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Twitter for Job Seekers

by broegge on Jun 22, 2011

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Are you looking for a job? Have you tried Twitter? Thousands of jobs are being posted there each day! The first half of this presentation shows users how to find job postings on Twitter through their website, third-party websites and smartphone apps. The second half of the presentation offers tips for networking and professional branding with Twitter. (Best viewed with the slide notes.)

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Denise Felder , Writer & Career Adviser at MnCareers, ISEEK, CareerOneStop Good info for career advisers to help job seekers and/or to improve their own personal brand. 4 weeks ago Reply
Are you sure you want to Yes No

Have any questions after today’s sesson? Welcome to contact me via Twitter/email
One thing you might be wondering as we begin this presentation: Why Twitter? Why should a job seeker turn to Twitter? 1. Thousands of jobs posted there daily, which we’ll see in a bit. 2. Job seekers don’t have to register or post a resume first. They can jump in and start looking for a job. 3. Casual, informal atmosphere – great for connecting with people and networking. One of the more powerful tools out there right now – more active and informal than LinkedIn. 4. Most importantly? Twitter’s true power for job seekers: Immediate access to important people in your field (and outside it). - Lots of celebrities and experts on there, and willing to interact (Mythbusters, Andrew Zimmern, Neil Gaiman, etc.)
Two parts to this presentation. First, we’ll cover how to find jobs posted on Twitter. We’ll discuss searches you can do on Twitter, third-party websites that find jobs for you, and smartphone apps you can use to find jobs. In the second half, I’ll talk about how you can use Twitter for professional branding and networking, which does require starting a Twitter account. So that said…
That said, let’s jump in and talk about how you can find jobs on Twitter…
Best bet is to search with a hashtag (explain hashtag). 4 most popular job-related hashtags.
If you do a search for one of these hashtags, for example - #jobs – the results will be too broad. You’ll get stuff that has to do with the concept of jobs, but not necessarily job postings.
Another way to search for jobs is by hashtag for your field of interest. Like IT, or construction, or librarian… More available than I could fit on screen, see list for more… So you can try searching for jobs by career field hashtags like these or…
Most effective search approach is to double-up on a “job” hashtag and one relevant to your field. So #job AND #healthcare Or #jobs AND #clerical Or #careers AND #IT And so on…
This is an example search for the hashtags #jobs #healthcare together. Results are relevant, and very up to date (ones on screen within last two hours of search)
One potential problem: Job postings come from everywhere. What if you don’t want to move?
Solution: Use Twitter’s advanced search engine to look for jobs in specific areas. http://search.twitter.com. Through the adv search, searches can be narrowed by zip code, or range around a zip
This is what Twitter’s search page looks like.
Click advanced search to access advanced options.
These are advanced search options. Note that you don’t use special characters in “People” fields or “hashtag” field. System will fill in.
Sample search for sales, hashtag “job”, within 25 mi range of 55101 (downtown St. Paul).
Results achieved - All very accurate. About 40 jobs for last week. Note: can save search so it’s there when you return.
So that’s how you can search for jobs directly on Twitter’s website. Now going to talk about third-party websites you can also use to find jobs on Twitter.
First – TweetMyJobs.com. Most robust third-party jobs site for Twitter out there. Many big corporations (like Starbucks, Discover, Allstate, etc.) pay TMJ to post jobs on Twitter for them.
Searching for jobs on TMJ is very easy. Just fill in the boxes in the center of the screen. You search by job title, industry, or location.
As you type, the site will auto-suggest entries for you, which helps match you with the job you’re looking for.
After entering your search options, you can opt to have the results sent to you by email, text, or subscribe specialized Twitter feeds (called “Channels”)… Or…
… you can click “search now” and view your results immediately.
In this case, I did a search for Admin Assist jobs in Mpls, which returned 49 job postings.
After searching, you can refine results by selecting “Position type” field in the upper left corner (that allows you to narrow by full-time, part-time, contract, temporary, etc.). That’s the main site for TMJ…
Also worth noting, they offer a special site for veterans. Helps put vets in touch with employers that are interested in hiring them. Also allows those employers to post their jobs for free (instead of charging a fee). So that’s TMJ in a nutshell…
This is Jobtweet.me. Very basic site, which aggregates jobs posted on Twitter. Users can search by two things: job title and location. While basic, the site does offers ability for users to search in German, English, Russian and French.
Here’s a sample search from the site: Search results for “administrative assistant minneapolis.” Returned 39 results.
