10 Reasons Why Job Search on Twitter is Serious Business

10 Reasons Why You Cant Ignore Twitter for Job SearchVaneese J. Barr

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.1

Job Postings Are on Twitter2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.2

1+ million job tweets each month via TweetMyJobs.com7,000+ employers7,700+ job channelsDelivered to your mobile phone, fast & fresh!

Twitter Tip: Explore www.TweetMyJOBS.com and subscribe to relevant job channels. Or, check out www.TwitterJobSearch.com. 8-to-1 ratio of jobseekers- to-jobs

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.311,000+ Recruiters Are on TwitterRecruiters on Twitter Are forward-thinking "early adopters" View candidates using Twitter as A candidatesTwitter Tip: Search sites like www.tweepsearch.com and www.twellow.com for recruiters in your area using keywords such as "recruiter" and "Dallas.

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.4Employers Are on Twitter The smartest job-search strategy involves the C.I.O. approach target:C = CompaniesI = Influencers (internally & externally)O = Opportunities that materialize when talking with influencers and networking contacts. Twitter Tip: Use Twitter's Advanced Search Feature to search for company names and influencers http://search.twitter.com/advanced

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.5Networking Contacts Are on TwitterNetworking is theTwitter Tip: Engage in "agenda-less conversations" with people on Twitter which leads to relationship, trust, understanding of employers needs, opportunity to be a solution, and ultimately, employment. of job search.

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.6Research Can Be Done on Twitter Twitter can give you an inside look at the company's culture. Twitter Tip: Sites like www.tweetfeel.com can give a feel for the sentiments being expressed about a company. At www.monitter.com, you can find the inside scoop on what's being said about the company, its product(s), its people, and more.

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.7Personal Brands Are Brandished on Twitter Twittera great place to create chemistry & convey cultural fit.

Be on-brand with your username (ex. @CIOintheKnow, @AdminExpert)Be on-brand with tweetsTwitter Tip: On-brand tweets can include personal information. Be mindful to maintain an approx. 75:25 ratio for professional vs. personal tweets. Make sure personal tweets arent TMI (too much information) or OS (overshares).

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.8 Are on TwitterJob Angels = grass roots volunteer effort where one person helps one person get a job. Thousands have helped one person get a job.Twitter Tip: Enter #jobangels (without quotes) in the Twitter search box. Youll find a wealth of help, job leads, and more.

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.9

Career Coaches Are on Twitter Career coaches, job search strategists, personal branding experts, and resume writers tweet about:FREE insider secretsproactive career management Search for job-related hashtags: #jobs#career#jobsearch #resume #interview#personalbranding#twitterjobsearch

Twitter Tip: Follow 100+ career experts, all contributors to the hit book, The Twitter Job Search Guide: http://tweepml.org/Twitter-Job-Search-Guide/

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.10Leverage Other Profiles on TwitterCross-promote existing online profile(s)LinkedInBlog Posts/CommentsFacebook Fan PageEmail SignatureTwitter Tip: Use Connect with me on Twitter suggestions on every type of media/marketing you use (resume header, email signature, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.).etc.).

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.11SEO Gets Better on TwitterTweets are permanently indexed by Google (and the Library of Congress!)An active Twitter account boosts your online ID

Twitter Tip: The most important part of your post for keyword/SEO consideration is the first 27 charactersthey become part of the on your Twitter static pages (a page devoted to each individual tweet you write). Twitter uses the following format: Twitter/Username/[1st_27_characters_of_the_tweet]

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.12Twitter Tip: Follow the authors of The Twitter Job Search Guide!@CEOCoach@SusanWhitcomb@Chandlee

2010 Susan Whitcomb. Used with Permission.13Vaneese J. BarrFollow me : @MsOnthemovewww.otmcareers.com415-378-8707

More than 1 million tweets about job openings go out every month from 6,000+ employers and 7,700+ job channels via TweetMyJOBS.com. Your clients can specify that they want to receive targeted tweets for jobs in, say, the plastics industry in the Los Angeles area or publicity jobs in Atlanta. And the notices can come instantly to your client's mobile phone, giving them the opportunity to apply quickly. This is important because (with today's 6-to-1 jobseekers-to-jobs ratio) employers are inundated with resumes. Some are even limiting the number of resume submissions they will receive.Twitter Tip: Explore www.TweetMyJOBS.com and subscribe to relevant job channels. Or, check out www.TwitterJobSearch.com, which is similar to the Web aggregators Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com. The TwitterJobSearch.com site takes the fire-hose feed of all Twitter tweets and identifies which tweets are job announcements, then aggregates them into its database so you can search by job title, career field, and location.*The recruiters who are on Twitter are still in the minority (look for that to change!) but they are forward-thinking "early adopters" and they are looking for standout talent. A quick search at www.tweepsearch.com for the word "recruiter" brings up 11,000 results.Twitter tip: Search sites like www.tweepsearch.com and www.twellow.comfor recruiters in your area using keywords such as "recruiter" and "Dallas" (without the "and" and the quotation marks). Another variation would be "recruiter" and "IT" (substitute your industry for IT) since many recruiters are not limited by geographic location. Follow them, engage in conversation, and brandish your brand so they come to recognize you as both a pro and a perso*Any experienced job seeker knows that chasing postings at Monster.com is not enough to find a job. They must use the C.I.O. approach, which means they must target Companies, then Influencers internal and external to those companies, and finally Opportunities that materialize when talking with influencers and networking contacts.. Twitter Tip: Although you can use the search box on the right panel at your home page or the "Find People" text link at the top of your Twitter home page, you'll likely have better results using Twitter's Advanced Search Feature. Unfortunately, it's not readily findable at the site. Here's the direct link: http://search.twitter.com/advanced - use it to search for company names and influencers (employees, customers, consultants to the target companies, and so on).

