I shared some social-media job search tactics in November. This MSNBC News video shows us two specific examples of how people used Twitter to find jobs. Lessons learned from these two examples include:
- Tweet like an expert --- for job seekers, social media is no longer a tool for personal communications; everything posted on social media is open to the public and should be professional.
- Use Twitter hashtags (i.e. @LinchiKwok)
- Connect with recruiters and current employees of the company
- Build a relevant network
- Start a “Hire Me” campaign
- Take it offline --- continue a conversation with potential employers with e-mails or phone, or meet with them in person.
My experiences with Twitter are typical of a college student. I "tweet at" friends, upload random pictures, and follow celebrities. Although I don't tweet anything inappropriate, I do realize that Twitter is accessible to virtually anyone, including potential employers, so I make sure I keep my tweets private. A request must be sent to me verifying that I would want you to be able to read my tweets. The two followers that are professional companies that I have taken an interest in following are those that I have been a previous employer or are a current employee of. As an intern over the summer, I jump started a social media campaign for a hotel which ended up being very successful. Once my time was done, I became curious to see how it was maintained, which is why I follow them now. I also follow another brand of hotels because I will be working with them over winter break and it is a company that I could see myself working for upon graduation. This company has lots of news to share since its grand opening which is why I like to see all of their updates about what their future will be like. Although I follow these two professional companies that I would enjoy working for, I don't see myself actually scoring an interview through Twitter.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to hear this story about how this guy started a campaign to find a job. Who would of thought i would be possible to land a job with the help of Twitter?
ReplyDeleteI have held a twitter account almost a year and a half and I use it regularly. Its ironic how these men have reached out to companies and were successfully hired. Since I tend to use hashtags and often retweet trending topics it makes sense why I have received requests from similar accounts that promote campaigns and other websites about career advice. Although Twitter can seem intrusive at times, I believe it could be a useful tool to find a job that holds your interest.
Welcome to the Internet generation. If looking for a job, Tweeting under the 6 rules of how to get hired is a great place to start.