Click on tweets, in gray, takes you to full job posting on WEB. Can also share job posts on other social media sites.
Another site that aggregates jobs posted on Twitter is TwitJobSearch (or TwitterJobSearch). Like the TMJ website, tweets jobs for vendors for a fee (they list KFC, Quest and other companies as clients). Users can search for jobs by title and location.
Sample results for “administrative assistant minneapolis.” It found 55 results. One neat thing about this site is that it offers facets, so users can filter their search results by things like salary range, part-time/full-time or other features.
One thing worth noting: Search algorithm needs a little work. This was search for “administrative assistant,” some postings not relevant. This does happen on occasion. Results are generally good, just not perfect.
Another site job seekers might find helpful is TweetBeep. Will need to sign up for account to use it. Self-described “Like Google Alerts for Twitter.” Once registered, users can set up alerts that search Twitter for certain keywords/phrases/hashtags or posts by a specific person. Once alert is set up, it will email you daily when new tweets are posted that meet your criteria. Job seekers could set up alerts for job postings.
Now going to talk about smartphone apps that can help you find jobs on Twitter
Know of 4 apps that aggregate jobs from Twitter. The first two are only available on iPhone. The third (TwitterJobSearch) is available on iPhone and Android phones. The last is Android-only.
Start with TwitterJobSearch’s app. This is the app for the website we looked at earlier – the one with the search algorithm that isn’t perfect. Of all the apps, it’s the most robust
Search for jobs by location or title.
This is what the job description looks like inside the app – it’s a shortened version of the description.
App has three options, when you find a job you like: “ QuickPitch” – respond by tweeting your resume through Twitter. “ Email me” - sends job post via email. “ View full job Spec” goes to full job description out on the web (so you learn more about it)
Another app - jobtweet.de. This is the app for one of the other websites we looked at
Like the website, the app can search in English, German, French or Russian. App does 2 things – It allows employers to search for candidates and job seekers can search for jobs
What it looks like to search for a job in the app. Did search for “librarian.” Results are very accurate, found 187 jobs. Can save jobs and email those lists of job postings to yourself
The app saves your search history. Handy if you’re doing the same searches over and over.
Last app: TwittCareers. A pretty minimalist app, but does what it does well.
When launched, displays most recent jobs posted on Twitter.
Can search in English, French and Spanish
Example search for “Librarian.” Very good, relevant results
This is what it looks like if you click one of the jobs – shows you the tweet in a larger window. If you click the link in a tweet, it will take you to the full job description on the web. At that point, will also give you the option to email the job posting to yourself.
That concludes section on finding jobs posted on Twitter. In this next section, I’m going to share tips for those considering using Twitter to network with colleagues and brand themselves professionally. This section is for people who are interested in jumping in, tweeting, and making personal connections with other people. In this section, I’m going to offer tips that I’ve learned from being on Twitter, compiled with tips that employment experts recommend.
First tip: Plan ahead!
Before jumping in, think strategically about how you want to portray yourself. Twitter is very public - it’s also archived by the Library of Congress. Anything you say on there can come back to haunt you. Good to have a game plan before jumping in. How do you want to portray yourself? What do you want to tweet about? What professional topics you’re passionate about that you want to have public conversations about? As we go through this section, my hope is that you get some ideas that will help you develop your game plan to address these questions.
Next we’ll talk about is account management. Will cover what to do with your account if you’re brand new to Twitter, and what options you have if you already have an account.
New to Twitter? Congrats, you get to start from scratch! BUT – before you follow anyone else… the first thing you should do is fill out your profile and send some introductory tweets. Recommend that you say something about who you are, what you plan to tweet about. It’s important to define yourself BEFORE following others, because if you don’t your account will look like this:
This is someone, who is new to Twitter, who followed our DEED account. He has no profile, no tweets – I don’t know anything about him. If I were a recruiter or employer, what would I think about this person? Nothing. I don’t know anything about him. This is a really common sight on Twitter. A lot of people sign up and start following people, but give no clue about who they are. Here are some other common examples:
There’s the guy who says hello...this is very common.
Then there’s the guy that is unsure of Twitter, but is figuring it out…this is also very common. If I were a recruiter, I’d look at all these profiles and say “All right. They’re new to Twitter.” Not much else. Contrast all those examples with this guy…
