LinkedIn might be the first social media platform you consider when looking for work. But Twitter offers plenty of opportunities for job seekers too but in a more informal setting. It's common to see large companies announce vacancies on Twitter, and you're able to follow recruiters and hiring managers without needing to make a formal connection as you would on LinkedIn.
But Twitter can certainly be overwhelming. So, how do you go about narrowing the field, cutting out all the noise, and finding an excellent career opportunity on this fast-moving platform?
1. Optimizing Your Twitter Bio to Find Work
Step back from the idea you always need to apply for a job actively and consider that recruiters also search Twitter to headhunt their candidates. So, if you want to show up in their results, ensure your Twitter bio is thoroughly optimized.
You only have 160 characters, so make them count. You might choose to mention your qualifications, the industry you work in, or your past work experience. Remember to use keywords that employers might search for, like "finance graduates."
It's also a good idea to be easily contactable by opening your DMs. You can switch these on through Messages > Settings > Direct Messages.
2. Use Twitter Lists to Find Valuable Content
If you already follow hundreds of accounts on Twitter, how can you sift through all the content to find relevant job vacancies? The answer is Twitter Lists. This is a category of accounts you group together to make it easier to find the information you're looking for.
Instead of relying on the general Twitter feed to present the tweets you want to read, you can set up lists to help manage your job search. For example, you might want to create a list of companies that offer remote work or those that are hiring graduates with your degree.
Start by going to Lists and Start a New List.
You can give your list a name, a description, and choose to add an image too. These are all essential fields if you want to make your list public, but for a job-seeking list, you'll probably want to set your list to Private so no one can see it.
3. Organize Your Job Search With TweetDeck
TweetDeck is a dashboard feature that provides you with an at-a-glance overview of your Twitter feed. You can view lists, trending topics, messages, and account information in a single hit to supercharge your experience of Twitter.
It's easier to work with TweetDeck on a desktop than on your phone. But from here, you can keep an eye on industry news, job openings, and important updates.
Once you're logged in to TweetDeck using your Twitter sign-in, you can customize the columns to provide you with the most relevant information.
4. Building a Relevant Twitter Network
If you're new to Twitter, don't expect to attract thousands of followers overnight — it does take time. To build a solid professional profile, start by following the accounts of:
- Companies you might be interested in working with
- Recruitment firms
- Career fairs
- Past colleagues
- College professors
- Thought leaders within your industry.
Remember, you can create Twitter Lists based on your connections. It's important to go beyond just following these accounts. Engage with them and respond to their tweets regularly to build an ongoing relationship.
5. Participating in Twitter Chats
Twitter Chats are recurring conversations hosted by the same account. They might happen weekly or monthly, but they'll usually be at the same time. Each Twitter chat has a hashtag to follow, which you should include in every message you write during the chat.
Start looking for Twitter Chats to join — for example, #JobHuntChat takes place on Mondays at 9 pm EST. This offers tips on networking, interviewing, and creating a winning resume.
6. Maximize Your Use of Twitter Search
With so much information available on Twitter, you must know how to use the search tool correctly, starting with the terms you use.
Use a combination of keywords in this sequence: location + job level + job + industry.
Your result can look like this: New York + graduate + job + accountancy.
You can switch out the word "job" with "hiring." "vacancy," or "position" as needed.
After choosing your search terms, use the filter to narrow down your field further. For example, you can filter by From Anyone or People You Follow and by Location.
By clicking Advanced Search, you can include hashtags, accounts, and engagement fields.
7. Narrowing Down Job Opportunities
We've already discussed Twitter Chats, Twitter Lists, and how to build your Twitter network, but there are yet more ways to seek out job opportunities on Twitter. The first is to use hashtags, so you can follow tags like #hiring, #gradjobs, #salesjobs, or whatever terms are relevant to you.
It's also worth creating a list of dream companies you would like to work for. If it's a giant corporation, they will often promote a separate Twitter account just for recruitment. For example, KPMG Careers Twitter profiles are different from the main KPMG account.
8. Present a Professional Image
If you're using Twitter for professional purposes, think about the image you're portraying. Your account doesn't need to be as formal as LinkedIn, but it needs to present you positively. So use a clear and crisp headshot as your Twitter profile picture, and remember to optimize your bio.
You can also link to your professional website or LinkedIn profile so recruitment teams can conduct further background research on you.
If you already have a Twitter account for non-work purposes, review the tweets you send out to check if they would be suitable for hirers to read. This isn't LinkedIn, so you don't need to be 100% professional. But you might be more comfortable setting up a new Twitter account, so there aren't any blurred lines between your work and personal life.
9. Using Twitter for Interview Prep
Congratulations, you've secured an interview! Now, it's time to do your prep work, so you can go into that interview and win over the recruiters. Twitter is a great way to learn every last detail about the company you'd like to work for. In fact, you can use Twitter without an account to snoop around.
Be careful not to start actively following any of the interviewers at this stage. Still, you can certainly do a lot of digging to learn about their past work experience, projects, and outside interests.
Perhaps you both have a shared appreciation of using Trello boards in your project management? Or maybe you both love paddle boarding in your spare time. Whatever the details, if there's a way to work them into your interview naturally, they could build rapport and land you that dream job.
Get Started With Job Seeking on Twitter
When's the best time to start organizing your job search on Twitter? How about today? It might feel overwhelming at first, but work through the steps above to connect with the right opportunities and make sure your profile presents you as a candidate worth checking out!