*Networking is the heart and soul of job search. Twitter gives job seekers a new, easy to use venue in which to create relationships that are real and authentic, where they're sharing both professional and personal information (just make sure the personal information isn't too personal!). And, most important, Twitter is the first platform that doesn't require "permission" to follow, friend, link to, or engage another person. Actors and politicians aside, you can be connected to CEOs, influential hiring managers, venture capitalists, and more. . Twitter Tip: Engage in "agenda-less conversations" with people on Twitter. These conversations lead to trust, which leads to openings for face-to-face conversations, which lead to opportunities to learn about other people's needs, which leads to openings to talk about how you could solve those needs, which leads to employment. Remember, in job search, the employer is usually "bleeding" somewhere with problems to solve and people to serve; the job seeker is the bandaid.*If networking is the heart and soul of the job search, research is akin to the lungs. There must be air to keep the heart pumping. Yes, there are plenty of sites where job seekers can pump up their search by researching target companies and contacts (such as Hoovers, LinkedIn, etc.), but Twitter can give them an inside look at the company's culture.. Twitter Tip: Sites like www.tweetfeel.com can give a feel for the positive (or negative) sentiments being expressed about a company, and www.monitter.com can give the inside scoop on what's being said about the company, its product(s), its people, and more.

*Employers don't hire resumes; they hire people. Beyond the fit of competencies and compensation, they also want good chemistry and cultural fit. Twitter is a great place to convey that. A Twitter handle (username) that is on-brand can create attention, interest, and desire on the part of employers. For example @CIOintheKnow or @VisionMaker or @AdminExpert or @JaneDoeHRpro. On-brand tweets can confirm to hiring managers or recruiters that the job seeker is an "A" candidate. For example, "CIOintheKnow: My insights on latest trends in technology for green construction industry here: http://bit.ly/ex81g" or "AdminExpert: Key tip for time mgmt: 'Chunk' time; commit to 10-15 min of uninterrupted time & watch your productivity soar" or "JaneDoeHRpro: RT @SHRM shares top 10 trends for new year: http://bit.ly/7x2hp3 [I see tip #3 as crucial for our healthcare industry]" . Twitter Tip: On-brand tweets can include personal information. Be mindful to maintain an approximate 75:25 ratio for professional vs. personal tweets. And, make sure those personal tweets aren't TMI (too much information) or OS (over-shares). Instead, personal tweets might be (again, using our example Twitter accounts above): "CIOintheKnow: Just upgraded to iPhone 4G network; frankly, I notice big difference in speed. What are others finding?" or "VisionMaker: My hi-sch teen is considering college major. Any coaches out there who work w/ this age to identify STRENGTHS and PASSIONS and VALUES."*One hashtag (designated by the # sign) youll want to check out is #jobangels. Founded a year ago by Mark Stelzner (@Stelzner), Job Angels is a grass roots volunteer effort where one person helps another person get a job. The result has been that thousands of one persons have helped. You can get help, and you can also help someone else. Twitter Tip: Enter #jobangels (without quotes) in the Twitter search box. Youll find a wealth of help, job leads, and more. At the same time, think about how you can help someone else. Maybe its by making an introduction or passing on a job lead that you think would be appropriate for someone. Or, maybe its by retweeting (RT) others or sending a shout-out or #FollowFriday (#ff) recommendation for a jobseeker, networking contact, or target company. You get the picture. Be a blessing!There are many other reasons to take advantage of Twitter in your job search. If youre unsure, choose one of the items in this list and explore it further. And, give yourself permission to possibly not like Twitter at first. For some, it can feel like moving to a foreign country and learning a new languagethere will be some frustrations when you dont immediately understand all the words or customs, but that will pass. Stay with it, and youll find youve broadened your horizons, knowledge, network, and options!

*There are hundreds of experienced career coaches, job search strategists, personal branding experts, and resume writers tweeting their insider secrets and deepening relationships amongst colleagues. Job seekers can search for hashtags such as #jobsearch #resume #interview or #personalbranding for career wisdom and advice. You may wonder if this will be competition for you, causing your client to go elsewhere to find help. It's been my experience that the contrary is the case. The number of career tips surfacing on Twitter will actually reinforce what you've been recommending to your clients and help them see the importance of proactive career management.Twitter Tip:Looking for a list of career colleagues to follow on Twitter? Here's a quick list of 100, based on contributors to our newest book, The Twitter Job Search Guide: http://tweepml.org/Twitter-Job-Search-Guide/. In addition, here's a list of career experts on Twitter that Susan has compiled. If you are on Twitter and not on this List already, send me a note and we'll get you included!

*Do you have an existing online profile somewhere outside of Twitter (big or small)? Use it to springboard into Twitter. If its a blog, mention that youre using Twitter in a post and link to it from your profile and contact pages. If youre on Facebook use one of the numerous tools available to drag in your Tweets to facebook. Add it to your email signature, business card, mention it in interviews or guest posts that you might do. etc. The same applies with any online (or even offline) presence that you have link to your Twitter page and link to it often (if youd like to connect with me on Twitter my feed is here).*Not everyone is aware of this fact, but Twitter creates a static URL for every message thats posted to the network. And with a little extra work its possible to improve the SEO potential of your Twitter account.*The Twitter Trio: Authors of The Twitter Job Search Guide, from left to right: Deb Dib, Susan Whitcomb and Chandlee Bryant*