So I've been following recruitingblogs.com for about a year now, been the industry about a year...yeah I know crazy coincidence.  I got linked in down pretty well, developed a fairly good network of people that tend to get the word out.  I keep reading article after article that talks about Twitter being the next "sourcing" dream platform. 

 

So I created a twitter account, and I'm sitting here thinking to myself, how do I create followers?  I can post witty comments, jobs etc...but how do I get people to follow me?

 

I know I am not the first to cross this path, I am betting some of you have crossed the same path as I am...and can give me some great ideas!

 

Bored and want someone to follow...tada!  http://twitter.com/JobsbyAndy

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Andy, I am in the same boat as you.  The account is created and what is the next step?  Where do we go to learn the proper steps to gathering the following?

Me, too! I know it may not end up being my main tool, but I really don't know ways to make it useful at all. Or basic tips and etiquette...

I think I 'm going to approach it the same I have with linked in....just entering into and replying to comments is the best way to get people to notice, and leveraging my small but growing reach on linkedin, but any other observations are very much accepted.

Follow your linkedin connections on twitter.

Do a search on twitter for people who might have their profession in their bio, ie; keyword doctor, MD, etc.  follow them and check their followers for others to follow.  Some will follow you back others won't.  Don't try to be terribly witty with comments relating to theirf profession.  Just watch and listen.  You will find out what is going on in their industry and where.

 

Don't waste productive time jacking around with twitter during your work day do it after hours. for a while.

 

Bottom line:  Go back it's a trick if you get hooked on checking the news, weather and all the political crap that gets tweeted.

 

If you get hooked up with a bunch of marketers or social media gurus who tweet garbage all the time get rid of them they take up space and are doing nothing but self promoting.  Don't self promote, it's boring.

Search using hashtags.

Find one of the people who tweet about twitter and follow them they tweet all the time about how to use twitter.

 

Don't waste a lot of time with it if you already know what the weather is and you know how you want to vote.  :)

 

Thanks Sandra, I agree with you I don't want to spend too much time, but I think over the next 5-6 months if I invest the time I can build a following and that is where I can see results.  6 months ago, I would post on linked in and get absolutely nothing, but I have developed a footprint within groups where I now get people from groups refering other people to me who I have never spoken to etc.. 

If this is your first year in recruiting - the LAST thing you should be doing is trying to squeeze business out of Twitter.  There are quite a few more productive things to do than mess around over there.

Good point Jerry, you sound like my manager regarding linked in 6 months ago, now I'm the "linked in" guy in our area....I don't want to miss out on stuff.  I think I may do it on my down time at home or something

Andrew - I'm not sure why any recruiting manager would have a problem with Linkedin.  It's a resume database for Pete's sake.

But Twitter?  Twitter is one giant bunch of hot air.  Don't take the bait.

I defy you (or anyone) to show me more than 2 "AGENCY" recruiters who have made placements directly tied to Twitter - ABOVE the normal amount of success they would typically have with that same amount of time invested.  You'll find numerous examples of an odd placement here or there - but is that what you're looking for at this point in your career?  I would think not.

I suggest you stick with HIGH PROBABILITY methods.  Twitter is not anywhere near that category.

Jerry is corect, do not compare Linkedin with twitter.  Twitter is crammed full of people who are not what or who they say they  are.  There is some of that or maybe a lot on Linkedin but very quickly you find out if you have a ringer.  Twitter is like a bad bar in Dallas where all the "Dickie Dallas  types who are all VP of something and wear gold chains" hang out.  Along with the social media gurus and career coaches.

 

I have worked it pretty hard as i do with new junk to see if it can be of value.  The only value i get from it is perhaps finding out where a conference is going to be then going to the net after the conference to check out a list of all the pathologists who attended and their specialties.  But i sure know when the weather is going to get bad or who killed whom in the barrio or where the last bad wreck happened.

Hi Andrew,  Twitter is an extension of your Social Media foot print and is to be used to re-direct followers to useful content  or for you to follow others providing useful content.  And yes this is not a tool I would use to pick up candidates but it might be a tool where you can provide useful content to potential candidates over the long term ( Key term "Long Term"). I use Twitter to keep track of my many interests and I suggest you don't do that (Takes a long time to build a following that way)  so here are a few tips based on your end goals... a) Focus on common topics that are inter-related: Jobs, Recruitment, Employment, HR etc ... Follow Recruiters and other professionals you are Influenced by in the industry and do so by making a list and or specific industry lists - where now folks seeking jobs can also follow your lists (Social Media is a 2 way street provide useful relevant content - build target following give and receive, share, and comment, retweet and mention key actions in Twitter) - Follow blogs/bloggers that you feel are useful to you and your potential candidates rbc, hbr, ere etc ... Follow Companies you like with respect to Job posts as now that content adds relevance to your target followers.   If you write a blog or have a Company Website with a Blog you can now tweet useful info that your followers can use in some way.  This allows you to build influence amongst your network - Also allow you to re-direct traffic back to your linkedIn account or your Company Website.   Keep in mind that the more useful/relevant/helpful  info you provide to your potential target followers - the more followers you can acquire based on " info you Tweet "  ... This becomes more powerful if you have your own Blog or a Corporate Website that provides useful content and (NOT JUST JOB POSTS) .  I will stop here and leave you with this Twitter is not LinkedIn (Jerry and Sandra are right in this respect)  but must be used to build your influence in this case Recruiting online if used with a Blog it can be very powerful but this is a long term investment.  I suggest you do more reading to look at Best Practices for utilization of Twitter for the longterm - Lots of great articles on HubSpot and Mashable ...

Thanks Paul

Paul,

 

I think on Twitter you just need to be human. I tweet jobs, things i think, tv show comments, sports....anything and that's how to get followers. I also retweet what i find useful like recruiting blogs or a good motivation quotes. I have had atleast 4 candidates contact me through twitter about a job i had tweeted.

follow me at @RecruitingMode

 

Jerry- I know a recruiter from Florida who has hired atleast 3 people through Twitter.

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