5 Rules For Finding a Job on Twitter

I don’t know how the unemployed spent their time before social media.

After graduating from Syracuse University, while in my wait, I’m not in college anymore? slump, I spent a good portion (okay, a very good portion) of my time on Twitter. For the most part, my news feed was rife with articles about the spike in recent grads moving back home and the crushing unemployment numbers. Sigh.

Then, one morning, I noticed that a senior editor at The Huffington Post (whom I followed) had re-tweeted a tweet from HuffPost’s technology editor (whom I didn’t follow) about an opening in the department. Not only had I long dreamt of writing for The Huffington Post, but I was extremely passionate about technology. It was the ideal opportunity.

Ignoring the little voice that told me it was ridiculous to expect a reply email, much less an interview, I sent along my resume and cover letter to the email address listed in the tweet. Hours later, I had set up an interview – and a few weeks later, I had nailed the position.

But finding a job on Twitter isn’t just a matter of luck. Get the most out of your search by following these tips and suggestions.

1. Establish yourself as an expert and choose a niche for your tweets. It’s more important to have a specialty on Twitter rather than a stream of consciousness. In other words, if you’re looking for a job in health and nutrition, tweet about industry news and trends and re-tweet authorities in the field. That said, be sure to maintain a voice and personality. Tip: sites like Klout measure and help to build your online social influence.

2. Heard the phrase, It’s who you know, not what you know? Now, it’s about who you follow. Do a little digging on companies you’d like to work for; in addition to simply following their corporate Twitter account, find their top executives on Twitter — or editors and columnists. (Since I loved The Huffington Post and technology, I should have already been following the tech editor.) Some companies even have separate recruiting accounts, like @VerizonCareers and @WSJcareers, which solely post job news.

3. Participate in hashtag chats. These are organized conversations where users interested in a particular topic can join and contribute with a given hashtag, such as #careerchat. Hashtag chats make it easy for anyone watching along to identify the chat. They are excellent opportunities to network, increase your influence, and learn about a topic. Check out Mediabistro’s 15 hashtag chats to follow.

4. Tweet directly at people or companies you admire. But make each of those 140 characters count! Ask intelligent questions, or comment on company news; many companies use their Twitter accounts to boast corporate accomplishments and post links. This increases your likelihood of getting noticed by a job recruiter – and, more importantly, starting a conversation.

• Don’t tweet: “Hey @MarieClaire, I’d love to work for you guys!! Love your magazine!” Sweet, but vacuous.
• Instead, tweet: “Editors at @MarieClaire, loved your Aug issue, but was wondering XYZ about the article on bone marrow since I’m a donor.” Specific and a call to action. Ideally, you want to spark a discussion, not just move on after receiving a response.

5. Use Twitter’s list feature. If you’re like me and are following 1,000+ Twitter accounts, it’s easy to miss some important tweets throughout the day (potentially ones about job openings). Creating lists allows you to organize the people you’re following, and then easily scan through tweets later. In other words: exclude your annoying friends that tweet 50 times per hour about shopping and their cute dogs.

Any tips for finding a job on Twitter that I missed? Want to share your Twitter success story? Comment below! You can also find me at @mhess4.

Check out other tips & advice from No Joe Schmo, such as ways to create virtual business cards and maximize your resume.