20 Tips for Building Your Personal Brand on Twitter

Since I started using Twitter last year, I've learned a few things (ok, a lot of things). I am grateful for the positive example set by so many professionals I've met through Twitter.

Whether you are promoting your business or your credentials as a job seeker, here are 20 Tips for Building Your Brand on Twitter:

1. Don't Sell A Thing

This one is important. Using Twitter is about paying it forward not paying it backward to yourself. Don't get me wrong. I applaud every business owner out there that offers products and services of value, and makes a living doing so. You deserve to make money. You need to make money to support your family, create jobs, and contribute to your community.

Just don't use Twitter to insert a sales pitch every 8th tweet. Your intentions become quite transparent. Instead, use Twitter with the simple mindset of offering content of value, promoting (and connecting) other people, and showing gratitude.

In networking situations offline, the most appreciated and effective participants are those that serve as matchmakers at an event (even if they just met each person!). Use the same approach on Twitter.

A consistent approach of paying it forward will do more for your business than you can imagine.

2. Be Your Own Voice

Social media is about creating a personal connection with your colleagues, customers, and fans. People want the authentic you, not a hired intern to tweet for you. If you (or your CEO) do not have time to tweet, that’s fine. Just don’t pretend it’s you.

President Obama dropped a social media bombshell recently in China when he indicated he has never used Twitter (in spite of the fact that tweets from @barackobama were a key component of a very successful social media campaign leading up to the election). I think it’s ok to give the President a waiver on this one. For the rest of us, it's important to be your own voice on Twitter.

3. Use a Real Picture

Just like on LinkedIn, it’s hard to make a personal connection with a logo or someone's pet:
???

Profiles done right:







4. Don’t Be a Social Media Expert

Mashable recently reported that over 15,000 profiles are marked as social media experts. Based on current growth, there will be 30 million social media experts on Twitter by this time 2012. In other words, everyone is an expert at social media. There are indeed social media experts out there and their credentials are reinforced by their books, blogs, and businesses. Unless social media is your business, my recomendation is profile your niche (e.g. project management, career development) and demonstrate social media proficiency.

5. Produce Your Own Content

Starting your own blog is critical (and super easy) for any professional. Taking the time to research and write your own articles will do more for your personal brand and credentials than probably anything else. It takes work, but once you get into a weekly rhythm, it is a lot of fun.

My best advice for content: Make it quick to read and actionable.

6. Add the Retweet Button to Your Blog Post

You’ve seen the Retweet Button at the top of most blog posts:


The key is to embed the code for this button in your blog post that retweets your Twitter handle, not the generic @tweetmeme handle. It is the third option noted on this link.

7. Make Your Latest Article Your Profile Link

If you make your latest blog post your Twitter website link, new followers will immediately discover the value of your content. It also increases the probability of your most recent article getting re-tweeted by new followers.




8. Help Others

Search Twitter for questions people are asking, and if you are in a position to help, please do so. Don’t just look for questions in your field. I always remember (and recommend) good people who simply respond to questions I may have about movies, the start time of a game, or where to eat in a new city.






(Oh, and still waiting to see Avatar. Up In The Air was very good though.)

9. Ask Questions

Asking questions is a great way to engage new people every day. When someone responds professionally, do not forget to acknowledge the person publically with another tweet.

10. Tweet Often But Not With Rapid Fire

Nobody appreciates someone who floods their twitter feed with a new tweet every 30 seconds. You may be a very interesting person, but nobody likes the person either who walks into a party and does not let anyone get in a word edgewise.

Tips 11 - 20

Using Job Search Strategies for Dating

Approach Finding a Mate Like Looking for Work

Annabella Gualdoni

Searching for a job, like dating, can be time consuming and frustrating. Successful job hunters use many techniques for finding work that will also serve a dater well.

A successful career or a happy marriage can be the keys to happiness in someone’s life. So, too, achieving either one can be accomplished through similar methods.

Use Face to Face and Online Networking

Online professional networking sites have become a powerful tool for business and for job hunting. Sites like LinkedIn help people connect with friends, colleagues, and friends of friends in order to make personal contacts and perhaps get a foot in the door at a company where a resume might otherwise have been lost in the crowd.

Similarly, social networking sites are becoming a source for romantic dates. People already know they have friends in common and share similar interests. Strangers interact virtually on sites like Facebook through posting comments to mutual friends. A gutsy next step would be to make one-on-one contact with someone in a friend’s network and perhaps eventually suggest a live meeting. A newly married couple was featured in People magazine in 2009 because they “met” online when one emailed the other just to say, “Hey, we have the same name!”

