Are you wondering if it's really possible to find jobs on Twitter? Kara Nickels, an experienced legal recruiter with Hudson has filled 40 jobs with one tweet in just a few hours. She shares her experiences using Twitter as a recruiter and provides tips for job seekers who want to make the most of social networking in this exclusive expert interview.
Twitter From a Recruiter's Perspective
Why does Hudson utilize Twitter as part of its recruiting strategy?
Hudson gains value in using Twitter because it's free and many top tier candidates utilize it to seek out employment opportunities and to network. It also offers recruiters an incredibly fast medium to post job opportunities and receive immediate feedback from candidates on availability and interest in a position.
What kind of success have you experienced looking for qualified applicants via Twitter
Primarily my success includes maintaining relationships with qualified job seekers and immediately relaying open job opportunities. It can be difficult to keep in contact and Twitter is one way to easily solve that challenge. Twitter's real-time speed allow me to immediately relay open job opportunities has allowed me to fill short-term positions in a fraction of the time it has taken in the past at no cost. For example, on my morning train commute to work my client notified me of 40 open job opportunities. I sent a tweet out from my phone. 10 minutes later I was at my desk, had eight candidates lined up and filled the rest of the positions by noon.
How to Find Jobs On Twitter
What advice do you have for job seekers who don't understand how Twitter can help with their job search?
First and foremost, take some time to learn some of the basics about Twitter and some of the etiquette involved. Job seekers should research articles on Google News and Mashable.com for how-to and best techniques that offer a good explanation and guidance on the benefits of job searching on Twitter.
One of the best ways to use Twitter is to position yourself as an "expert" in your field by "Tweeting Your Way To A Job". Tweeting interesting articles in your industry and identifying trending topics through all forms of media help highlight your "expertise" in your area. If you can demonstrate that you're an "expert" and that you really know your industry, that's going to be noticed by an employer. Job seekers can also utilize this site to reach out to potential employers and look for job postings.
How can those seeking employment get started in their efforts to find jobs on Twitter?
I strongly recommend using Tweetdeck. The search function on Tweetdeck allows me to "search" certain topics relative to my industry. Whenever someone puts up a "tweet" with that topic identified, I get a notification. This immediately links me to other people in the industry, and for job seekers, it could link them to a recruiter.
What are the most common mistakes you see job seekers make when using Twitter to search for employment?
They use it for a week or two, don't feel like they get anything out of it and then quit. You really have to give to get with Twitter. You have to show that YOU are someone worth following and that you have expertise in your area, only then will other people also take an interest in you - and, it might even be a recruiter or employer.
What are the keys to effectively use Twitter to find employment?
The main key is the profile. Job seekers want to make sure they have a complete profile on Twitter including name (or a version of it but definitely not a nickname, etc.), location, interests (which could/should include key words for the desired position) and a professional photo.
Once they do that, then it's important to take time to start paying attention to what people are posting and get engaged in dialogue. Keeping track of trends, following recruiters and job postings is the fastest way to see what is going on and whether their industry is struggling to the point where they may consider changing their career direction.
What's the best way for readers to find out about opportunities with Hudson via Twitter?
Follow me on Twitter - @KaraNickels.
LoveToKnow Jobs would like to thank Kara Nickels for taking the time from her busy schedule to share her expertise on the topic of how to find jobs on twitter.
