Use Twitter to Get a Job Offer

Landing your dream job is difficult, but modern tools make it much easier to identify job openings and connect with prospective employers. As part of your job search, you should be setting up social media profiles and using them to grow your network.

Hiring managers are now using Twitter to find qualified applicants. Take advantage of this trend by setting up a Twitter profile and optimizing it for your job search. Your Twitter handle should be something professional that doesn't make potential employers question your judgment. In most cases, a professional Twitter handle incorporates your name or your industry. If you are a freelancer looking for clients, create a handle based on your business name.

Before any job search, you should make a list of desirable employers in your industry. Use your own criteria to determine if a company is desirable. You may want to rank employers based on benefits packages, advancement opportunities or starting salary. Once you set up your Twitter account, use the search function to find each of these companies and add them to your network.

One of the biggest advantages of using Twitter for your job search is that you have a chance to connect directly with hiring managers and company executives. Build valuable relationships by identifying key employees and following their Twitter accounts. Capture attention by making insightful comments or sharing articles of interest to people in your industry. If you decide to retweet content from another user, make sure you vet the content before you share it.

Be sure to support other Twitter users by sharing their content and commenting on their tweets. Hiring managers are interested in candidates who encourage others and have the ability to work toward shared goals. Encouraging people via Twitter can go a long way toward making you look like a desirable candidate. Engage hiring managers by asking questions or offering your assistance any time one of your followers reaches out for help.

It takes time to build Twitter relationships, so don't spend all of your time tweeting at hiring managers and company executives. Instead, use the search function to look for tweets related to your job search. Some employers use Twitter to post job opportunities, but others use the social network to share information about job fairs or networking functions. Look for hashtags such as #jobopening, #careerfair and #employmentopportunity to make it easier to find a job. Perform this search at least once per day to ensure you don't miss out on valuable opportunities.

Twitter and other social media networks are valuable tools for anyone searching for a new job. Start your job search on the right foot by setting up a Twitter account and using it to attract positive attention from prospective employers.

Photo courtesy of Slava Murava Kiss at Flickr.com