It is possible to successfully leverage Twitter (140 characters at a time) during your job search. Last year,
 

• 25% of job seekers used Twitter to look for a job

• 8% of job seekers put professional information into their Twitter profile

• 6% of job seekers got a job referral via Twitter

• 8 million people in the U.S. stated that Twitter got them their current job
   

Now, the current U.S. labor pool hovers around 152 million, so the fact that only 8 million people credit Twitter for their current job may not appear to be impressive. However, this initial impression is shortsighted, for there is not one “go-to” method to use in the search for a job. All methods must be used, including social media.
 

Twitter can be a high-powered job search tool.
 

• It gives you access to other people who work in your field. Their interests, the people they follow and where they look for information are all great leverage points to use in your search.

• is casual and immediate and a great place to “meet” informally.

• forces you to be brief. In order to use Twitter, you must communicate in 140 character microbursts. Therefore, it is imperative you develop an “elevator pitch”/”Twit-Pitch” – a succinct message of what you have to offer
   

However, the true differentiator for Twitter is that it is OK (and even, expected) to follow people who really have no connection to you. Statistics do show that job search networking is much more effective when you make “loose” connections – touching base with people beyond your immediate circle whose networks and contacts are much different from your own.
 

So how do you leverage Twitter’s power to locate your next job?
 

• Start tweeting. Begin by using Twitter to let everyone in your network know you’re back in the hunt for a new job. Then start communicating with other Tweeters. Ask questions. Give feedback. Retweet comments or links that you find interesting.

• Add a photo to your Twitter profile. Since job searching on Twitter is likely to involve people who have never seen you, the value of a headshot is immense, since it acts as a tool of engagement with other Tweeters.

• Cast as broad of a net as you can. Networking is a numbers game, so the more people you are connected to, the more job leads you will have.

• Do a quick search on Google or Twitter. It will reveal the accounts of hundreds of corporations, staffing firms, job boards and recruiters. These accounts tweet advice, anecdotes and job openings. With a little digging, you can find multiple accounts that tweet jobs relevant to you, and following them could expose you to jobs that you might not see elsewhere.
   

Although Twitter was originally designed for small groups of people (who already know each other) to share what they were doing, it has grown into a viable networking and information dissemination platform for people who have never met. You can use this platform to help you land a new position.
 

The goal is to use all the tools at your disposal, including Twitter. You never know where the next lead will come from, so do not distance yourself from a platform that could help you find the job of your dreams. Get started today!!! Visit us at @SNELLINGROSE and join in on the tweets!