Last week, my post featured a short video by my friend the Recruiting Animal about how to stand out on Twitter.  This week I thought I would go more in depth about how Twitter can be used in your job search.

Being in the job search is tough, and as a job seeker you are not alone (especially with the more than 15 million who are out of work and in the job hunt).  People don’t always prepare adequately for the job search, although they should be giving themselves a solid six months to get everything in order before they can expect results.  This provides the opportunity to grow and build your network using  both traditional (face to face networking) and non-traditional methods (social media networking).  Keep in mind that this can all be done while you’re still employed.  Don’t wait until you’re actively looking to build your network!

One non-traditional networking tool is Twitter.  Think of Twitter as a virtual cocktail party with more than 27 million people in attendance.  Like any traditional cocktail party or networking event, there are conversations (known as your twitter stream) that happen all around you.  Twitter is no different.  If your goals for Twitter are primarily business-based, it is extremely important to selectively join and be present for key conversations among decision makers or influencers in the industry in which you are looking for work.

These tips will help you turn Twitter into the ultimate networking tool:

• Follow People. Following others and retweeting or reposting their tweets is a great way to begin to build a relationship.  Use Twitter directories which are essentially online yellow pages to search for influencers in your target industry, location, or by keyword like Twellow, and We Follow.  Here are 15 more great Twitter directory sites courtesy of Mashable.

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Be found by making sure to include keywords that are searched by recruiters and hiring managers in your Twitter bio.  Consider words including industry specific software programs, certifications, and words that are repeatedly listed in job board advertisements.  Recruiters use keywords within your tweets and your bio to find you.  Make it easy to be found including key words and a link to your blog or profile.

• Hash Tags (#). Hash tags are used in Twitter as a way to sort and search by topic.  Some common hash tags for job seekers including #jobs, #jobhuntchat, #jobsearch, and #jobadvice.  Using your iGoogle account, you can set up an RSS feed of common keywords and hash tags in Twitter Search.  Setting up your RSS feed is a great time saving tip!

• Find Recruiters. I almost always suggest that job seekers take an aggressive approach to their job search.  Just as recruiters source and search for you, job seekers can seek out and connect with recruiters, human resource professionals, or hiring managers using social media search tools.  Twitter directories are a great start, but there are more advanced tools like Follower Wonk and Twitter Search which can help you further focus your search.  Both of these offer advanced search options, allowing you to search by keyword and even zip code.  Follow Wonk provides advanced bio search options.

• Building Relationships. Chris Brogan provides a crude yet effective example of social media networking and how to build relationships.  He likens immediately asking for a job or sale just after meeting someone to sticking your tongue down someone’s throat just after meeting them.  Basically, don’t ask for the sale until you have an established relationship.  Social media is undoubtedly a great way to connect, but can be somewhat superficial.  Networking takes time!  Make sure you establish a meaningful relationship with someone before asking them to help you.

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media.  She has over 10 years of experience in human resources & recruiting.

Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting.   Jessica’s book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business was released January 2010.  Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

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The social media world has tools,  tools, and more tools at your disposal to connect you with any number of networks.  You are most likely on Facebook and LinkedIn.  Maybe you are on Twitter and YouTube.  And maybe you’re even on a few additional sites like MySpace, Ning, Plaxo, Yammer, any number of blogs, and too many other sites to list.

The ability for you to expand your online network has never been greater.  And while all of these avenues are available for you, this is not what is important.  What is important is how you use any of these networking tools to your advantage.

If you want to converse with anyone on any topic, you are most certainly able to do this.  What you need to consider is how to best assert yourself, and your brand, in the best light.

Yes, it is important to be on a network with a lot of people.  But it is even more important to be on a network where the “right” people are located.  If you are working for the government or government agencies, you will want to check out GovLoop to network more effectively with those in your core business area.  If you are a doctor then you might be interested in Physician Connect.  If you are in Human Resources or Recruiting then you will be interested in SHRM or ERE.

Whatever your profession, passion, or area of expertise, you should consider an alternative social network.  It’s one more way for you to expand your connections and your passions with those sharing similar interests.

Take the time to do the research to find what communities may impact you the most.  Two books I definitely recommend, written by Gary Vaynerchuk and Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, both speak about passion at great extent.

Follow your passion and go to where you will add to your personal brand, make the most impact and create trust with your network.

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Keith McIlvaine is a Social Media Strategist within HR and Recruiting for a Fortune 500 company.  When he is not focused on leveraging social media and networking, Keith is also a personal branding coach and social media mentor.  He is passionate about his family and is a major soccer fanatic.  Connect with Keith on Twitter and LinkedIn.  The statements I have posted on this site are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

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Your personal brand is divided into two parts, your Personal Brand Image and your Personal Brand Identity, where the Personal Brand Image is how your peers perceive you and your identity, personality, values, skills, and abilities. Your Personal Brand Identity is who you really are (identity, personality, values, skills, and abilities) and what you want to communicate to others.

