my favorite tips for using Twitter to find work:
1. Everyone is a potential client or employer
Everyone on Twitter has the potential to either hire you or know someone who is hiring. That means the people who you’re discussing the weather or parenting tips with might one day need your services. And you know what else? When it comes time to hiring someone, many people would much rather say, “Hey so & so who I talk to on Twitter every day really knows his stuff, wonder if he’d be up for the challenge?” than have to deal with resumes and Craigslist listings.
2. Think about who is following you and what you’re saying
So if everyone is a potential client or employer, that means they’re probably paying attention to what you’re saying.
- If you talk about your work or projects but spend the whole day on the social networks, they may think there’s a lot of goofing off happening.
- If all your Tweets are assaults on companies, brands or individuals, they may wonder when you’re going to publicly turn on them.
- If you swear or you’re racy with your Tweets they may wonder if you’re the right person to represent their business or brand.
If you’re using Twitter as a job search tool, or in hopes of landing a new client, what you say can (and will, in some cases) be used against you. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, just be mindful of what you put out there – and how others might view you.
3. Use Seesmic or Tweetdeck to follow job-related search terms
Take advantage of the search function on your favorite Twitter apps. Keep search windows open so you can view Tweets from job boards, search terms such as “social media jobs” or “community manager jobs.”
4. Use Twitter Job Search
Twitter Job Search is a search engine aggregating all the job listings around Twitter. Use it for your favorite search terms. It’s quick to load and will bring up some awesome results. However, some of the results aren’t really having to do with the search term, but that happens with just about all job search engines.
5. Follow the people who share job opportunities
There are so many people and profiles who share links to gigs. Learn who they are and follow them. Here’ s a list to start you off:
- @jobangles
- @jobstwit
- @problogger
- @socialmediajob
- @twitjobsmedia
- @imediajobs
- iCareerPortal
- @jaridsmediajobs
- @top_seo_jobs
- @jobsdirectusa
- @twitjobsusa
Do you have any great Twitter accounts to follow for job search? Please share in the comments!
6. Follow the brands and businesses that interest you
If you’re hoping to be hired by a particular brand or business, follow them. Learn about them. Engage with them. A few years ago, when I was in the running for a community manager job, I cinched the gig by following the CEO of the company. Not only did we interact but he was impressed by how I interacted with the online community and the job was mine. This isn’t to say you’re guaranteed a job simply because you follow the right people, but it doesn’t hurt to learn about a brand and the way they do business by reading their tweets and watching them engage with others online.
7. Don’t spam people with your job requests
Spending all your Twitter time asking others for work is annoying, spammy and reeks of desperation. If you learn of an available job, it’s OK to ask for details. Find out where to send your resume and cover letter. Don’t Tweet out about how you’ve been unemployed for 8 months and you’d like someone, anyone, to give you a job. Besides, desperation means you’ll get lowballed.
8. Take care with your Twitter page & bio
If the people who hire are online, they’re checking you out as well. Don’t forget to update your Twitter page and bio in a professional manner. Make sure your contact details are current and you list your areas of expertise. Have a friend look it over to make sure it’s clean, error free and professional.
9. Don’t be a pain in the butt
Don’t follow people on Twitter specifically to ask them the status of your application or resume as it gets kind of annoying. It takes time to choose a worthy candidate and if your details weren’t rejected right away it means you didn’t suck right out the gate. Give the hiring agent time to go over all the applications and make an informed decision. It’s fine to be enthusiastic about wanting a job, it’s a while other story to pester someone on Twitter to make a decision.
10. If necessary, create two Twitter accounts
If you like to be negative, racy, ranty or unprofessional, create a second Twitter account for only friends who are interested in that side of you. Having a second, professional Twitter account will help a potential employer to see your responsible side. My preference is to manage one Twitter account only. However, it depends on your purpose. For a job seeker, two will allow you to cultivate your different personalities, and also, your friends who aren’t interested in your job search don’t have to deal with job-related Tweets. Keep in mind that there is always a chance your potential employer will see those Tweets while searching for you online. If you’re going to truly X-rated, you might want to go the protected Tweets route.
Do you use Twitter as a job search tool? What are some of your tips?
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