How to Find a Job Using Twitter

• Tweets is the nickname for the 140 character texts that people post on Twitter.

• Repost informative tweets from others. The original poster will appreciate it and you'll pass on useful knowledge to your followers. To repost, just copy/paste their text along with their username and place RT in front of it. Example: RT @originalUsername reposted text here.

• Showcase the names of other twitters that you like by posting their names with the hashtag #FF. This will expose your followers to intriguing new contacts. The side benefit is that those people will probably return the favor, and you'll get more followers because of it.

• Be careful of impostors. Most celebrities, public officials and agencies have verified accounts. These official accounts have the words Verified Account and a checkmark on the top of their page.

• Always keep in mind that anyone can see your tweets. So, if your goal is to use the account for mostly professional reasons, make sure what you post is appropriate for most audiences.

• Consider creating a separate Twitter account for just fun, personal use and one for business.

• List your Twitter username and the various professional social media sites that you are involved in on your resume. It will show employers that you are current with technology and interested in networking and expanding.

• Keep the mundane tweets to a minimum. If you want to attract serious users in your field, most of your tweets should be instructive and helpful.

• Don't spam your tweets. Many people tend to unfollow people that post the same message incessantly and rapidly.

• Follow these accounts, then click on their names in your following list to view their work listings: @jobshoots, @freelance_jobs, @TwitHire, @jobAngels, @indeed, @heatherhuhman, @work_freelance, @theonlinejobs, @jobomaniac, @ifreelancer, @microjobs, @StartUpHire, @FindInternships

• Here's a listing of web sites that deal with Twitter and job openings: Twellow, TweepSearch, Just Tweet It, Tweepz, JobShouts, TwitHire

It should come as no surprise that it takes time to make Twitter pay off as a job search tool. You will have to build up your network and make useful connections with people in your field. Beyond that, you will have to learn the ends and outs of the environment and have the ability to be clever and informative in the space of 140 characters.

First, you'll need to sign up with Twitter's service. After your account is active, you'll need to create a profile.

1. Go to www.twitter.com and click Sign Up Now.
2. After you fill in your information, it will ask you to connect with your email and find any of your contacts that are already using Twitter. At this point, it will even suggest random celebrity, business and social sites for you to follow. You can either accept the choices or skip the step.
3. Now, you are taken to your home page, pick profile from the top menu then click the image in the right corner to add a picture of yourself. It's best to go with nice professional, portrait shot.
4. Move to the account tab under the settings button. Add a link to your web site, blog or online resume to More Info URL.
5. Next, you have the chance to make your pitch in the One Line Bio slot. This is your chance to point out your skills and what your goal may be. You're limited to 160 characters here. Example: Traditional media and Flash trained Illustrator with 10 years experience looking for freelance work. I can animate and script in Flash.
6. Choose the design tab to pick out the background and colors for your page. The selection is pretty limited so you may want to find a free alternative at www.TwitterBackgrounds.com. You can even use your background image to give extra information. Some people write a longer bio or all their contact information there.
7. Make sure to save your changes.

In the old days, you were limited to having only friends, family and co-workers in your network. But by using Twitter, you have access to an estimated 4 to 5 million of their users.c In that group of users, there are hiring managers, executives and even CEOs. Some businesses have even created Twitter accounts just for hiring.

It's important to search out the leaders of your industry and follow them. By staying connected with the movers and shakers, you find out about the latest trends as they are happening. Likewise, you can learn insider information about conferences, meetings and events that could be invaluable to getting ahead of the crowd.

But, don't just watch them. Interact with them by asking pertinent questions, commenting on their tweets and article recommendations. Often times, the people you follow will follow you back if they find your bio and tweets interesting. You'll never know which connection will be the one that leads to your next job opportunity.

• How To Find People to Follow

1. Use the Find People button at the top of your home page.
2. Search for terms and phrases relevant to your field. You will find other users with these keywords in their profile.
3. Then do a search for job hunt related accounts. These accounts were created so that recruiters can post openings. You can find them by using such search terms as job, jobs, hire, hiring, now hiring. (Refer to the tip section for some specific accounts to follow.)
4. You can also look for specific company names in your line of work.
5. Once you get a page of listings, click on an account. Read over their bio and tweets. Do they have a decent amount of followers? Do they give out information and sound advice?
6. To be able to receive tweets from someone, open their page and click follow under their profile picture. Now, you will see their messages on your home page. .
7. You can send private messages to them via a link on their sidebar.

One of the fastest ways to get noticed and attract many followers is to become known as someone knowledgeable at your craft. Then, others will flock to your page to ask questions, get advice and read your latest recommendations. You'll be surprised how quickly your follower list grows once you start sharing your knowledge and helping people.

How does this help your job search? Well, when an employer looks at your tweets, they will see your abilities in action. Think of your text as an extension of your resume. It doesn't just tell what you can do but shows what you can do.

Etiquette Tip: Send a private message and thank those who follow you. Sometimes this will spark a conversation.

Once you have built up your network and become accustomed to the service. You can start actively posting tweets to advertise your search. Add hashtags like #job, #jobs and #hire to your posts. Since you know that potential recruiters will be watching your copy, make sure they see something unique, valuable and interesting.

1. Keep your tweets concise and to the point. Example:Looking for an Art Director position in the San Francisco area. #job, #jobs, #hire
2. Be proactive and search hashtags such as #TweetMyJob, #job, #jobs, #hire. This will give you a listing of all the tweets with these keywords in them. Job openings are usually associated with these. If you want to focus in on your industry or a location, use those as search terms as well. Example: Search for Art Director job
3. To do a term search, type your word in the search input box on your home page sidebar.