Tweet your way to a job!

Twitter is slowly gaining popularity among the college crowd; however, among companies, organizations and firms- it is booming! Check out this employer twitter account list  that is constantly updated with job posts and company info from over 160 nationwide employers. In addition, the average age among twitter users is 31, more than likely  making a lot of them professionals in their field for more than just a couple of years.

Keppie Careers shares these bits of insight about  what Twitter can do for you...

1. Afford access to other professionals in your field. When you follow industry leaders, you’ll know who spends time with them, what conferences they attend (and what they think of the speakers!), what they’re reading and what is on their minds. This is great information to leverage for your search.
2. Provide exposure and credibility as well as personal and professional relationships when you connect to others in your industry.
3. Offer you a venue to demonstrate your expertise and share information in quick, pithy bursts of wisdom. This is perfect if you don’t have the time or energy to create a blog.

So how can you use your twitter account to stand out?

• Put your brief "elevator speech" as your bio. Be professional and go beyond your hobbies to include career/academic aspirations.
• Use a professional looking profile picture.
• Have a custom background design that is professional but unique.
• Have a link to your online resume (sites like VisualCV and BriteTab can help).
• Follow industry, career advice and job search experts on Twitter.
• Use your status updates to RT, link, and interact with the employers in your industry as well as promote current projects you may be completing. You want to be viewed as someone “in the loop”.
• Be consistent on image throughout all your online platforms ( LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)

 -Courtney H

Tips for e-mailing your resume!

Most employers these days require you to submit application and job inquiries on-line via their company website or through a contact person's e-mail. However, it is important to note that the informality typically associated with the ease and speed of Internet use is something to be avoided in these situations. There are some tips that students should keep in mind as they are interacting with employers on the web.

E-mailing your Resume

• Put your Resume in PDF format. PDF is compatible with all computer systems and will keep your resume formatting from changing. On most computers you can convert a file to .pdf by clicking File> Print and under Printer name select PDF and OK. 
• Attach your resume to an e-mail. Never copy and paste your e-mail into the body of an e-mail. Most e-mail servers have limited formatting abilities and there is no telling how your resume will show up. 
• List the job position title and your name in the e-mail's subject line. This automatically indicates to an employer where or whom your e-mail should go and makes it easy to find when looking for it at a later time. You can simply put "Sales Associate position- John Smith". 
• Send it using a professional e-mail account that you check often. Your university given e-mail account will work great; however, if you have another e-mail you check more often it might be ideal to use that one instead. Make sure you are not sending it from your personal account such as "volfan2010@hotmail.com or cutestuff30@yahoo.com".

E-mail Cover Letter 
Just as you need to send a cover letter when submitting a resume via snail mail, it is very important to include that same detailed information when e-mailing a resume. This is what will go in the body of your e-mail.

• Begin your e-mail formally. Use "Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name", and address it to the specific person responsible for hiring your position if possible.
• The first paragraph should include your reason for writing, the position you are applying for, how you heard about it and any previous contact with the employer/company. 
• The middle paragraph(s) should elaborate on what you have to offer the employer and how that matches up with the specific job description and qualifications. Feel free to mention specific details from previous experience but don't repeat your resume.
• The last paragraph should conclude your message. Direct the employers attention to your attached resume, thank them for consideration of your application and indicate how they can follow-up with you.
• End the e-mail formally. "Sincerely", "Best regards," etc. and then your name are ideal closings. Under your name you will also want to include your 'signature' or contact information including e-mail address, telephone number, and mailing address.

Examples of different types of e-mail correspondance and e-mail etiquette tips can also be found in this article. 

-Courtney H