Why protected Tweets are wrong for successful job search

When you set up your Twitter account, there are choices. You can set up as protected Tweets which stops people from viewing your tweets unless you approve them. The Twitter help center details all the consequences here, but listed below are the main outcomes:

Protected Tweets create restrictions

• People will have to request to follow you; each follow request will need approval.
• Your Tweets will only be visible to users you’ve approved.
• Other users will not be able to retweet your Tweets.
• Protected Tweets will not appear in Google search; protected Tweets will only be searchable on Twitter by the account holder and approved followers.
• @Replies you send to people who aren’t following you will not be seen by those users (because you have not given them permission to see your Tweets).
• You cannot share permanent links to your Tweets with anyone other than your approved followers.

 Why protecting your Tweets is a bad idea if you are marketing or in a job search

Twitter works when you build relationships and your tweets are shared throughout social media. While I don’t believe in just blasting your content non-stop, Twitter definitely allows you to get your information into the hands of people you would never meet. Ideally, you want to mix in conversation on Twitter along with your sharing of content. Unlike LinkedIn and Facebook, if you keep your profile public, anyone can follow you on Twitter. Your tweets can also be topically sorted so if you use words or hashtags, people can sort by those words or hashtags.

Build a global reach

I would never have built Design Resumes to reach a global marketplace without the help of social media. Since many of my contacts on Twitter are also on other platforms, the relationships I have been have generated sharing on all platforms. I admit that I spend much less time on Twitter than I did in the early 2008 and 2009 but I still cherish the relationships I made there. I still have a few friends that are only on Twitter and to find them, I have to pop in.

Fortunately, I have been blessed with much business and many past clients whose word of mouth referrals continue to bless me with clients that love working with me and using my unique style. But Twitter was a huge help in me finding that base.

As a job seeker, you need to be visible! Protecting your tweets will also eliminate your visibility so recruiters can’t see your content. While I don’t think you should throw caution to the wind, I think you should allow yourself to be visible on all platforms and just continue to check them.

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