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I love Twitter! I truly wish I had more time to “tweet” but it’s difficult. Yes, there are tools that allow you to schedule tweets but I’m kind of old school and like to “tweet by the seat of my pants”. Twitter is a fabulous web tool for networking and expanding your contacts base.

Job searchers can use Twitter to learn about new opportunities and get the word out about their interest in a new opportunity and their background. Here are a few Twitter tips that I’ve compiled, some may work for you some may not but there’s tons of opportunities to use Twitter to your advantage.

We’ve all heard about “branding”. Companies have a team of marketing folks that focus their energy on the brand and how that brand represents their company. Do the same for yourself.

Make sure your online brand is focused, clean and effective.

• Use your real name.  No need to use your full name but your real name.  And don’t create a Twitter identity that leaves folks questioning whether or not you are a real person.
• Create an easy to remember Twitter name.  Just like a bad email address if it’s too silly or offensive employers will not take you seriously.
• Add a link to your website or blog to your Twitter profile. This could feature some of your past work, creative efforts and a portfolio.
• Do not post inappropriately.
• Avoid spamming your followers.  It’s all about content, tweeting every 5 minutes just to tweet will make others want to “un-follow” you.
• I love this one and read it somewhere but can’t for the life of me find the source.  “Tween, then follow.”  Don’t just follow people just because. Have something to say before you start following.  I really try to reciprocate “following” but if a follower doesn’t have much to say than it’s not worth my time.
• Twitter allows you to network with so much more than those in your circle of friends.  Facebook is the place for that. Search for people with similar interests and people in your industry or locale.
• Remember to stay involved so that your Followers don’t forget about you.
• Follow people back; you don’t have to follow everyone who follows you but you should try to follow those that are interesting and who offer information that could help in your job search.
• Pay it forward!  Tweet about other people’s blog posts and links.  This will help catch the attention of new readers that you might not have considered before.
• Promote your site or blog. Don’t be afraid to promote yourself but remember that it’s about quality not quantity.
• Include those you truly follow in a conversation by using @ and then their Twitter name.
• This one is very new to me but I’ve seen lots of folks talk about these.  Suggest a Twitter happy hour or meet up (Tweetup) to meet your local Twitter friends and extend your networking opportunities.
• Use Twitter appropriately to find jobs and contacts.
• Try your hardest to use correct grammar and spelling.
• You only have 140 characters make sure you use the right ones.
• Sense of urgency is important when it comes to replies.  Reply to friends who message you directly or retweet something you have posted. It’s all about courtesy in the Twitter arena.
• Don’t get too casual: Twitter is meant to be an informal way to spread information, but like e-mail it’s becoming a popular way to connect.
• Avoid profanity!  This may offend others and makes you look UNPROFESSIONAL.

I was referred to an awesome Social networking site earlier today and so far I love it.  Why?  Because not only do I get to network online but I also get to earn money when I refer people. Check it out for yourself and see what you think. Click on the banner below.

What does your online image say about you?

I googled my name today, and guess what I found? I’m not as much of a novice to social media as I thought I was.  Victoria Shanen, said it first…Social media is HIP!

Sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter allow you to get in touch with long lost friends, share photos of your kids and pets, or just entertain ourselves (Farmville fans, don’t be offended…what is the point of having an online farm?) but social media can be a tool that will help build networks and possibly help land that position.

Social media is and should be a big part of your job search tool kit.  I’m going to be honest here, I’m a little late in the game when it comes to using social media as a recruiting tool.  Yes, I’m using it now and honestly it’s fun and I learn something new every day but I should have jumped on the band wagon a long time ago.  Don’t get me wrong I still love the phone and face to face networking but sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have reduced some sourcing time and has brought FUN back to recruiting.

Why should you use social media like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter,  as a part of your job search?  Companies are Googling prospective candidates all the time now.  If you show an interest in a position once  a Hiring Manager or Recruiter has seen your application and  or resume, your name is popped into a Google search.  When they search your name, there should at least be a little something about you.  You don’t want them wondering if you’ve lived under a rock for the past 8-10 years.

How do you get started in social media?  First of all, it’s easy and it’s free!  Try this first, Google yourself and look at the results on the search engine results page.  What do you see?  What would you want to see if you were wanting to know about you?  It’s easy to get an account with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flicker, YouTube and my not so favorite MySpace.  Open accounts with these sites and others like them.  These sites allow you to post content about yourself and what you are doing.  Start with a professional profile on LinkedIn, don’t forget to include a resume here.  You can also use VisualCV.com to post an online CV or resume.  Remember that we want to know the real you, so don’t be afraid to post personal stuff, this will help you “brand” yourself online.  Remember Recruiters and Hiring Managers are people too and we want to know more about you not just your work.  The more you post the more you will get noticed in search engines like Google, MSN or the new Bing.

