Introduction to Twitter for Recruiters

1. Twitter 101
Julie Smith
Professional Recruiter – Sales West

2. 2Twitter 101
The Basics
What is Twitter?
– An online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to
send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters
 Has over 500 million active users, generating over 340 million tweets daily and running
over 1.6 billion searches daily
– One of the top 10 most visited websites on the Internet
How does it fit in with our Social Media Strategy?
– 24 hour Drive-Thru
 Engage customers and job candidates in quick, transactional conversations
– Conversations will frequently transition into another channel (Email, LinkedIn, etc.)
– Increase awareness around open positions by tweeting out current openings
– Search for candidates utilizing hashtag and keyword searches
 Tweet volume means there is a lot of noise to navigate through
– Allows candidates to casually connect with us and monitor what we’re up to
 Great for passive job candidates
– Allows us to follow competitors to see what they’re up to, as well

3. 3Twitter 101
Terminology
 Tweet – Text-based messages of up to 140 characters that
are displayed on your Profile page
 DM (Direct Message) – Private messages between Twitter
users.
– Can be sent to anyone who follows you
 # (hashtags) – Allows users to group posts together by topic
or type
– #resume on tweets pertaining to resumes
 @ - Used for mentioning or replying to other users
– Should be followed by their User Name (EX. @JulieMWSmith)
– Used in tweets only, not direct message’s
 RT (Retweet) – A re-posting of someone else’s Tweet, so that
it is seen by your followers
– Similar to forwarding an email

4. 4Twitter 101
Terminology, con’t
 Followers/Following – Twitter users who you have subscribed to or
who have subscribed to you
– Tweets are sent from people you are following directly to your feed
 Happens automatically, no searching required!
– Unlike LinkedIn, it is not automatically reciprocated
 Trending topics – Most popular topics (or hashtags) on Twitter at
that moment
– Think of it as the front page of a real time newspaper
 Verified Account – Accounts that have been verified by Twitter as
being authentic
– Frequently used by celebrities and major companies
– Designated by
– Is FedEx Office’s account verified?
 Promoted – Signifies a paid advertisement or promotion
– Can be assigned to both Twitter users and topics
– Designated by

5. 5Twitter 101
Terminology

6. 6Twitter 101
Your Profile Page

7. 7Twitter 101
How do I find people to follow?
 The easiest way to find Twitter followers is through using their
search function.
– Type the name (or Twitter username) of the person you want to find in the
Search box at the top of your Twitter homepage and click on the magnifying
glass.
– Results for your search will show up under the People tab on the search results
page

8. 8Twitter 101
Sending a tweet
 Now that you’ve found some people to follow, it’s time to
send your first tweet!
 You have two options to send a tweet from within Twitter:
– You can type your Tweet directly into the Compose new Tweet box from your
Home Screen
– You can click on the Blue Box in the upper right hand corner of your Home
Screen to get a pop-up box to compose your tweet in.

9. 9Twitter 101
Sending a tweet, con’t
 A few things to remember:
– You only have 40 characters, so use them wisely
 Twitter keeps a running tally of characters available on the bottom right-
hand corner of where you are composing your tweet
 Anything over 140 characters will not make it to your followers
– Don’t forget to click the Tweet button once you’re done composing
your tweet.
– You can also link your Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, so that LI status
updates are sent directly to Twitter.

10. 10Twitter 101
What if I want more information?
 Additional resources for learning the basics about Twitter
– Twitter Help Center (https://support.twitter.com/)
 Lots of great articles and videos to walk you through everything from setting up your
profile to more advanced search techniques.
– You can also Tweet questions directly to Twitter Support by adding a @Support
to the end of your question.
– http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/newTwitter/index.html
 Comprehensive video tutorial that walks you through signing up and sending that first
tweet.
 Interface is a little outdated, but lots of good information if you’re a visual learner.
– A simple Google search for what area you would like to learn more about will
reveal a wealth of information and free resources on the web.
 Try to stick to newer resources as Twitter has consistently been upgrading it’s systems
and interfaces since it’s launch six years ago. There is some outdated information out
there to weed through.

