Why I’m a Twit…and why it will help you too

Yes, I’m a Twit, though still a baby twit. I’m a baby Twit because I’m new to another Social Networking Phenomena, Twitter.

Twitter lets you tell the world what you are doing in 140 characters or less. You can send short SMS (text messages) to the world through Twitter, plus use it to automatically update your FaceBook status.

Why would anyone who’s not in school care? That’s what I wondered. I tried it out, and thought it was silly. I looked at Twitter as something my kids, in the text message, sound byte oriented world would find cool. I didn’t view Twitter as a serious business tool.

Boy was I wrong, as I'm finding out as @philreCareered.

How can Twitter help me, and help job seekers?

Every major blogger Tweets (yes, it’s a verb) to keep in touch with their audience, and to alert their audience to new posts. Some, I swear, Tweet while going to the bathroom (yuck) in an attempt to bring their audience into their daily life. It builds and keeps their audience connected between posts.

Now you don’t have to quite put your private life on such display.

Job seekers can Tweet also…by connecting to their LinkedIN and FaceBook networks that are on Twitter. Post that you’re a CIO, with Subject Matter Expertise in Project Management over Architecture, and you’re looking for a job in 140 characters or less. If you’re connected to a few hundred fellow Twits, and a few hundred FaceBook friends, ESPECIALLY if you send a link to your online resume, or better yet, your BLOG….you’re marketing yourself to the universe, baby.

Twitter works most powerfully as a Public Announcement system to your other Social Networking activities. Using Twitter to promote your online resume, your LinkedIN and Facebook profiles, your blog, your FaceBook comments, your groups, your Questions, Answers, forum posts, blog comments.

Twitter does the same thing with all of these Social Networking activities….promotes them. Twitter is like a billboard you see on the highway, or a 15 second radio spot.

But Twitter is even better for two reasons:

1. You can send links to your content
2. It’s free!!

Shel Isreal, one of the Fathers of Social Networking (he co-wrote the best selling Naked Conversations), posted this article, interviewed Housefrau turned Global Consultant, Laura Fitton (@Pistachio) in this great article http://redcouch.typepad.com/weblog/2008/04/twittering-her.html. Laura gives great insight into using Twitter, and how Tweeting made her a celeb and business superstar.

So how can you Tweet your way to a great new career?

Executives exploring Career Change: For a free 30 minute resume consultation, or career advice for executives, email your resume confidentially to reCareered (phil.reCareered@gmail.com), and we'll schedule a time to talk.

Staff, Managers, Entrepreneurs, and career changers outside the US: Send your resume to phil.reCareered@gmail.com to enroll in a free group teleseminar "Accelerate Your Job Search - tools you can use".