Danny Cox is: The PRospective Employee

I realized recently that while I discussed my own uses of Tweeting to find employment, I included little of use for those who are completely new to the Twitterverse. So allow me to introduce The PRospective Employees very first users guide:

The PRospective Employee’s Utilitarian Guide to Twitter

So, by now you’ve undoubtedly heard about Twitter, the social media site where users communicate in 140 characters or less with their networks, called “followers”. I’m sure many of you have signed up for a Twitter account just to see what all the fuss was about, only to stare at the screen with a resounding “Now What?”.

In my last post on Twitter, I discussed using directoires like Twellow to find some folks to follow. Remember, once you click the follow button, a lot of people will follow you in return. If you’re following potential employers, it is very important to remember, as with anything you put online, to take  a moment to gut-check before hitting the submit button.

One great way to utilize Twitter efficiently is in participating in #hashtag conversations. For those of you who don’t know, hashtags are ways to categorize your tweet as pertaining to a line of conversation. Here is an example of a hashtag conversation I participated in yesterday.

MeghanButler, a blogger from New York, posed this question, which showed up in my feed:

MeghanButler What are everyone’s opinions on blogging on personal topics rather than topics related to your profession? #kaizenblog

Seeing a chance to enter the conversation, I replied:

DannyCox @MeghanButler I think it depends on your blog’s purpose. If it’s a professional blog, it should stay focused on that topic. #kaizenblog

The conversation continued for a while regarding focus and intent of the individual blogs, with others joining in on the discussion, providing their own perspective and insight. When tidbits of particularly good information would surface, some participants would re-tweet it to their followers, with the hashtag operating as an open invitation to join in the impromptu web conference. This shows how Twitter can serve as not just a social networking tool, but an informational and educational one as well.

Consider the possibility: You’ve followed some of the brightest minds in your field, looking for insight and advice on how to be the best contributor you can be. You see a #hashtag regarding something you’re very interested in, and you join the conversation. You’ve now stepped out of the role of observer and into the role of participant, helping to fuel the discussion you were hoping to learn from. Suddenly Twitter seems like it can be used for  a lot more than telling your friends what you had for lunch yesterday, doesn’t it.

For those yet to jump into the Twitterverse, what are some of your hesitations? What is holding you back? For those who tweet regularly, what are some other uses for Twitter that you have found beneficial?