Write a Good “Cover Letter”

Cover letters to potential employers that are an obvious cut-and-paste job generally wind up in the circular file. It is obvious that they are part of a careless mass mailing with no regard for the particular job being filled, and Human Resources will see them as weak and lazy.

Likewise, introductory emails that make no reference to the reader’s personal profile will show that the sender has blanketed the masses with this email with no rhyme or reason. A good email will demonstrate that the writer has read the reader’s profile and has legitimate reasons for thinking they might be a good match.

Go on Informational Interviews and “Practice” Dates

Sometimes a job hunter is uncertain about a particular job or a company and may be ambivalent about going on the live interview. Rarely, however, is such an interview a waste of time. Perhaps through a live meeting the interviewee will make a favorable impression on the employer and learn about a more suitable opening that is becoming available in the upcoming weeks. Maybe the interviewer will ask a provocative question that solicits an answer that the interviewee had not anticipated, but at another interview for a better job should a similar question arise again then a good response will already have been thought through.

A single might be ambivalent about whether or not to go on a date with someone. Approaching such a date as “practice” can yield unexpected consequences. At worst it will take an hour or two out of someone’s life. At best, the date can turn out better than expected and lead to something more. Somewhere in between a platonic friendship could be made, or the daters can practice small talk, always a useful skill.

Read more at Suite101: Using Job Search Strategies for Dating: Approach Finding a Mate Like Looking for Work http://dating.suite101.com/article.cfm/using_job_search_strategies_for_dating#ixzz0dpcCPW0H

TweetDeck, TwitJobSearch Team Up For Custom Job Search Desktop App

Robin Wauters

TechCrunch.com
Monday, January 25, 2010; 2:55 AM

TwitJobSearch, a Twitter-based job search engine, has teamed up with TweetDeck to offer a desktop client dubbed JobDeck, as reported by Clickz earlier this morning.

The application indexes tweets related to recruitment from across the Twittersphere, in real-time, based on TwitJobSearch's algorithm (our earlier coverage).

Basically, it's just a custom branded TweetDeck client that comes with two additional default columns: 'Job Search Experts' and 'TwitJobSearch', although it can also prove helpful to add a LinkedIn column carrying the latest updates from the professional social network (and perhaps even your Facebook news feed).

Recruiters can follow a few simple steps to ensure their tweets are indexed by the TwitJobSearch service, helping them connect with potential candidates through social media more effectively, and for free. The TwitJobSearch site itself offers advertisers the ability to purchase premium, or "Tweetured" job listings, sold on a CPC basis. Current advertisers include brands such as Adidas, KFC, and Lloyds Banking Group, according to Clickz.

The JobDeck app itself will not feature any premium ad opportunities at this point.

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3 Reasons Job Seekers Will Have to 'Hit the Gym' in 2010

Last week, we asked CAREEREALISM readers how long it's going to take to find a job in 2010. The majority of you (45%) said you expect it to take 3-5 months to find work. But honestly, current economic indicators suggest it will be even longer. With 6 job seekers to every job opening and unemployment expected to hover near 10% for most of 2010, the harsh reality is only the truly committed job seekers will find work. Similar to losing weight, job search will be tried by many, but achieved by few.

Here's why...

Job seekers deal with many of the same challenges dieter's do. There's a reason 95% of people trying to lose weight don't reach their goal - they are lacking one or more vital elements to success. The same applies for job seekers. While paved with good intentions, most job seekers don't have what they really need to complete a successful job search.

3 Elements for Success

Whether we are trying to lose weight or find a job, it all boils down to environment. Specifically, an environment that provides three things:

• - Inspiration
• - Education
• - Connection

When we have the above, our ability to succeed improves significantly. And, one of the best ways to gain access to these vital elements is to join a club.

Whether Dieting or Job Seeking, NOBODY Should Go it Alone!

Let's look at health club benefits. We join because we recognize we need to be motivated to workout. Additionally, we know we're not experts in exercise and want to take advantage of the expertise of fitness instructors and personal trainers on staff. Finally, (and most importantly), we hit the club so we can connect with other people looking to lose weight, which helps make the process feel less isolated and difficult. To sum it up: Joining a club offers multiple benefits we wouldn't be able to access on our own.

PREDICTION: Smart Job Seekers Will Seek Out and Join 'Career Clubs' in 2010!

For the same reason dieters join health clubs, job seekers who want to find work in 2010 will be wise to join career clubs that can provide the daily inspiration, education and connection needed to keep a job search moving forward. Examples of these clubs Include:

• - Subscribing to career advice blogs that offer cutting-edge information.
• - Using LinkedIn to connect with colleagues and join groups related to our career goals.
• - Creating and following lists of people we respect on Twitter.

Simply put, leveraging career clubs helps job seekers stay committed to their goals.

