Twitter job search, back when Twitter was young

People ask me about a Twitter job search and it always gives me pause. Yes, I loved Twitter when Twitter was young but it isn’t the same. Is it me or is it Twitter?

I joined Twitter in October 2008 as I started to explore social media in general and social media job search. It was amazing to connect with so many amazing people all over the globe. The instantaneous communication intrigued me. People were kinder in the beginning of Twitter. We were all trying to understand it and figure out how to use it.

It was also the beginning of the Great Recession (depending on the economist you listen to.) Layoffs were abundant in multiple fields with some parts of the country and some industries being hit harder than others. Along the way, I noticed that Twitter was being used for job search by individuals.

Twitter Job Search with #HireFriday

One initiative that caught my attention was #HireFriday. HireFriday was the brainchild of Margo Rose, who thought that the #followFriday or #FF could be used for something more than just following.

On Fridays, job seekers were encouraged to create a mini-bio of themselves. Name, industry, LinkedIn URL, as well as specialties, and tweet it out using the hashtag #HireFriday.

Other Twitter users were encouraged to share those tweets or retweet them. This would promote the individuals in need of a job. It was Twitter job search using the power of the Twitter community. People who were looking for employees could easily check someone out on LinkedIn or even contact the person directly through their Twitter account.

Jobs were found for Twitter users and at the same time, it built solid connections with the people who participated. I still am in contact with many of the people I met during that time.

It was a kinder and gentler time even though there was an economic crisis and rampant joblessness.

How would you do Twitter Job Search today?

Today, I think job search using Twitter is an opportunity to network, show your expertise, and interact with others who may hire you. Susan Joyce from Job-Hunt has a Complete Guide to Twitter for Job Search. 

She has critical advice in the above article but her point #4 caught my eye:

4.  Excellent Bio plus Location (keywords!)

Keywords, the words used by recruiters and employers to find people with the right skills and accomplishments, are the KEYS to successful job search!  Twitter gives you 160 letters and spaces for your bio that appear at the top center of your Twitter home page.  Very searchable and very noticeable to anyone who sees that page.

A young client taught me (yes, I learn from my clients) that incorporating hashtags in your bio will make your bio visible when your hashtag is trending so I rewrote my bio when we were talking:

I help you win your next position to achieve career happiness. Using interactive coaching and #resume writing, we create your personalized #jobsearch strategy.

I like hers even better:

Strategic #Marketing Enthusiast  Passionate about creating content using #storytelling to connect with target audiences and planning events with added value.

Be willing to interact

Always remember that job search is better with networking so if you use Twitter for job search, be willing to interact. You can have all the social media accounts in the world but being present and talking to people is critical for networking.

Very recently, I learned that Tweetdeck, an app I used in my early Twitter days, is back in good form. I find it makes using Twitter much easier to manage and stay on top of the people I want to see.

You experience my unique Design Resumes resume writing and job search tools through interactive consulting sessions using Zoom video technology. As you and I consult and write, I coach you through difficult issues in your job search. I help you dig deep for your resume stories. We capture your talents in all of your career marketing materials. If you would like to learn more, contact me.

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