Have you tried various methods to grow your network and are looking for something new? Consider using Twitter as a potential source for new leads and to learn about the talk in industry circles. There is a lot of skepticism about Twitter, but as an executive career management practitioner, someone who networks furiously around the world with decision makers and with people managing their careers, I can tell you this is a platform that works. Treat it with respect. Use it prudently and professionally. Here are 3 tips to heighten your Twitter presence to increase your networking potential.
Create a Separate Account
Twitter allows you the freedom to have multiple accounts. I do, depending on my audience. For your career, market the account that is most professional, eliminating your personal life and hobbies. Set up a professional account name and fill in all the content that the account provides you. It has limits to the number of characters, but remember it is also accessible by Google, which can raise your profile considerably. Think keywords. Like other platforms, use a professional picture. Don’t use the default placeholder egg.
Identify Fellow Professionals and Companies
Most corporations today have a Twitter account. In fact, there are over 261 million international Twitter users with over 69 million Twitter users in the US and 13 million in the UK. Roughly 46% of Twitter users are on the platform daily.
You can hunt potential connections by using the search feature and instantly connect with both career decision makers and corporations. Type in keywords or phrases to link into conversations which can be a valuable tool for job searchers. Similar to both LinkedIn and Facebook, Twitter should be used as an important networking tool. Nothing beats networking online, other than of course, networking in person.
The dialogue can be intense, both from corporations communicating their messages on culture, products or services, to individuals on the other side, tweeting about their job search, seeking guidance and connections.
Listen, Learn and Launch
Listen to what companies are tweeting about – these tweets can help you build a business case to network with someone who could potentially become your boss or boss’s boss.
Learn the lingo – Twitter has its own language. You can search Google online to find the correct jargon such as tweet, retweet, DM, hashtag, etc. Be succinct – craft your message to communicate your value and your intrigue. Make it compelling but keep it within 280 characters – the maximum length allowable on Twitter. Be polite; tweet cautiously.
Launch your content – consider tweeting about topics related to your career, industry, technology advancements that affect your career or industry or challenges companies are facing. Once on the platform, you need to keep the momentum going. If I was looking at you as a potential candidate and see that you have not tweeted in over a year, what message will that send me about you? Make it fun. Make it professional. Make it enticing for people to connect and network with you.
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