P.S. For Those Who Really Want to Ensure Success - Consider This...

Job seekers who want to put their search in high-gear (Think 'The Biggest Loser' approach), will seek out new tools and resources to help them get up-to-speed faster. One example is the FREE webinar we are doing on Wednesday, January 13^th, entitled, "6 Things Every Job Seeker Must MASTER to Get Hired in 2010." In this hour-long session, job seekers will learn the strategic and tactical elements of job search that need to be leveraged for success.

So, if you haven't signed up, you can do so here. And, if you can't make the session, sign up anyways and we'll send you a link to the recorded session by e-mail the next day so you can listen to it later. Why? Because at the end we'll be unveiling a new 'career club' that you may want to know about.

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Twitter Job Search Tips

By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide

When you're seeking employment, Twitter can be an effective part of your job search strategy. Used in conjunction with LinkedIn, job search engines, and other job sites, Twitter can help you make connections, find job listings, and build a personal brand that will help boost your career and expedite your job search.

What's the best way to use Twitter to job search, without getting bogged down in tons of tweets? Gary Zukowski, CEO and founder of TweetMyJOBS, the largest Twitter job board, share his top tips for using Twitter to job search.

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How to Use Twitter to Expand the Job Search

Customizing Profile and Tweeting About Job Hunt Key to Success

Daniel Gansle

Twitter is a simplified “micro-blogging” website where a person can post his or her status and in turn follow updates from family, friends, colleagues, and other interesting people. In recent days, the site has also become a job searching tool rivaling the likes of online career websites such as Monster and SimplyHired. Can a candidate really find employment in 140 characters or less? The answer is yes – and here’s how.

Customize the Twitter Profile

Candidates should approach their Twitter profile in a professional manner that takes every opportunity to showcase objectives, qualifications, and career skills. For the name, use the real name rather than a pseudonym. For the URL, enter a link to an online professional networking or resume site (e.g., Linkedin or VisualCV).

For the bio, provide a brief qualifications summary indicating employment goals, skills, and accomplishments (160 characters or less). Make sure the Protect my updates checkbox is unchecked so that employers have public access to the profile and contact information. The photo should be a professional-looking headshot, not a casual picture one would post for friends and family.

For the profile background, any of Twitter’s pre-selected themes will suffice. If the person would like to use a custom image for the background, make sure the image is clean and professional-looking.

Search for Employment Using Twitter

Candidates should tweet as much about the search as possible, providing up to the minute status updates (of course, in 140 characters or less). For example, “Interview at 2PM for a Senior SAP Implementation Specialist at Boston Chiptronics,” “Does anyone know if MicroSalient in Seattle is hiring Telecom Engineers?,” “Seeking full-time position in North Hollywood as a Talent Agent,” or, “Back from interview at Metre Systems International – went great!”

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LinkedIn Job Search Tips From the Pros

Last week Brian Tietje, Sales Manager for LinkedIn, delivered an excellent presentation on LinkedIn to members of the Human Resources Association of New York networking group. Here are my top ten takeaways for job seekers.

1. Create a keyword driven summary. Forget about the summaries that describe you as passionate, a great communicator, and a team player. LinkedIn is all about searchability and recruiters and hiring managers don’t search on those cliched phrases, Instead, focus on the relevant keywords for your industry and job function and be sure to really build out the specialties section. Like resumes, no recruiter is really reading your LinkedIn profile. They are performing multiple sophisticated keyword searches looking for a match. Make every word count.
2. Moniter your profile views. Check the jobs tab regularly to see how many people have viewed your profile. If the number is exceptionally low, perhaps you need to tweak your profile to improve your searchability.
3. Don’t ignore the events listings. Many hiring authorities search for top talent on LinkedIn by looking in the events section. They scour the list of events on LinkedIn to see who is attending certain industry events and often make connections directly through the events section rather than the user profile section.
4. Spend time in the answers section. Again, hiring managers are looking for the trend setters and industry leaders. Often these people are participating in the answers section of LinkedIn, providing leadership and guidance, building credibility, and demonstrating authority.
5. Include a picture. People want to see who they are doing business with. The picture starts solidifying the trust. The picture is part of your personal brand. Get over your insecurities about having the picture up on LinkedIn. It is here to stay and it is an important component in the relationship building process.

Read Tips 6-10

How To Work Your Social Network To Find Jobs

By Joshua Brockman

There's nothing like a handshake. But the challenge of getting face time with a potential employer these days has made social networking even more of a key component of job searches.

But how do you work your social network effectively in an economy that has lost 7 million jobs?

