Social media is a central part of modern communication across the board without a doubt, but integrating this tool into a job search can be risky- or rewarding. Most companies have one, if not multiple, official Twitter accounts and many executives also tweet in an official capacity, but twitter etiquette can be a challenging line to walk.
Perry Acks, a recent graduate from Northeastern University, idolized Bethenny Frankel for years and had followed her on Twitter and reached out to her many times. One day, Perry tweeted, “I’ve contacted Telepictures so many times re: a PA job on your show that I know their phone/email by heart. #dedicated #dreamjob.” Frankel responded, encouraging Acks’ perseverance and forwarding his name on to the hiring managers. Acks now works on Frankel’s TV show, premiering in September, and had the chance to meet his idol in person just a few days after being hired. Without using twitter as a networking tool, Acks’ resume could have ended up at the bottom of a very deep pile.
Even so, these strategies have to be approached with caution. “Is Twitter a good tool to pursue a job? Absolutely. Can you come across as a psycho? Absolutely,” says Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of staffing agency LaSalle Network, in an article on Fastcompany.com, Constant tweeting can be just as bad as constant emailing, ruining a chance to work at a great company.
In addition, marketing teams- not human resources- manage most Twitter feeds, which can lower the odds of a tweet actually reaching the proper party. 140 characters can be a difficult restriction when trying to communicate job experience and professional skills. If anything, instead of connecting directly with companies job seekers should ensure the appropriateness of their own feed and the impression it could make on hiring managers. Like any public presence, employers can get a positive or negative image of a potential hire depending on what is on their newsfeed- a safe bet is to make your feed grandmother safe.
Overall, a strong understanding of the needs of the company, as well as the value they place in social media is a strong indicator of the potential effectiveness of reaching out to companies via Twitter. As social media continues to advance in the corporate world, its development as an official networking tool will be an exciting evolution to witness!
Do you use Twitter as a professional networking tool?
By
Tess Szymanski
Love this post. As long as your not obnoxious about using social media (same applies to email) to connect it could be the one push that gets you where you want to go. Recently a professional who I admire tweeted at me that she liked my profile picture (after I had favorited a tweet of hers) and I took that opportunity to ask her if she had any advice for entering her industry. We exchanged a few direct messages, and I gained some valuable advice and an awesome connection.