Every day technology hands the world a new tool that helps people experience and accomplish things differently than they did in the past. Applying for a job, for example, has changed drastically from twenty years ago when candidates were expected to either fax or mail in their resume. Now, social media is changing the entire process all over again. To get noticed in this economy, you must be visible to prospective employers in all areas, including on social media.

One way that you can apply for available job openings is through the social platform Twitter. Many employers are using the 140 character limit on this platform to let job seekers know that they have positions available in their departments. In order to take advantage of this, one of your obvious first steps if you are hunting for a new job is simply to set up profiles on social media sites like Twitter.

Why Twitter?

Some people may wonder why they should sign up with Twitter instead of Facebook. Both sites can be helpful, of course, but Twitter does offer certain advantages for job hunting. For starters, Twitter users are able to follow whomever they want and unlike on Facebook, need not await confirmation for another party to be their friend. This saves a lot of time as you can immediately see all the updates that a prospective employer posts on their personal page. Following a company or executive means that you have a firsthand look at any positions that may become available. In addition, if the company’s contact person who manages the account sees determination, interest and ability in you, they may be able to point you toward available positions for which to apply when they become available.

Every minute, more than 400 jobs are posted on Twitter; the sheer number of opportunities available for search can be overwhelming and tiring to sift through. Twitter’s hash tag system can help you find work that is of interest to you. Many people do not understand how they can use hash tags to increase the social media’s site functionality. Searching for tweets that contain hash tags like #hiring, #employment or #job along with tags for a specific industry can yield promising and targeted results.

In addition, to ensure that you stay in the loop about potential openings, it is important to follow the right people on Twitter – especially higher-ranking professionals in your industry. Not only will this give you a connection to a well-known iconic person in your field, you will also have the opportunity to learn from an industry expert.

Finally, because of the limited number of characters that one can use on Twitter, you will have to use some creativity when you promote yourself on the network. Creating on online profile or resume to which you can link from your Twitter profile or posts can be a smart strategy. If you do not have the time or ability to create a personal website, a professional LinkedIn profile can also work well.

About the Author:
Guest post was contributed by Justin Epley. He is currently completing an online Masters of Accounting. Justin is also a freelance education writer. His articles appear on various education blogs.