11. 11
Why can’t I just send regular Tweets?
 Engagement!
– Social Media allows us to engage with our candidates (both future and present)
in ways we’ve never been able to previously
 Retweets
– Most effective for helping us to build our brand
– Also beneficial for allowing us to provide context to any announcements
 Ex. Sending congratulations out with a retweet about the Top 100 Companies to work
for
 Mentions
– By mentioning people on Twitter, we are able to make sure they see our Tweets
or even engage them in a public discussion
 DM’s allow us to do this privately
 Replies
– Also us to respond to any requests for information
 Might be specific to a job or career opportunity
 We can respond to open calls for information/answers to help us build our networks,
as well.
Twitter 101

12. 12Twitter 101
Retweets
 RT (Retweet) – A re-posting of someone else’s Tweet, so that it is
seen by your followers
– Similar to forwarding an email
 How do I know if a Tweet in my News Feed is a Retweet?
– Two different ways retweets appear
 If you see a Tweet from someone you do not follow on your News Feed, look for the
retweet icon in the upper right hand corner
 You will also notice there is retweet info at the bottom of the tweet. The user who
retweeted the message should be someone you follow.

13. 13Twitter 101
Retweets, con’t
 How do I know if a Tweet in my News Feed is a Retweet?
– Sometimes you will notice a RT at the beginning of a Tweet
 Indicates that the user is re-posting someone else’s content
 Not an official Twitter command, but is widely recognized and used
 What other differences do you notice?
– A few notes on retweets
 If you are accessing/using Twitter though a third-party application (TweetDeck for
example), retweets posted through those channels will automatically appear with the
RT.
– One reason why the RT is so commonplace and widely accepted despite not being an official
Twitter feature.
 Why won’t it let me retweet someone?
– The most common reason is that they have protected their tweets. This is indicated by a lock
next to their Twitter handle

14. 14Twitter 101
Retweeting
 With “retweeted by” information
– Does not allow you to add your own commentary
 Step 1: Click the Expand button under the Tweet you want to retweet
 Step 2: Click on Retweet
 Step 3: Retweet

15. 15Twitter 101
Another way to retweet
 Utilizing “RT”
– Allows you to add your own commentary
 Retweet must still be under 140 characters
 Step 1: Highlight the text you want to retweet and copy it using Ctrl+C or a right click
– You can retweet only portions of an original tweet to help stay under 140 characters
 Step 2: Click on the Compose New Tweet button (Blue with a feather pen on it)
 Step 3: Type your thoughts in the Compose new Tweet box. Once done type in RT, then the user
you’re retweeting’s Twitter handle. Here you would type @ViacomCareers (it will autopopulate
once you start typing). Lastly, paste the copied Tweet and click the Tweet button.

16. 16Twitter 101
Mentioning someone on Twitter
 You can mention someone on Twitter by adding their Twitter
username preceded by the “@” symbol
 The person you mention will be notified that you have mentioned
them in a tweet
– Typically via email, but also on their Connect page, as well
– Since it’s going out as a regular tweet, all of your followers will also see your
mention
 Mentions are great for helping to build your network and also for
publically notifying Twitter users about a specific opening
– Try mentioning someone the next time you post a job on Twitter
 Ex There are Twitter users who retweet jobs by geography or work group

17. 17Twitter 101
Replying to Tweets
 Probably one of the best ways to build your network and
brand on Twitter is by replying to Tweets
– You can reply to any tweet by any of your followers
 To reply to someone, you simply need to begin your tweet with “@”
followed by their Twitter handle
 Clicking on view conversation will show the recent tweet history
between those two users.