This is much better! This guy is new to Twitter, but he’s selling himself right off the bat. What he did right: One – we know who he is. He gives his name. Two – we know the city he lives in. Three – we know he’s a job seeker! He says this up front in his profile. Four – he links to his resume. This is so critical. Five – he tells us what kind of work he wants to do! Six – he has a decent picture of himself Seven – He even did a nice introductory tweet! If I were a recruiter, I’d be more likely look at this account and say “All right, I know that this guy is looking for a job and what kind of job he wants. What do I have that he might fit?” So definitely fill out your profile before you start following anyone!
So those are tips for those that are new to Twitter. But what if you’re already on Twitter? You have a couple options! Option #1 You can keep your current account, but overhaul it so that it reflects your professional side. Be sure to update your bio and picture, link to your resume, delete any unprofessional tweets (TwitWipe!). You may also want to let your friends know (offline) that you’re shifting your account to be professional. So that’s one option…
Other option, if you don’t want to delete any tweets or if you want to keep talking to your friends like you normally would: Lock your current account so that only authorized followers can see your tweets. Hide your current account by removing your name (to avoid any awkward future interactions with co-workers). Set up a new second account for public, professional networking. Which option you go with is really up to you and your comfort level (whether you want to maintain one or two accounts) – neither is necessarily better than the other. I know people who have done both.
So in the last section I mentioned creating a “professional” profile, and in this section I’m going to talk about that in more depth.
What can you do to look professional? Use your real name! You want people to be able to find you. (Hey, it’s me! I’m taking my own advice!)
Also, pick a good screenname. Your screenname is separate, but not necessarily different, from your real name. For your screenname, try to use your real name if you can. This will help people connect with you when they see tweets you’re mentioned in. In my case, my screenname is “broegge,” which is a shortened version of my name. If your real name isn’t unique enough, or if you just want to have a professional nickname, then you can create a clever screenname. Let’s look at a couple examples….
This is the profile for Simon Canick, director of the William Mitchell College of Law library. His screenname is “Simoncan,” a shortened version of Simon Canick. I like this name a lot – clever use of a real name with a positive ring. “Who can? Simon can!”
This is Sarah Houghton-Jan, aka the “Librarian in Black,” she’s well known in the library profession. She opted for the screenname TheLIB, which is a short version of the Librarian in Black. This is a clever name because it not only fits her personality, but also her professional persona (she’s often offers constructive criticism). So if you can come up with something similar – something clever that fits your professional persona, something you can use to brand yourself – go for it!
Another thing to do when filling out your profile is create a professional bio – be sure to note that you’re a job seeker, what kind of work you want, list your resume, etc. The earlier example is good because he does all those things in his bio. You do only get 250 characters in your bio, so you have to be concise. I also recommend using keywords, because some tools use Twitter bios to create indexes of Twitter users by profession. Examples of these tools: Twellow, JobTweet.de’s smartphone app.
Another thing to do: Put up a professional profile picture (headshots are usually good). Cartoon representations are also popular (like we saw with Simon and Sarah, the Librarian in Black).
Cartoon representations are also popular (like we saw with Simon and Sarah, the Librarian in Black).
Another thing you can do… If you have good graphic design skills, or know someone who does, create a nice background. Include links to your resume, social network sites, website, etc. in it. Let’s look at some examples…
Aaron Miller’s profile. He’s a professional illustrator. Good use of background space. Cute and gives links to social network accounts, contact info.
This is Jason Griffey’s profile. He’s another well-known colleague in the library field, often speaks at conferences. He also provides his contact information in the background, along with links to his website, blog, and social network accounts.
Ok, so once you’ve filled out your profile, next you’ll work on building your network (people you follow on Twitter and people who follow you).
Start your network by following: -Current and former co-workers Friends in your field Professors -Industry leaders - Professional organizations -Recruiters -Companies that you’d like to work for - Information sources (newspapers, magazines) that you rely on for professional development
Now you’re ready to start tweeting! This section is important, because your tweets are the bulk of what people will see when they interact with you. Twitter is, at it’s heart, a conversational tool. So this section will talk about how you can take advantage of that when job hunting.
