Twitter in Your Job Search

I’ve written before about how to use Twitter to find a job.

Here’s a recent Twitter insight from recruiter Pam Claughton, posted on a recruiting blog I read – the more you know about how recruiters think, the faster you can get on their radar, by the way:

I’m a huge fan of Twitter. I didn’t get it at first, but then as I started selectively following people that interested me, everything started to ‘click’.

I follow a few different kinds of people, other recruiters and thought leaders that interest me, news makers, local, national and industry specific (which is where I have to be careful with Twitter, I’m an info junkie and have to resist the temptation to follow every new link to a fascinating story)

… and here’s the key for me with Twitter, following people in the space in which I recruit, (search marketing, web 2.0, mobile/e-commerce, social networking, etc.).

I follow the 80/20 rule for the most part, meaning 80% of what I Tweet is business related content, a link to an interesting article I read and want to share, or a quick shout out on a new search. The other 20% is random fun stuff …

But how Twitter is working for me so far is in generating some fantastic candidates in the space that I recruit in. My job update Tweets seem to get passed along and I’ve been hearing from people I likely wouldn’t find otherwise.

I’ve also had comments from new candidates who referenced something I posted on Twitter, always the personal stuff….so I think it helps in giving them the sense that they ‘know me’ a little.

What you need to know: Savvy recruiters are on Twitter, seeking to “follow” (read posts from) and hire savvy candidates.

That means, if you’re not on Twitter, there’s one less way recruiters can find you.

Tip: Join Twitter (it’s free) and search for movers, shakers, and recruiters in your industry. Search for a few friends, too, but try to keep the mix 80/20 in favor of business.

Then, “follow” these people to see what they’re doing, what they’re saying, and what they’re looking for.

If you get stuck, you can always follow me on Twitter

P.S. — Here’s another good article on Twitter I found after posting the above; it’s written by Amybeth Hale.

Most relevant parts for your job search:

Most people these days don’t just blindly follow others on Twitter. It gets overwhelming to follow too many so most folks are becoming choosy about who they follow. Just as an example, I personally follow PR folks almost exclusively, with the exception of a few people in the recruiting industry. I also don’t always follow back people who follow me. I look at their information and do further research to see what they do and where their interests are.

In summary,

• Thank them for following you (publicly)
• Do a little research on who they are/what role they’re in at their company
• Pay attention to what they’re currently talking about or what their interests are
• Follow up in a DM and find out if they’re hiring or how you can help them out

So – if there’s someone from a company you’re interested in who starts following you, it’s most likely for a good reason. Find out what they have to offer and let them know what you have to offer! Wouldn’t it be cool to say that you got your job via Twitter?

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 8:57 am and is filed under job search tips, networking. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.