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Chapter 1 Online Presence
employment searches, when you use e-mail,
cover letters, or LinkedIn, remember to begin
communication with a formal greeting and omit
the
@
symbol.
Twitter outpaces online job search sites with
more than half a million Tweets each month
for job listings alone. You can conduct searches
for Tweeted available jobs on Twitter by using
the hashtag #jobpostings. Twitter has become
a popular way to network for jobs through
companion sites as well. Websites, such as
Tweetmyjobs.com, obtain available job listings
from thousands of employers each day. There
are aggregator job-posting sites, such as
Twitterjobsearch.com, that combine Tweets and
job announcements in one place and stores them
in a searchable database.
Portfolio
A portfolio is a selection of related materials
an individual collects and organizes to show his
or her qualifi cations, skills, and talents. As you
begin establishing your online presence, it is a
good idea to also start creating a portfolio. When
you apply for a job, you will need to tell others
about how you are qualifi ed for the position.
Showcasing examples of work you have completed
or awards you have received is one way to
communicate your qualifi cations.
Collect and save all documentation that
demonstrates your accomplishments. Gather
evidence for what you have accomplished during
your work experience and during your academic
career. Collect documentation from previous
employers, concentrating on achievement
certifi cates, recommendation letters, and other
documents. Find school assignments, papers,
or exams on which you scored well. Document
work or school situations demonstrating your
spoken or written profi ciency in other languages.
Include any publications you have written, and
create a list of any organizations you have joined.
In addition, gather evidence of academic or work
projects you have completed. These items are
perfect testimonials that strengthen your position
as a potential employee.
URLs for free. Using a shortened URL will help
you direct followers to your blog or website and
still have room to add a message. Twitter makes
use of shortened URLs by automatically shortening
URLs that are copied and pasted into a Tweet.
Activity
Twitter accounts are similar to other social
networking accounts. Have one for your social
communication and a separate one for professional
use. Keep your activity professional, and do
not be tempted to Tweet about what you did on
Friday night if it is not job related. You want to
create Tweets that make people want to follow
you. To build a professional following, read
and comment about an article that you read, a
project you are directing, or a course that you
have completed. Brand yourself on Twitter as a
proactive leader. Tweet frequently and focus on
your intended audience.
Learn and use consistent hashtags. Hashtags
are searchable keywords on Twitter that link
users to all Tweets marked with the same hashtag
keyword. Use hashtags anywhere in your Tweet—at
the beginning, middle, or end. To make a word a
hashtag, add the pound symbol (#) immediately
before the word with no space between the
symbol and the word. To make multiple words
into a hashtag, precede it with the pound symbol
and remove spaces between the words. Some
examples of hashtags include the following:
•
#hireme
•
#greenjobs
•
#careers
•
#careermanagement
•
#consultingjobs
•
#ITjobs
•
#jobpostings
When you begin to use Tweets to dialogue
with followers, address them by using the
@
symbol. For example, if you are engaged in
several online conversations but want to respond
only to Marie, begin the Tweet with @Marie.
This convention is only appropriate when
communicating on Twitter. In your formal