Remember – Plan ahead. Be strategic with your tweets and how you portray yourself. Ask yourself, before tweeting, if you would say it to a co-worker you hardly know. This will be a constant thing you have to pay attention to. What are you saying and how are you portraying yourself? Keep in mind that – just like real life - everything you say online contributes to, or takes away from, your professional persona.
To be a strategic tweeter, it is often recommended that you try to “tweet like an expert.” What does that mean? Share information that is relevant to your profession, Add thoughts to current articles and issues. Share upcoming events in your field. RT other people sharing good info and add your thoughts – this shows you are a critical thinker, not just regurgitating news. Employers want critical thinkers! It shows you are active participant in your field, that you know what is going on and you stay up to date. Also, hold conversations with people in your field. Get your name out there.
Other strategic tweeting tips: Post regularly (once a day?). Criticism of topics/ideas is fine – but be constructive! Avoid tweeting when angry. Be aware that on Twitter, anything can go viral. Your 15 minutes of global fame could be born out of a 15 minute temper tantrum. Conversely, your 15 mins could even be born from a bit of information that seems really mundane at the time. The screencap in the corner is one example of that. This guy lived within a few kilometers of Osama Bin Laden (but didn’t know it). He’s just an IT consultant who lives in Pakistan. While he was working one day, he noticed some helicopters flying overhead and tweeted about how the noise was annoying him. He also mentioned later that something exploded not too far away from him. He lives in Pakistan, so he was a little used to this stuff – he seemed to find it more of an annoyance than anything and didn’t really think too much about it…. Until hours later, after the press began reporting about Bin Laden’s death, he put it all together and realized exactly what those helicopters and that explosion had been. He tweeted this in reaction (“Uh oh, now I’m the guy….”)…which set off a literal firestorm of attention, all focused on him. So keep these kinds of examples in mind – Twitter is a powerful medium, and anything you say can make you known around the world in less than 24 hours.
Aother tip for strategic tweeting – Use screennames when referencing someone else in a tweet. Not only does this helps your followers connect to that person, but it also helps that person connect to you. In this example, I was a panelist in a Twitter chat. In one of my answers, I referred to professor and Library Journal columnist Michael Stephens in response to a question. I said that I thought he was a good example of a teacher using Twitter to engage with students. Since I used his screenname, he saw the tweet, responded and thanked me. I didn’t take the conversation further, but possibly could have. Earlier I mentioned that Twitter’s greatest strength is the immediate access it gives you to powerful people and this is an example of that. Through these kinds of interactions, you can build connections with leaders in your field.
Other quick tips for strategic tweeting: 6. Use proper writing. Don’t over abbreviate. Don’t neglect correct grammar and spelling in favor of “text speak”. 7. Find/use hashtags that are relevant to your profession. Some popular uses include: Conferences: use them to talk with other participants or follow sessions you aren’t at. Or you can also use them to follow and be a part of conferences you weren’t able to attend at all! Another popular use of hashtags are chats related to your profession (be mindful of spamming your followers when doing this) 8. Participate in #HireFriday. Tweet that you’re looking for a job, use this hashtag. People will pick up #HireFriday tweets and RT them – helping magnify your voice. Which leads us to our next section…
Use your network to your benefit by engaging with your connections. – Strike up conversations every now and then. If someone asks your advice, be sure to respond! This helps build your reputation as a helpful person they can go to. Along the same lines, be sure to volunteer help to those requesting it. But most importantly - ask others to help you! If you’re looking for a job, be sure to say so. As you network with more and more people, every now and then tweet and say that you’re job hunting. Say what kind of job you’re looking for – ask if anyone knows of any openings.
This is an example of someone who asked for help. He tweeted that he was looking for a job. He got multiple responses and RTs. Twitter even marked it as a “Top Tweet,” which means that it was sent to the top of the list when people searched for phrases that matched it. That was how I found it! I was searching for something unrelated and he came up at the top of my search. Through this example, you can see how a good network can help you out. People in your network help you magnify your voice and get you noticed by employers.
Last tip: Don’t neglect the real world!
Don’t make Twitter only source. It should compliment other existing sources. Go offline, get coffee with people. Be sure to keep a good balance of online and offline interactions.