Wait, stop right there!  I just said to post personal content right?  Here’s a small caveat, have fun with social media but remember to post responsibly.  Keep the content real but at the same time don’t post things that you wouldn’t want your Mother to see.  If you went out last night and drank your heart out and danced on tables, keep that to yourself.  No need to share with the world that you were not being too responsible.  Posts like these will get some attention, not the job.

Use these tools and have fun in your job search, you never know who would be searching your name right now.

Almost everyone I know is on Facebook or Twitter these days?  Even my Mother is on Facebook.  I know it’s strange to think that my Mom is seeing my posts, it’s almost like she’s peeking in my diary.  (If I had one.)

Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are all about who you know.  But you can use these online networking tools to your advantage. Why?  Because there could be people out there looking for you.

It’s ok to Tweet about your job search.  With the current unemployment rate at an all time high it’s best to get yourself noticed.  I know quite a few folks who spend their day looking for old friends, relatives, colleagues, playing games, etc.  Why not spend some time talking about your job search? Hal Thomas did an excellent job of creating a “Tweet” that landed him a social media content manager position at BFG Communications.

There are many Recruiters (like myself) searching Twitter and Facebook for potential candidates.  I’m pretty new to Twitter so my following is not to high yet, but I am using these tools as a way to reach out to candidates that might not necessarily be checking out my open positions.  In most cases Recruiters will have a link to their company website.  Check out these sites.  See if you know some of the Followers of said Recruiters.  They might be able to tell you whether or not you should consider connecting with them.

There are several Twitter Job Resources out there:

• Tweetmyjobs-  It is a service that brings Recruiters, Hiring Managers and Job Seekers together on Twitter.  It’s instant messaging for job postings.
• Jobsearch accounts- there are specific Twitter accounts that provide listings for specific fields, industries and occupations. (@attjobs – Jobs at AT&T, @juicyjobs – Green jobs, @socialmediajob – Jobs in social media)
• Twellow- The Twitter yellow pages
• Just Tweet It!- Directory for Twitter Users.

Remember to create an online presence that is professional.  Remember your Mom is probably on Facebook or Twitter now, it’s probably safe to say that if you wouldn’t want Mom reading your posts, you should refrain from posting it.

Lately, I’ve been encountering a lot of disgruntled, discouraged and downright negative job seekers. I understand that there are many folks out there seeking employment during one of the toughest economic climates in mine or for that matter anyone’s memory. I understand their frustration, they are spending many hours attending networking events and job fairs, sending resumes and applying on line and off for what seems like a small number of positions. Eventually that’s going to wear on anyone.

It’s truly not hard to understand why so many unemployed people have negative attitudes right now. I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy being out of work or being rejected ( as it is I hate being the person to reject folks). It’s also tough being ignored or treated disrespectfully by hiring managers, HR people and flaky recruiters (I can say that cause I’m a Recruiter).

This is the problem; projecting a negative attitude will get you nowhere! Look at this way, every interview, every networking conversation, every email or online comment (Facebook, LinkedIn) transmits a message to the recipient that says I’m a whiny unhappy person and in turn is an indication as to what type of employee you’d be.

I often wonder if candidates just don’t know that you should never speak ill or negatively of a former employer during an interview. The reasons for this should be obvious. However, I do understand it’s probably very difficult to suppress those negative feelings. Unfortunately negativity can affect your entire outlook on life. The bottom line: no one wants to hire or work with a negative person! There is a principle I was taught by my current employer, “Maintain your power to succeed by choosing not to believe you are a victim. People with chips on their shoulders, who blame others for their plight and project negative vibes almost never get hired. This rejection then feeds their negativism, and the cycle repeats itself.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the interview process, it’s this: the number one factor that determines who gets hired and who doesn’t is NOT who is best qualified, who has the most experience or skills, or who has the best resume. It’s attitude! A majority of those that are hired are hired because people hire people they like and would like to be around. I wouldn’t want to work with someone who was cranky and negative all day, it makes for a very tough work life. Having enthusiasm for a position or a company, true passion for your work, a sense of humor, and a positive and optimistic outlook are the qualities that make a person attractive to others. You may try but it’s very hard to fake those qualities.

“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln