Can (and Should) You Tweet Your Way to a Job?

It’s extremely common today for job seekers to use professional networking websites—especially LinkedIn—in their job hunt. Online portals like LinkedIn are designed for professional purposes and help put job seekers in touch with companies that are hiring.

But can (and should) you expand your search onto Twitter as well? This raises a number of additional questions.

We all know that Twitter is a highly popular social media hub used by everyone from teenagers to celebrities to national news publications. It’s an effective tool for gaining quick, digestible information about the world and can also put you in direct contact with prospective employers.

So, what are the pros and cons of incorporating Twitter into your job hunt?

Well, to start, Twitter does one big thing for you if you’re looking for a job: it greatly expands your audience. Particularly if you already have a professional account up and running. Twitter gives you the opportunity to hashtag key terms to appear on searches, as well as to broadcast that you’re in the market for a new position. You can also follow recruiters and companies that interest you in order to stay up-to-date on who’s hiring and where future opportunities might be. When it comes to staying in the professional loop, Twitter is often an unbeatable resource.

Another great way to utilize Twitter when you’re looking for a job is simply to get involved in conversations. Follow companies, retweet their content and respond to their inquires. Participating in online discussions demonstrates that you’re a digitally savvy, engaged professional. Many companies are specifically looking for this skill set and will take notice if you’re an active Twitter user.

However, there are also some downfalls to using Twitter as a job-searching tool. Or, rather, there are some things to consider before you get started. For example, if you currently have a personal Twitter account to communicate with friends and keep up with trends, you might want to do some social media editing before using the account for professional reasons. In other words, filter through your past content and make sure that there’s nothing that you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to read. If you’re going to use Twitter to communicate and/or follow companies, you want to project a professional image at all times. Even though Twitter is a more casual environment, you should still expect to be judged for your content and online image. Plan accordingly.

For more information about using social media in your job hunt, contact Employment Professionals Canada. We’d be happy to discuss your needs with you and help you out in your search!