We have been learning the importance of branding ourselves in this class. As I have become more active on Twitter, I feel like I was missing out on all the action! Why did I wait so long to take advantage of this great social platform? Social media sites offer many opportunities to those of us just starting our career journey. Building our personal now will help us immensely in the future.
Some of us are just starting our degree, while others are nearing the finish line. No matter where you stand, I think we are all thinking the same thing…What am I going to do when I graduate? Twitter is a great way for employers to find employees, but it also serves as a great tool for those of us in search of a job.
Here are some quick tips from Forbes on how to use Twitter to help land your dream job!
1) Create a Twitter account that showcases your professional profile
Dan Finnigan, CEO of Jobvite, suggests
“Putting together your Twitter account as though it were your online business card.”
Future employers are going to find us online. Make sure you are showcasing your best self and sell yourself to your future boss. Don’t be afraid to showcase your blogs, highlight your skills, and emphasize your experience.
2) Start following people and institutions
Think about what you want to do and look for people who are part of that network. We have the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world. Reach out and follow those who share the same goals as your do. Follow people who are already doing the job you want. We have the ability to gain insight and advice from those who already in the field. See what is working for others, and follow their lead.
3) Create content
Tweet on topics that are of interest to you. Also, share links to other people’s work which you find entertaining or helpful. Show interest in others and they will hopefully reciprocate with a re-tweet or follow.
“The more interesting and relevant your tweets, the more likely you are to attract followers.”
4) Send Private notes to potential mentors
Yikes! This pointer gives me the most anxiety, but also makes the most sense! Take the opportunity to reach out to organizations you are interested in working for. This requires confidence; but there is no shame in saying you respect what a company does, and you would love the opportunity to work with them.
Twitter gives new meaning to job hunting. Many of these pointers discussed in this article, reiterate Laura’s encouragement on how important it is to build our personal brand. Twitter gives students like us a way to showcase our talents, our personality, and our passions. We give potential employers the opportunity to get to know us, and whether or not we would mesh well with their company. Twitter also enables us to reach out to organizations and people anywhere, meaning we can reach out to those who would be otherwise inaccessible.
The world is our oyster people, take advantage of these great platforms and tweet your way to your dream job.
Sources
Adams, Susan. “4 Ways to use Twitter to Find a Job.” Forbes. Web. October 16, 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/11/30/4-ways-to-use-twitter-to-find-a-job/
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