3 Favorites

Denise Felder , Writer & Career Adviser at MnCareers, ISEEK, CareerOneStop 4 weeks ago
Africa Hands Tags job search twitter 3 months ago
Ann Walker Smalley , Library System Director at Metronet 11 months ago

Twitter for Job Seekers — Presentation Transcript

Twitter for Job Seekers Brooke Roegge, Digital Information Specialist MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development
Introduction• Presentation available at: http://goo.gl/WDTMH• Contact: – Twitter: @broegge – Email: brooke.roegge@state.mn.us
Introduction• Presentation assumes participants have basic working knowledge of Twitter.• Need an introduction to Twitter? Try these books: 1. The Twitter Book by Tim O’Reilly and Sarah Milstein 2. Twitter: Tips, tricks and tweets by Paul McFedries
Introduction• Why Twitter? – Thousands of jobs posted there daily – Job seekers don’t have to register or post a resume first – Good venue for casual, informal networking – Offers immediate access to important people in your field
Introduction• Two-parts to this presentation: – Looking for jobs posted on Twitter – Using Twitter for professional branding and networking
Looking for Jobs on Twitter
Searching for Jobs• Popular hashtags for job-related tweets: – #job – #jobs – #career – #careers
Searching for Jobs
Searching for Jobs• Search by field of interest: – #clerical – #construction – #healthcare – #insurance – #IT – #librarian – #marketing – #sales – See link for more: http://goo.gl/SBHqV
Searching for Jobs• Tip: Double up on hashtags to narrow down search results: – #job #healthcare – #jobs #clerical – #career #engineering – #careers #IT
Searching for Jobs• Potential problem: – Job postings are from every geographic location. What if job seeker doesn’t want to move?
Searching for Jobs• Solution: – Use Twitter’s advanced search engine http://search.twitter.com – Searches can be narrowed by zip code (and nearby range)
Third-Party Websites
Third-party Websites• TweetMyJobs
http://veterans.tweetmyjobs.com
Third-party Websites• JobTweet.me
Third-party Websites• TwitJobSearch
Third-party Websites• TweetBeep
Smartphone Apps for Job Seekers
Smartphone Apps• Smartphone apps that aggregate jobs posted on Twitter: – Jobtweet.de’s Jobsearch – Twittcareers – TwitterJobSearch – RealTweets Job Networking
Smartphone Apps• TwitterJobSearch
Smartphone Apps• TwitterJobSearch – Can search by job or location
Smartphone Apps• TwitterJobSearch’s truncated job description
Smartphone Apps• TwitterJobSearch – Features available via truncated description: • “QuickPitch” • Email the job • View the full job description
Smartphone Apps• Jobtweet.de’s Jobsearch
Smartphone Apps• Jobtweet.de’s Jobsearch – Search in English, German, French or Russian – Job seekers can search for jobs – Employers can search for candidates
Smartphone Apps• Jobtweet.de’s Jobsearch – What results look like for job search • Ex: “librarian”
Smartphone Apps• Jobtweet.de’s Jobsearch – Saves your search history
Smartphone Apps• TwittCareers
Smartphone Apps• TwittCareers – Upon launch, displays jobs most recently posted to Twitter
Smartphone Apps• TwittCareers – Can search in English, French and Spanish
Smartphone Apps• TwittCareers – Example search: “Librarian”
Smartphone Apps• TwittCareers – Can email jobs to self (have to click link in tweet)
Using Twitter forNetworking and Branding
Tip #1:Plan Ahead
Tip #1: Plan Ahead• Twitter is very public.• It’s also archived by the Library of Congress• Come up with a game plan: – How do you want to portray yourself? – What do you want to tweet about? – What professional topics do you want to have public conversations about?
Tip #2:Account Management
