Find Your Next Job Using Twitter

Finding your next role can be an exhausting challenge. Hours of searching job boards, updating your CV, writing cover letters and speaking to companies. It is not something which screams 'fun', and might even put you off job hunting altogether. However, with the continuous rise of social media, there is a way to use online platforms to your advantage. Here are a few Twitter tips for improving your job search.

Profile updates
Before we go into more detail, we should work on the basics; your profile photo. It is the first impression you give off so make sure you have updated the egg icon and replaced it with a professional photo of yourself. You get extra bonus points if you can include signs of a hobby here too. You can be a little more relaxed compared to LinkedIn, but remember that you are still looking to attract your future employer.

Your bio is your chance to promote yourself so make this compelling. Think about how you would explain yourself if you only had a short lift journey with your interviewer. Then imagine your closest friend is stood next to you, so you want to make this less formal. The text in your bio is searchable on Twitter so using common keywords for your industry could help you.

Searching tips
Try using the search function to find jobs and companies you are interested in. For example, search 'Web Developer, Southampton' to see recent tweets including these keywords. Filter results using the Advanced features. Narrow down by location and keywords to cut through unrelated tweets. Start building a list of hashtags which are regularly used, for example; #Hiring #NowHiring #Jobs #Careers #JobOpening #JobListing #JobPosting #GraduateJobs #TechJobs #IT Jobs

Networking ideas
Social Media was born to be social, so use Twitter to network with users interested in your industry. It might take some research, but once you find your online bunch of like-minded folk, you will reap the rewards.

Create a List of companies that you would like to work for, and you can even add employees of those companies to your Lists. These people may be your best source of insider information when there are open vacancies and it will give you a good insight to working at this company. Lists are a great way of collecting a variety of similar Twitter accounts so you can spend time focused on your career, and it will also avoid clogging up your Twitter feed.

Share an update
Until mindreading is popular, you will have to let people know that you are job searching. Tweeting updates about your job search will show recruiters that you are interested in opportunities and your Followers might know of companies looking for candidates. The more straightforward you can be, the clearer this will be, for example, "Looking for Web Development roles". Just like your bio information, your tweets will show in the search results for employers, as long as your profile is public. If you aren't actively looking, tweet about your work and experience in your chosen industry. This builds you a good reputation as a knowledgeable candidate.

Also, look into personalised direct messages which some job boards send out e.g. @JobsiteJobs. Receive DMs about vacancies you are interested in.