Where are you looking for job opportunities? Most job seekers who are current with the times will tell you they’re looking at online job boards and focusing most of their time on social media sites like LinkedIn. Those who understand the value of social media for job searching and job networking will also tell you they are finding job opportunities on Twitter.
To job search effectively today, you need to be in direct contact and communication with the individuals who can help open the doors to a job interview. Simply applying to a job opening by sending an email to the general HR inbox or clicking submit through the job board, and then waiting for a response just isn’t effective anymore. Clearly, there is a lot of information on how LinkedIn has helped job seekers make connections with professional contacts and prospective employers, but when it comes to Twitter, it’s not as clear – how can a tweet running 140-character or less help your job search? Find clarity on how you can also use Twitter for job searching with the tips below:
1. Establish a professional and relevant Twitter handle.
For those of you who are not familiar with me, resume writing, career advice and job search strategies is where my expertise lies. A Twitter handle using my name won’t say much, but my Twitter handle of @JobExpert surely gives you a better understanding. As a job seeker, you have to apply the same approach. Base it on your location and profession or other relevant terms used in your field of work to help attract prospective employers and immediately inform them what you’re all about. It’s similar to what you have to do on LinkedIn with your Headline. You can find tips to improving your LinkedIn Headline, reading: “3 Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Headline.”
2. Help others discover you.
It doesn’t take much to get your name and information out on Twitter. Simply publishing articles or posts you write online or share your online portfolio and website with some relevant hashtags. It’ll immediately get others to take notice of you.
3. Follow contacts and employers who you want to work with.
One of the easiest ways to stay informed about new job openings is by following employers you want to work with as well as contacts who are well-connected with the employer, or recruiters on Twitter. You can also do a general search for recruiters who specialize in your area. Conduct a search using different combinations like “Accounting jobs NYC” etc. An alternative to this is going to CareerArc (formerly known as TweetMyJobs.com).
4. Keep informed about target employers.
When you stay on top of target employers, you are informed about upcoming meetings and conferences they’ll have a presence at. These upcoming events may very well be opportunities where you can conjure up conversation with appropriate contacts to pave the way to job opportunities.
These basic tips to using Twitter will help open many more opportunities in your job search.
Are you ready to get HIRED?
Watch our free tutorial “8 Ways You’re Being SHUT OUT Of The Hiring Process” with career expert J.T. O’Donnell to find out what’s holding you back from getting hired… and how to fix it! WATCH NOWThis post was originally published on an earlier date.
Don Goodman’s firm was rated as the #1 Resume Writing Service in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Don is a triple-certified, nationally recognized Expert Resume Writer, Career Management Coach and Job Search Strategist who has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Check out his Resume Writing Service. Get a Free Resume Evaluation or call him at 800.909.0109 for more information.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a Work It Daily-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.