Improving Twitter Job Search
Using Twitter is not only a good way to find employment opportunities, but it's also a good way to network with colleagues and build a better online presence. Since Twitter has a total of 500 million registered users recorded and counting as of March 2012, it would be in your best interest to make sure you're using it in all of the right ways to improve your job search. Because of Twitter's 140 character limitation, it's sometimes tough to say what you need to say and get your tweets noticed by other Twitter users. But if you want to get noticed while simultaneously finding jobs that are in your industry, you have to think blue. What do I mean by that? Don't be afraid to use hash tags, links, and Twitter users with everything you do on Twitter. Here are some ways you can improve your Twitter job search.1. Tweet Blue
Tweets aren't just about tweeting a condensed version of what you want to say. They're about gaining readers and building a conversation. But if you're only tweeting things like: "Stuck in traffic again" or "Can't wait to get off work," you're never going to get anywhere. Instead, use hash tags in your tweets about topics you'd like to discuss with your followers. If you're passionate about health, hash tag the word #health whenever you tweet about the subject. Accompany your hash tags with links to helpful articles, and reference any relevant Twitter users. This will not only ensure your tweets are read, but may also get users to retweet your posts.2. Saved Searches
Save searches with hash tags that are relevant to the job you're trying to get. You can hash tag as broadly as #jobsearch or you can get more specific and save #entryleveljournalismjobs. If you're trying to find a job in a particular place, hash tag the name of the city and accompany it with the word jobs (i.e. #losangeles #jobs).3. Don't Forget About Your Bio
If thinking blue could help Twitter users gain more followers, the same can be applied to the bio. Again, you only have a limited amount of characters, so the logical thing would be to use as little characters as possible, right? Wrong. You want to fill out that bio with as much relevant information about yourself and your skills as possible. Think of it as your mini resume, in 160 characters. According to TwitterTips.org, focusing on important keywords on your bio will help with SEO (search engine optimization). This means that when employers and other users run a search on Twitter, users with those keywords in their bios will show up in the search. That's why it's important to also include #hashtags about any skills you have. If you've graduated from a college, find their Twitter handles and reference them in your bio. Here's an example:#Journalist and professional #blogger. @USC alumni. Graduated with honors. Looking to do #freelance work for a print or online newspaper.
Lastly, if I were a news media employer and searched Twitter for a journalist, this person would pop up. If I were looking for a blogger, this person would pop up. If I were looking for someone to do freelance work, this person would also show up on my search. Take advantage of those hash tags and make sure you include words that you think would be pertinent to your job search.