Tip #2: Account ManagementNew to Twitter? – You get to start from scratch! However, before you follow anyone else on Twitter: 1. Fill out your profile! 2. Send a tweet or two about: – who you are – what you plan to tweet about Most people who are new to Twitter look like this…
Compare them with this guy…
Tip #2: Account ManagementAlready on Twitter?• Option #1: – Keep your current account • Overhaul account (bio and picture) to make it professional • Link to your resume • Delete unprofessional tweets (or all your tweets with TwitWipe) • Let your friends know! OR…
Tip #2: Account ManagementAlready on Twitter?• Option #2: – Make your current account private – “Hide” your current account by removing any references to your real name – Set up a second account that is just for professional networking
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile• What can you do to create a professional looking profile? – Use your real name
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile• What can you do to create a professional looking profile? – Use your real name – Pick a screenname that reflects you or your professional persona
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile –Create a professional bio
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile – Use a professional photo…
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile …or a cartoon avatar
Tip #3:Create a Professional Profile – If you have good graphic design skills, add a background with links to your resume, portfolio, website, etc.
Tip #4:Build Your Network
Tip #4: Build Your Network• Build a relevant network by following: – Current and former co-workers – Friends in your field – Professors – Industry leaders and experts – Professional organizations – Recruiters – Companies that you’d like to work for
Tip #5:Strategic Tweeting
Tip #5: Strategic Tweeting• Reminder: Think strategically about how you want to portray yourself online.
Tip #5: Strategic Tweeting• Reminder: Think strategically about how you want to portray yourself online.3. Tweet “like an expert” – Share links and info that is relevant to your profession – Tweet current articles and issues, add your thoughts – RT other people, add your thoughts – Converse with people in your field
Tip #5: Strategic Tweeting2. Post regularly (at least once a day)3. Criticism of things is okay, so long as it’s constructive5. Beware of the viral RT…
Tip #5: Strategic Tweeting5. Use screennames when referencing someone else
Tip #5: Strategic Tweeting6. Write like you normally would. Don’t use “text speak” (over-abbreviating, ignoring punctuation).7. Find and use #hashtags relevant to your profession – Conferences – Professional chats8. Participate in #HireFriday
Tip #6:Use Your Network to Amplify Your Voice
Tip #6: Use Your Network• Engage with your network: – Start conversations – If someone asks you for advice, respond. – Offer help to those requesting it – Ask others for help with your job search …any of these things could result in a job lead!
Tip #6: Use Your NetworkAn example of someonewho asked for help with ajob search:- He got multiple responses and RTs- Twitter marked it as a “Top Tweet”
Tip #7:Don’t Neglect the Real World
Tip #7:Don’t Neglect the Real World• Don’t make Twitter your only source for finding a job• Take it offline, go get coffee with people• Keep balance of online/offline
That’s it! Questions?
Credits and References• Image from Third-Party Website intro slide (Twitter on laptop): – http://pr-media-blog.co.uk/cut-the-bulltwit/• Image from Smartphone Apps for Job Seekers intro slide (dual iPhones with headphones): – http://twitnine.com/tag/twitter-apps/• Image of Twitter Job Search Guide: – http://www.careercoachacademy.com/twittercertification_self-paced.html

Twitter for Job Seekers

by broegge on Jun 22, 2011

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Twitter for Job Seekers — Presentation Transcript