18. 18Twitter 101
Identifying Tweets Cheat Sheet
 Retweets
– “RT” in the tweet or in the upper right hand corner
 Quoting or sharing a Tweet with your followers. S
 imilar to forwarding an email or sharing on Facebook
 Replies
– Any tweet that begins with “@” followed by a twitter handle
 Sent in response to another twitter user
 Mentions
– A tweet with “@” followed by a twitter handle anywhere within a Tweet
 Person you mention receives notification of your tweet
 Similar to tagging on Facebook

19. 19
Why is my Twitter network important?
 The strength of your Twitter community determines what you will
get out of the micro-blogging site
– Unlike LinkedIn, we can’t pay to get guaranteed access to everyone
 Closest we can come is to pay to have our accounts/hastags promoted, but everything
else (i.e. who shows up in searches) is determined by algorithim
 There is a lot of “noise” on Twitter
– Having a solid, targeted network will help cut through the junk that’s out there
 Having your tweets retweeted by your followers helps increase your
visibility and brand
 You can only view protected tweets if that user gives you access to
them
– Most who use Twitter professionally do not protect their Tweets.
– What information could we be missing?
Twitter 101

20. 20Twitter 101
Twitter culture
 People who use Twitter (or Tweeples in Twitter speak) are referred
to by their handles. For example, I’m @JulieMWSmith
– My Twitter website is twitter.com/JulieMWSmtih
 Unlike Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s completely normal in
theTwitterverse to follow people you’ve never met.
– In fact, it’s encouraged
– For those using Twitter in a professional capacity, you should be following
industry leaders
 Both companies and special interest groups
 Be mindful of Twitter etiquette
– Never send personal information publically (“@”), DM it if necessary
– Take longer conversations offline
 Anything more than three tweets per conversation is a good rule to follow

21. 21Twitter 101
The basics of building a network
 Follow the right people on Twitter
– It can be tempting to follow every person who follows you. Don’t.
 While there is a lot of valuable content on Twitter, there is also a lot of junk.
– Keep an eye on Retweets
 If someone you follow retweets something interesting, follow the person who sent the
original Tweet
 Search Twitter for people using hastags that are pertinent to you
– I periodically search Twitter for the #sales #jobs and #hiring hastags
 Utilize the Who To Follow suggestions
– You don’t need to follow everyone they suggest, but you should check their
recommendations periodically and follow those that interest you
 Make sure your Twitter handle is listed on your LinkedIn page
– Email signatures are a possibility, too
 Know your network – make interactions personal

22. 22Twitter 101
Join in the conversation
 Twitter chats, or live conversations via Twitter that last about an
hour, are one effective way to connect with others.
– Utilize the specific hashtag at the designated times to participate
 Ex. @FedExOffice is looking for some dynamic #sales professionals to join our team in
the #LosAngeles area. #JobHuntChat
– #JobHuntChat is every Monday night starting at 7PM PST
– #HFChat (Hire Friday Chat) is every Friday starting at 9AM PST
– #CareerChat is every Tuesday starting at 10AM PST
 Twitter chats can be very fast-paced and keeping up with them can
be a challenge
– Practice makes perfect – don’t give up if the first one (or two) you attend are
overwhelming
 Try to identify Tweeples within your industry and follow them to help keep up with the
converation.
– Utilize 3rd
party tools such as Tweetchat, HootSuite or SearchTwitter.com to help
monitor the appropriate hash tag
– Hire Friday posts a transcript following the chat

23. 23Twitter 101
Attend events virtually
 With budget cutbacks, we don’t have the money to send our entire
team to industry events
– Virtually all major conferences are now also live streamed and have
corresponding Twitter hashtags
 Search hashtags for industry leaders to follow
– Both ERE and SHRM have corresponding hashtags for all of their conferences
 Twitter parties are one-time events and very similar to Twitter chats
– Find Twitter parties by following the right people
– Tweeparties.com also maintains a calendar of Twitter parties
– Some companies, like Verizon Wireless, host periodic Twitter parties
 Participate in Tweetups
– In person networking events that are arranged via Twitter for people who have
not met before

24. 24Twitter 101
Additional Resources
 Twitter is a Social Media site, so the bulk of the tactics described
here have been more active and social in nature.
– There are more passive tools to help you grow your network, but be mindful of
avoiding some of the pitfalls we discussed earlier.
 Import email contacts
– Twitter allows you to import your Outlook contacts to help identify people you
already know who are on Twitter
 Twitter user databases
– There are several databases that list Tweeples by industry and interests
 Twellow.com is the largest

25. Questions?