Make It Count!

 

Make sure the content of your tweets are right on the N.O.S.E. with this four-point model:

 

Noteworthy:
Tweets that are noteworthy are informative, important and repeatable. Ask yourself, “What do I want my reader to know and remember? Does it pass the ‘so what’ test? Does this tweet provide actionable or relevant content to my target audience?”

 
On-brand:
75% of your messages posted on twitter should be professional and on-brand if you want to attract and retain followers, it’s important to tweet about topics that substantiate your brand. Ask yourself, “Does this give my reader positive insight into my personality as a professional?”

 
Strategic:
Your tweets should strategically position you and move your career or job search forward. Ask yourself, “Is this specific? Does it showcase my strengths?”


Engaging:
One of Twitter’s biggest benefits is its far-reaching ability to create community. Your tweets can help foster those relationships when you ask yourself “Does my material make readers lean forward and want to respond to me or share my message with others? Am I seeing evidence of engagement through @responses?”

Starting Out


Your Job Search A La Twitter

Submitted by admin on Wed, 07/14/2010 - 15:56

October 2010

If you love people and information (even gossip), Twitter can be addictive. But Twitter plus Networking equals Career Momentum and a winning job search. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Retweets (having your Tweets shared with others and spread virally) provides you with a virtual stamp of recognition. It says, “I think this tweet shows that you are interested in the subject matter.”

Retweeting is simply good manners, and good manners still count in the realm of a job search. Yet Retweeting is more than good manners; attracting Retweets is part Art, part Science, and in our opinion, wholly necessary for a robust Twitter presence.

Here are 5 ways to Retweet and Boost Your Job Search:

Retweet industry news
This shows that you are in touch with developments in your field. Set up Google News Alerts on keywords; these feeds provide you with potential topics for inclusion.

Retweet experts in your field
It will help you get on their radar screen, especially if you send them a customized Retweet that showcases your expertise and knowledge.

Convey passion for what you do
A Retweet that shows emotion—from “No!” to “Love this!” or “Yes!”—shows active engagement with the subject matter.

Be impeccable with your spelling and your grammar
Resist the urge to let customized Retweets go out without a review. Networking contacts and employers care about your ability to pay attention to detail.

If you Retweet someone you don’t know, say hello
Make a new friend on Twitter and expand the reach of your network by sending an @reply (a user message preceded by an @ enables the reader—and other users of Twitter—to view contents of the message—it is a public message) to the person who generated the content that you liked.

Thank people for Retweets
It is appropriate to thank people when they Retweet you.  Typically, that takes the form of a simple @reply Tweet which is used to get the attention of a designated recipient, as well as your Twitter Community. 

Sources to create great Tweets and Retweets

  • If you’re in active job search mode, searching for company and industry news and trends will be one of your priorities. There are several sources you can mine for your Twitter content:
  • Sign up for news alerts at www.google.com/alerts to receive email updates of the latest news relevant to your profession.
  • Read your target companies’ own Twitter streams, Facebook fan pages, or other social media sites to get ideas or material to Retweet.
  • Subscribe to blogs you find interesting. Save the best to Tweet about.
  • Reference professional journals online. Visit professional association sites. Talk about your area of expertise.
  • Pose a point of view and ask for an opinion.
  • Jump into an ongoing Twitter discussion that supports your brand.
  • Retweet content you find compelling.
  • Reference your own blog posts.
  • Review sites with inspiration quotes or insights.
  • Drop tips that showcase your hobbies or personal interests.

Adapted from "The Twitter Job Search Guide: Find a Job and Advance Your Career in Just 15 Minutes a Day" by Susan Britton Whitcomb, Chandlee Bryan, and Deb Dib with permission from JIST Publishing.