"LinkedIn used to be your professional face and Facebook was sort of your family and friends presentation on the Web," says Michael Malone, director of career education and advising for the Columbia Business School. "It seems like those lines are blurring much more now."

Recruiters are increasingly turning to these and other social networking tools to post opportunities. Here's why: Facebook has more than 350 million users. LinkedIn has more than 55 million.

But the general nature of these huge networks can be distracting for people who want to target a specific career. Malone says people are using Facebook and Twitter in a more targeted way to find the content and contacts suited to their interests. And a host of industry-specific social networking resources have emerged.

NPR's New Jobs For A New Decade series has identified some of the areas in which new jobs are expected to be created over the next decade. These include green jobs and work in health care, technology, financial services and even video games. Many of these opportunities may be posted on social networking forums.

Monster.com has created more than a dozen online communities that offer professional networking for a range of careers from nursing to nonprofits.

"These are community destinations to share common interests," says Eric Winegardner, a vice president of Monster. "It's not just about your job search. There's content on these sites relative to your business."

CareerBuilder.com also has created a "talent community" called BrightFuse with nearly 30 groups from "The Nurses' Station" and "Information Technology Pros" to a sales group called "Retail Therapy."

Law And Social Order

Some burgeoning social networks not only target specific professions but also authenticate people's real-life identities to create secure networks that aren't searchable on the Web. The goal is to let people be comfortable sharing information and get advice without all of the information coming up the next time someone runs a Google search.

A case in point is Martindale-Hubbell Connected from LexisNexis. Michael Walsh, the chief executive officer for LexisNexis U.S. Legal Markets, describes it as "a combination of LinkedIn and Facebook for the legal community."

The service, which has about 24,000 members, provides a way for attorneys to search for future business, get legal advice and find a job. One feature allows users to cross-reference contacts they may already have established on LinkedIn. Each profile shows the law school a person attended and any articles they might have written. Users also can connect with Martindale-Hubbell's career center.

Walsh says LexisNexis' research found that 70 percent of lawyers use social networking tools. He says this number is extraordinary given how busy lawyers are and the extent to which they often keep information close to the vest.

Medical Advice

More than 100,000 physicians are networking on Medscape's Physician Connect, an authenticated physicians-only service provided by WebMD.

Social networking connects them with "colleagues and their profession in a way they can no longer do in the physical world," says Dr. Steven Zatz, executive vice president of professional services for WebMD. He says physicians are going to fewer conferences and meetings these days. Although Medscape remains focused on clinical discussions, he says it also provides a forum for career advice.

Doctors, medical researchers and scientists also have found a home on Epernicus, which is open to anyone with science bona fides.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, a co-founder of Epernicus, who practices internal medicine and teaches at Harvard Medical School, says part of the value of Epernicus as a professional network is that there is no anonymity. Everyone knows who is asking and answering questions. The service also integrates personal information that is typically not on Facebook or LinkedIn accounts, such as a person's scientific expertise and publication record.

Targeted Searches

Malone of the Columbia Business School says one of the challenges job seekers face is how to find more "tailored connections and content" without having to belong to several social networks.

One solution is to use sites like JobShouts.com, which features a "social search" button to search for information about a company across Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Spoke and other sites with just one click. The Web site also posts jobs to a Twitter feed.

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On Finding a Job in the Learning and Development Industry

s 2010 gets going, many in the L&D industry continue to face the job-search struggle. Many more will encounter a similar need this year or in years ahead, so I thought it might be helpful to provide a blog posting with some resources to aid your search. I'm not talking about the obvious "big and broad" sites for job hunting, places like Monster, CareerBuilder, and others, or the social networking sites, like LinkedIn, that can be so crucial during a job search. Rather, I want to share some sites and other resources that focus on just our Learning and Development field.

First off, many of the key organizations in our industry provide help for those searching for work or looking to further develop their careers. A few of these (with an emphasis on North America) include:

• American Society for Training & Development (ASTD)
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• The eLearning Guild
• Society for Applied Learning Technology (SALT)
• TrainingIndustry.com
• Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
• EDUCAUSE

See also page 84 of the July T+D Magazine, "Know Your Value in the Marketplace," by Judy Estrin.

Another good resource is the salary data provided on page 24 of the October/November issue of Training magazine.

And my friend Mike Lally provides sage advice in his presentation on Using Social Media in Your Job Search.

And lastly, an interesting and perhaps, at times, humorous resource for you is this wiki of obsolete skills.

So those are just a few links that I hope will be helpful for those in the job hunt in the L&D industry. What key resources did I miss? Which organization sites and job banks are the best for Europe, Asia, and other areas of the world? What sites have you found helpful in your own job search or career development? Please provide good links in the comments to this post!

— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com, and on Twitter @ThomasStone)

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