Believe it or not, Twitter can help you launch that perfect career, and savvy professionals know the benefits of investing in long-term relationships online.
Recruiters and employment agencies, from around the world, use Twitter to broadcast ideas, updates and jobs in real-time. They are also there waiting, for you to connect with them and promote yourself, through online interactions. This article, will help you get started, and get tweeting, with the recruitment agencies who are already using Twitter.
What is Twitter?
You can quickly learn the basics of Twitter, by visiting Twitter and also by seeing their glossary. Once there you can create your own profile, and start exchanging tweets with other Twitter ‘followers’. The principal behind Twitter, as a simple, yet progressive social media platform is that brief concepts, breaking-news, public messages, or even random daydreams, can be publicly distributed instantly, in real-time.
Twitter messages, are called ‘tweets’ and are always restricted to 140 characters. If a tweet includes an image or a website address, the link is displayed in a shortened form, to maintain the condensed quality of the message. A tweet can simply be text without a link, or it could include the title of a news report or blog, that is published elsewhere on the web, and the accompanying link will take you to it.
When you create a Twitter profile, you get to display a small image and write a brief bio about yourself. You can follow other people from all around the world, which means you will receive all of the tweets they post in the form of a ‘feed’. Once you start following a number of other tweeters, your Twitter feed will be an active hub of ideas and information. The tweets of the people you are following, will appear in front of you, in real-time.
You can follow people you know well, your friends, family and colleagues, however the charm of Twitter is that it is socially accepted for you to follow people you’ve never met, or have little in common with. In fact, it is actually expected that you will do this.
Following recruiters on Twitter
If you join Twitter, you can start to follow employment agencies, companies you’d like to work for, and other people who may be the pathway to your earning a perfect job. Twitter is an online social networking tool, and Twitter profiles are created by both individuals and businesses. If you follow a recruiter’s profile on Twitter, you will receive instant updates about new information/jobs that they post, and you will also have the opportunity to forge a meaningful and memorable relationship with that recruiter, through your Twitter interactions.
Finding the right recruiters on Twitter
Before you start following recruiters, the first thing you need to do, is consider the type of job you would like to get. While you may just be browsing, or open to new opportunities in general, understanding and specifying your own career goals, will help narrow your search for relevant people/companies on Twitter.
Geographical location: As an example, if you are located in Hong Kong, and you want to be employed within that region, you should be seeking recruiters on Twitter that are based within Hong Kong or Asia. There are many world-wide recruitment agencies, however ensure that they actually cover the region you are seeking to work in.
Many large agencies will have a geographical focus, and at the same time, there are many niche agencies who only post jobs within a certain city, town or state. The more specific the recruiter to your needs, the more beneficial they can be for you, and the more meaningful your relationship will be with them.
Professional specialisation: Besides location, many recruiters specialise in a particular industry or profession. Consider the area you want to work in, what you are good at, and what you can offer a potential employer. Start searching for recruiters who specialise in your field, so you know the jobs they post will be relevant to you and your credentials. You can still be broad, yet intelligent with your choices. If you are a graphic designer, as an example, you may still find benefit from following web design, illustration, IT and general creative services recruiters. The whole idea, is that you are developing connections with, and following the tweets of individuals and organisations, who can assist you in furthering your career.
Searching for recruiters
Some of the strategies you can use to find recruiters include searching for industries, locations, and keywords such as ‘employment’, ‘jobs’ and ‘careers’. Also, make use of the Twitter hash tag (#) to narrow down your search further. Use the Twitter Advanced Search function for this. Recruiters also like to follow each other, so check out their lists. Who are they following? Who is following them? If you find a suitable recruiter elsewhere online, locate their Twitter details, and start following them also.
Interacting with recruiters on Twitter
Once you’ve started following suitable recruiters, you can do more than wait for a suitable job to be posted. Twitter is a social media platform, and as there are real people behind the tweets in recruiter’s Twitter profiles, you should make the most of interacting with them, and leaving a good impression.
Twitter gives you the opportunity to stand out from the crowd in the recruitment process. This does not mean you need to be pushy or force yourself on the recruiters. It is certainly not recommended that you instantly and publicly announce your job search, and eager attitude to the recruiters over Twitter. A strong sense of desperation won’t work in your favour, and you could easily be disregarded as quickly as you signed up to your account.
Be present. Be helpful. Be genuine.
You can interact with recruiters on Twitter by re-tweeting their job postings, which is offering your assistance to both them, and your other colleagues who might receive them. You will create an impression of being a socially-connected person, who is willing to help, and is aware of the world around them. You can re-tweet any of their public announcements, especially those that you’ve chosen not to apply for yourself. Also, allow yourself to make professional conversation, especially if one of their tweets is inviting a social response.
Ensure that your own profile is professionally presented, with an accurate and informative bio and an impressive photo. Tweet your insight on your industry/function and relevant articles you come across. If and when recruiters follow you back, they will be able to view all of your tweets themselves.
Further the relationship away from Twitter
Once you have been interacting on Twitter for a while, consider adding recruiters on your other social media profiles, including Facebook or LinkedIn. When you send them a request to connect, remind them that you’ve been following each other on Twitter, and you’d like to further the relationship via a new platform.
Most importantly, remember that the perfect job for you, may not arrive within a day or a week, however the long-term relationships that you develop with recruiters over Twitter, could mean you land that perfect job, and reap the rewards of a new career, somewhere down the line.