Need a new job?
Un-employed, or just desperate for a lucky break?
Employers are taking advantage of the popular micro-blogging service, offering jobseekers easier access to apply for roles in real-time – Whether you’re an avid Tweeter, or a Twitter virgin, don’t be the candidate that’s left behind!
Social Media provides such an extremely valuable global platform for jobseekers of all position levels, to engage with businesses, when once-upon-a-time, you might’ve had to have spent weeks trawling through newspapers or online ads, waiting for an exciting vacancy to become open, only then have to battle with hundreds of other applications sending over an un-original & un-inspiring ‘Cover Letter & CV’. Twitter gives you the opportunity to showcase your personality, intelligence, your talents, your genuine enthusiasm, and your ability to step up to the role being advertised.
Why does this engagement matter so much? From the employers point of view, an ideal employee would be an advocate for their brand, someone who is genuinely proud of their products/services on offer, and embraces the company’s ethos. Yes, this benefits you too, as it makes you a happy individual – hurray! You’re working for a company you respect and love working at! It’s that simple really, a win-win situation, so if you really want to work somewhere and you really feel that you can add value to their business, reach out via Twitter, as more likely than not, they want to hear from you!
To get you on your way to snatching up that dream job, I’ve condensed some top tips for you to follow….good luck in your search!
Getting Started
- Create a Twitter handle, using your name (@MyName). Professionalism is key, so if you have one already that may not be relevant for potential employers (tweeting about personal stuff) then just simply create a new one.
- Your profile image, this should be a picture of your current self, so we’re talking no pictures of you with a traffic cone on your head, or downing jagerbombs!
- Your bio is hugely important, its your opportunity to SELL YOURSELF within a 160 character limit. Again, keep this professional, treat it like your business card, be specific & relevant, link to your website or blog, if you have one.
Connecting
Ok, so you now have a Twitter that’s looking rather professional, what do you do now? Start connecting with people in your industry or field of work that you’re interested in. The idea is to expand your network, broaden your connections and take part in a community that’s relevant to your interests.
It’s worthwhile doing a bit of investigation work, learn about influential people in your chosen sector, follow them, and find others through the “Who to Follow” Twitter feature.
Don’t be put off of researching who works at the company you want to work for and who deals with their HR, you’ll be showing initiative and enthusiasm for the job and you can learn important information about the company and the industry as you go along, Try searching via LinkedIn and then follow them on Twitter.
Searching
Use the Advanced Search Feature on Twitter, this allows you to search in various ways:
- For keywords associated to your field of expertise, e.g. Marketing, Sports, Animals…
- Via location – e.g. search anywhere – in your area, or even a different country!
- Within a date range, to keep it more relevant I’d suggest searching from the past couple of weeks.
Google search to find all relevant recruitment agencies for your field of expertise, then follow them. You can also gain handy advice and tips for your job-search journey.
Search for relevant hashtags, as well as job-seeking hashtags, e.g. #Sportsjobs, #Marketingjobs, #recruiting, #jobhunt, #jobs, #jobadvice, #jobposting and #jobsearch etc…
Find and join in a Tweet chat, for example, weekly #jobhuntchat, or take a look at TweetReports.com to find a Tweet Chat more relevant for your interests. Joining in with these hashtag discussions offers the opportunity to present yourself as a knowledgeable person in your industry.
Say if a Web Designer you follow has recently done a project you are interested in, tweet them and say “Love your designs on xxxxx website, would be great to hear your thoughts on my portfolio” – Remember when you tweet, don’t write for the sake of it, tweet intelligently and make sure you’re not sounding too pushy!
Share intriguing articles and content you find, for example, adding your own commentary on trends in the industry will demonstrate your genuine interests and will show potential employers what you really care about.
Tips To Remember:
- Be professional.
- Be friendly and open.
- Keep tweets intelligent & relevant.
- Don’t annoy companies/recruiters by spamming them!
- If Tweet conversations are going well, arrange to have a phone call or Skype chat, why not even take it offline and suggest meeting up for a coffee to score that job for real!
Have you bagged a job via Twitter? Found my tips useful? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