There are a lot of ways in which you can align the two, but today we will focus on networking and events.

When you see someone at a restaurant, in a meeting room, or at a networking event, you will automatically add definitions to your image of that person. If she is having lunch with a head hunter that you recognize, it will probably empower certain areas of her brand image such as skill level and professionalism, while having dinner with her daughter will add to her image of being a good mother, emotional skills etc. The bottom line is, your brand image is affected by the company you keep.

Using Facebook and LinkedIn to meet with the right people

Let’s say you want to meet with a certain type of person, to pick their brain, to hang out or to make inquiries about if their office is a good place to be looking for work. The first thing I normally do is to find out if there is anyone in my network that fits the profile, or if there is anyone that knows someone with the profile I am looking for. So how do I do this?

First I go to my LinkedIn account, looking around for certain skills, positions and interests of the people that I know personally. If somene fits the profile, then I just contact them. I do the same on Facebook, but the search possibilities are much more limited. OftenI find that I do not know the right person directly but that my connections know someone, which is almost as good. Let your connection help you get connected.  Ask for an introduction.

Finding the events where you want to be seen

You have now met with the connections in your network and also with some of their connections, but you still wants more. Maybe you are looking at the local chamber of commerce and other traditional networks for the right events to practice your networking skills. If you do that, it is a great start, but I have found that looking at which events my connections go to is much more efficient as far as find the best ones. The good thing is that Facebook and LinkedIn lets you do that easily.

LinkedIn lets you list the events that your connections are visiting by going to the events section. Here you can see them ordered by date or popularity. You can also recommend events to your connections.

On Facebook, you cannot actually list the events of others, but you can keep track of the one you are invited to and who else is attending. Go to the events page where you will see upcoming events and also the upcoming birthdays of your connections.

How do you use the social media networks to network offline?  Share your tips and success stories in the comments section.

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London is an amazing city known for its nightlife, hospitality, and the Queen of England, but what you might not be aware of is the social media connectivity throughout the city and among the business professionals who call it home.  I recently had the pleasure of visiting London on a week long trip to speak at and attend a recruiting “unconference.”  While I was there, I did quite a bit of wandering and quickly realized that how you experience and navigate a city is just like your social media strategy as a business professional.  I found that these steps apply equally to both endeavors:

1. Research,  Research,  Research. Any time I visit a foreign country, I do my research.  I pick up my copy of Fodor’s, just as I recommend that new users to social media visit blogs, read books (like mine), and attend presentations.  Your social media strategy should be no different.  Learning and understanding the environment is essential to maintaining focus and enjoying the city, its transportation, and your overall goal.
2. Focus. Wandering but with a purpose.  Like my SM strategy, I knew and understood my overall goal during my downtime in London.  I picked a general direction and with my map in hand set out to see the sights including Big Ben and the Tate Museum, and mingled with the tourists and locals soaking in the culture, the moment, and the experience.
3. Transportation. Part of your social media strategy should be understanding how to leverage third party applications like TweetDeck, Hootsuite, Ping, and Social Oomph just as you would when using taxis, the Tube, and trains throughout London.  The cost associated with transportation like a cab versus the Tube (underground subway) varies depending on how quickly you wish to reach your destination.  Social media tools like Tweet Adder and Radian6 are no different.
4. Engagement. Visiting London is all about the people, the places, and the culture.  Joining the conversation among new friends is just as easy as walking to the corner pub and chatting with the locals.  These locals are more than willing to share tips, suggestions, and little known places that they enjoy by taking a vested interested in getting to know them, their family, and their friends.   My social media connections were invaluable on my trip.  Upon my departure, I was able to leverage them and learn what terminal I needed to be dropped off at, saving me a ton of cash and valuable time.  My friend Laurie Ruettimann used her network after falling victim to a professional thief in London while also attending the conference.
5. Understand the Risks. Visiting London doesn’t come without risk.  As an outsider it is easy to fall victim to scams, theft, or other unforeseen circumstances.  Keep your purse, technology, and passwords close.  Same goes for your passport and credit cards.  Don’t follow every direct message or trust every local just because.  Use your judgment and follow your gut.  Visiting London is all about the journey and sometimes that comes with some roadblocks along the way.
6. Document Everything. Everyone talks of Social Media ROI these days but has anyone every stopped to ask about the ROI on your overseas visit or your trip to see Buckingham Palace?  No.  Take pictures, capture the moment, and be enthusiastic.  In some cases, passion trumps ROI.  Isn’t that what traveling is all about?

Photo Credit Top News.

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media.  She has over 10 years of experience in human resources & recruiting.

Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting.   Jessica’s book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business was released January 2010.  Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

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