Using Twitter for Your Job Search

Right now, someone you know (it may even be yourself) is unemployed. While the recession may technically be over, as was recently reported in Newsweek, the truth is there are still a lot of people out there looking for work. Unfortunately, looking for a job is practically a full time job in itself, and it can be extremely discouraging when you run into road blocks or don’t get a call back.

Now, more than ever, finding a good job is about who you know, which is why, rather than sticking to the traditional online outlets such as Monster and Career Builder, many people are turning to social networking to find a job opportunity.  Twitter, in particular, is one of the most useful social networking tools out there for improving your chance of getting a job. But how do you use Twitter to find a job?

Recently, ReputationDefender Blog came across a great article written by Lydia Dishman titled “Will Tweet For Work.” In the article, Dishman shares some compelling statistics, including this doozy:

80% of companies plan to use social networking to find and attract candidates this year, according to a study published by Jobvite recently. Though LinkedIn, with its resume-like format, emerged as the leading social media used for recruiting purposes, Twitter came in third with a whopping 42% of recruiters tapping it for potential candidates.

Dishman goes on to explain some of the websites that have sprung up to help facilitate job hunting on Twitter, such as Tweetmyjobs.com and Jobvite.com.  Another tactic you can use to connect with potential employers is to get out there and start following the employees of the companies where you are interested in working. Start interacting with them and responding to their tweets and, sometime down the road after establishing a rapport, let them know what you could offer their company.

We’ve all seen how social networking can help people lose their jobs. You don’t want to be that person. Using social networking pro-actively and responsibly is the best way to give yourself an edge in a competitive job market.

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