Showcase your expertise through your tweets. Provide links to valuable information, insight into related events, referrals to experts, tips for doing the job well—anything that shows, in a helpful not boastful way, that you know what you're talking about. When it comes to proving your understanding of your industry, Twitter can be more useful than a resume.
Follow industry leaders. Identify the top players in your industry and follow them for insight. Occasionally respond to or re-tweet their tweets to give them the chance to notice you; if they follow you back, you've opened the door for a direct message, or private communication. But keep in mind that networking etiquette exists on Twitter just like in person, Salpeter says. Don't immediately tweet at a new contact asking for favors, just like "you wouldn't walk up to a stranger on the street and ask for a job," she says. "The same nuances apply online."
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Understand the power of lists. One way to identify those thought leaders and influential people to follow is through lists. Piggyback on someone else's list—Listorious is one resource that helps you find them—or create your own list of experts, which shows you know who's who in your target field. To easily keep up with your lists, pull them into a Twitter application like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck. "It's just a matter of following the industry that you want to be in," Sarikaya says, "and just absorbing and jumping into the conversation when you can, because that's how people get to know you."
Follow industry hashtags. This will help you find new information and more relevant people to follow. To figure out which hashtags might be of interest, look through streams of industry leaders you've identified. Some hashtags represent chats, yet another opportunity to interact with people who work in your target field and earn their respect. If you're under 30, Sarikaya suggests following #u30pro—that stands for under-30 professionals—for career-development conversations that can apply to any field.
Attend tweetups. These in-person meetings are excellent opportunities to bring Twitter connections offline and develop personal relationships so your contacts feel comfortable recommending you. Most tweetups have an accompanying hashtag, so identify the hashtags in your industry and you'll likely stumble upon these networking opportunities.
Maintain focus. It's easy to get sucked into Twitter and forget why you're there, Doyle says. Look to broaden your horizons and acquire new knowledge and contacts, but don't lose sight of your goal. Remain professional and look at your own Twitter stream every few weeks to make sure you're presenting yourself in a way that will help you move forward.
#Goodluck!
Reader Comments Read all comments (2)
Cachinko of TX 10:19PM June 29, 2011
Dan of CA 1:11PM June 29, 2011