Tweet Your Way to Your Next Job Opportunity

Question

“I’m having zero luck applying for jobs through regular job sites. I’m thinking I need to try something new.  Should I try to do something on social media?” – Madison from Miami, FL

Answer

Hi Madison –

It’s great that you’re thinking about social media as a job search tool. Earlier this year, we wrote about how to use LinkedIn to help you find a job – I recommend you start on that site if you haven’t yet done so.

Recently, though, I’m hearing more and more talk about people using Twitter to find employment. The other day, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal that even claimed: “Twitter is becoming the new job board. It is also becoming the new résumé.”

Both companies and job seekers are increasingly using the tool to match good candidates with open job positions. Companies, the article suggests, are using it to gain quick and direct access to candidates through both regular and sponsored tweets (which act like job ads). Job seekers – like you! – are using it to reach out to companies, tweet links to their résumés and more.

Here are a few tips on how you can use Twitter to enhance your job search:

  • Make sure your profile is professional. Your username should be a version of your name – something like janesmith or robertbarnes, not beerfan36. Look at your past tweets too – while they don’t all have to be about work, they should convey a positive impression to someone who doesn’t know you.
  • Follow companies and their staff. If the company has a Twitter account, be sure to follow them. You can also look up the names of relevant staff members on LinkedIn, and research whether those individuals also have Twitter accounts. Engage with them by tweeting at them, but be sure not to inundate them with requests or messages.
  • Create compelling tweets. You want to show employers that you’re engaged in your field of interest. If you’re seeking a green job, you might retweet interesting things people are posting about solar panels, write a tweet commenting on a relevant news article on wind energy, or tweet a link to a blog post or article you wrote on sustainable fuel sources.
  • Search for jobs. Many companies and career portals announce job openings via Twitter. Use keyword searches to look for opportunities in your field “engineering job” or “cashier job,” or visit a site like TwitJobSearch that specifically curates job openings posted through the site.
  • Try something new. A recent article on Boston.com talked about a new platform called Gozaik, which aggregates job postings from Twitter and provides job seekers a page where they can highlight their skills and experiences more creatively.

Good luck with your job search! Fellow readers, if you have other tips on how you’re using Twitter to look for work, leave your suggestions in the comment section below.