A big question I am often asked about Micro-Blogging service, Twitter, is simply this, "So what do you do on Twitter, just tell people what you're doing?" And my answer is usually, "No". I use Twitter to network with early adopters and people all over the world who have similar interests in social media and web2.0 technology. I post helpful links about careers, employment, and job searching. And I use it to promote my blog, where I write about using those technologies for recruiting, career branding, and employer branding. I also use Twitter to promote my company, A-List solutions, a full service staffing and recruiting firm for management, marketing, and I.T. positions. (how about that shameless self promotion!)

One of my Twitter networking friends, who I originally met through on RecruitingBlogs.com, is Susan Kang Nam. She is what I like to call a social media darling. She is a master networker with a knack for recruiting, collaborating with the top players in social media and recruiting. She supports her sister's boutique, Pink Olive Inc. based in NYC, where she uses various social media tools to network and build relationships with customers, vendors, and community organizers around the world. Susan also has responsibility on the boards and committees of numerous groups and associations related to social media, recruiting, and careers. You can see a full bio of her at her Google profile page: http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/117560664691580702505

When we talked last week about ways to encourage more participation in a Twitter networking group that she runs on Talentbar.com, she told me that she had been invited to sit on a panel at the upcoming BlogHer conference. She thought this was slightly ironic because she doesn't have a blog. In January we had talked about her plan to start a blog and she told me at the time that she hadn't done so yet because she was still finding her voice, -deciding on the right content, key players, and collaborators- to present persuasive information that is original and unique to readers.

Susan excels at the concise format of micro-blogging, which, with the help of Twitter, has become the hottest new form of blogging. The BlogHer panel she has been asked to sit on is a "micro-blogging" panel called "Is MicroBlogging the Key to MommyBlogging Bliss?". But she is still working on the idea of a real blog. She has encouragement from blogosphere luminaries like good friend Chris Brogan. But she is in no rush to set one up, having such enthusiasm for twitter (She's happy to be a micro-blogger) offering values & engaging in interesting dialogues via tweets.

Still she joked, in a tweet she sent to me after our call, that she doesn't do that much creative writing. I tweeted her back with a gentle nudge and she responded the way I would expect her to. By writing something so useful that I wanted to blog about it. She posted the following note on Facebook shortly after our exchange. It's a great lesson for would-be bloggers. And it is great info for anyone wondering what this Twitter thing is all about, highlighting some of the multiple ways that it is useful.

Why Tweet? Tweeting for 5 reasons so far...

By Susan Kang Nam

Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 2:23pm

Encouraged by my latest "tweet" from a twitter recruiting pal Craig Fisher, I decided to "practice" my creative writing on this post via FB notes today. His tweet to me was:

Fishdogs (Craig): @PinkOliveFamily (Susan) That's crazy. You are plenty creative. It's like anything else. Research + Practice makes perfect : )

Ha! So as much as I'd like to believe that I am a creative writer. I solely admit I am not. However, here is my further attempt to continue writing and exploring via this post.

Many ask me why I "tweet" and there is no short answer for that obviously. To be honest, from the beginning it was just another tool ~ an exploratory tool that I have used after hearing it from a couple of recruiters over at recruitingblogs.com back in late June of '08.

I tweet for the following 5 reasons:

1. Content: Initially I came to twitter to review and correspond with other recruiting professionals to share content. I find some of their links that they share online quite useful i.e. Fistful of Talent to various other recruiting bloggers that showcase their knowledge and thoughts. I also came in initially to reach out to other pink olive customers and to provide value i.e. Tory Johnson over at ABC news Good Morning America, Women for Hire CEO - as her little one was a fan of pink olive boutique in east village location. I was happy to reach out to other Pink Olive customers and give information back to my sis Grace Kang, founder/owner/designer for Pink Olive Boutique. Other contents I valued overtime include Social Media in general, Marketing sources as well as reaching out to mainstream media professionals (i.e. CNN, Wall Street Journal to Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick etc and the list goes on and on). As I continue to look out for my next executive recruiting position I'd like to continue to explore connection via Twitter and find it worthwhile. In the meantime, appreciate sharing contents via peeps I follow on Twitter.

2. Contacts: As I started to lead a club called Boston Salty Legs Career Club, I have utilized all social media tools including Twitter to reach out and get referrals for our membership roster. I found it quite helpful and the contacts I have made via twitter has been phenomenal. Of course, I talk about Chris Brogan quite often however since I have the great opportunity to meet him via his New Marketing Summit I have been in awe of what he has brought reference to contacts I have made via Twitter. I highly recommend following him on twitter if you have not yet to recognize the "value" that he brings to connecting with professionals all over the world utilizing this platform. And yes I would not have had the opportunity to connect with someone like Tory either if it wasn't for our tweets shared back in October of '08. Currently I have little over 4400 followers and I am humbled by what they know and share (even funny jokes really helps - that reminds me - can't forget about @animal - aka recruiting animal ;P).

3. Presence: At Jeff Pulver's SocComm summit I had the opportunity to share my thoughts via being part of his twitter team in NYC. At the Summit, many mainstream media industry moguls spoke on topic of "presence" on social media. I highly recommend to attend his next SocComm2 Summit in June and continue the conversation on various topics. The topic of "truth" from Fred Wilson was an eye opener for me for sure. His thought processes intrigued me.

4. Branding: There has been lots of tweets regarding Branding lately and I hope to explore more on this topic as I am not 100% clear on both personal or professional/employer branding. I'd like to "think" that I know what exactly it means to brand yourself using twitter however that topic is open for more to come.

5. Fun: I know we speak of ROI for everything ~ however twitter is also about having "fun" engaging in conversations while making an impact in this "new" social media world. For good example, Jyl Johnson Pattee and Carissa Rogers, founders of MomITForward and #GNO have done a great job energizing the 200+ mommy professionals providing "fun" content on Twitter along with their efforts to reach out. Their mission is "to change the world one mom at a time." achieving that by 1) strengthening women, 2) helping them become the best moms they can be, and 3) providing ideas, opportunities to, and recognition for carrying out the Mom It Forward mission in small and large ways, locally as well as internationally. I am in awe of their efforts & energy and I do my best to join their #GNO hashtag party in Twitter every Tuesday night from 9PM EST.

As a micro-blogger, I am happy to share content, RT contents, making contacts, defining presence, learning about branding and having fun utilizing this tool. It helps me to pinpoint what I'd like to get out of for that day. Usually I'm on from 5:30-9:00AM on weekdays to engage in conversations (except this week I am "suppose" to be on vacation ~ so I have been on more often than usual ;P). On weekends it really varies. Sunday early mornings are an interesting "time-frame" to tweet. Why? Hmm, that can be another post.

So, why do you tweet? :) What drives you to use this platform over others out there, not to mention already "addicted" to twitter ;P

Susan
On Twitter
@pinkolivefamily
@shuffergreene (for #GNO ladies and gents)
@saltylegs (private for members and guest speakers/ update for the club)

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