What a week it has been.  I keep getting surprised by how cool Twitter is and how many new relationships I have made there in the last few months.  You can't achieve anything quite like this anywhere else.  There are very few people that I network with on Twitter that I knew prior to joining last September.  But I have so many people who now influence my life from Twitter that its hard to comprehend.

Twitter, at its best, is a great happy place where people exchange ideas and information, wit and wisdom.  You give advice, ask advice, do favors, ask favors.  Its a truly great exchange.  And one for which I am very thankful.  In fact, most of the time, everyone on Twitter is thankful.  Gratitude runneth over in the Twittersphere.

I think that's one of the things that makes Twitter so addictive.  Social networking isn't just about the Internet real estate on which one squats.  It's about what you build there.  Relationships are the most valuable assets on the net.  So no matter how many are people in your network, it doesn't mean much if you don't really know the people who make it up.  And the only way to do that is to truly engage with them.

Simple courtesy dictates that you show your gratitude when someone does something nice for you.  So it is on Twitter.  Twitter etiquette dictates that you should thank those who "ReTweet" your posts to their network.  Twitter is also the home of #followfriday, a method by which tweeps show their appreciation for one another by including them in a #followfriday post that others in their network can click on to find more good tweeps to follow.  And sometimes you even get mentioned in someone's blog post.  Talk about cool!

How do you even begin to thank someone for that?  Earlier this week I wrote a post about Susan Kang Nam's reasons for using Twitter.  In a karmic turn, three unrelated Twitter friends mentioned me in their blogs later this week.  Three!  Big deal?  It is to me.  I feel as if I am in some kind of Twitter thank you groove.  And I am inspired to keep it going.

It started with something Dan Schawbel (@danschawbel) posted to Twitter about not spreading yourself too thin on Social Networks.  I ReTweeted Dan's idea and James Wester (@jameswester) asked my opinion as to why not and I told him I feel that if you are spread out over too many networks you won't be able to keep up decent relationships with your friends on some of them.  Well Dan's tweet, and my reply gave James an idea for a very poignant article he wrote on his blog at Ignorantium, entitled, "The Peanut Butter Principle? Spreading Yourself Too Thin." 

Then I posted a link to an article called, Don't Create a Job Description Resume, in response to which my friend, Annette Holland (@dananner) asked me what my advice is for a Jack (or Jill) of all trades.  Annette is about to be looking for a job but not sure which direction she wants to go.  I gave her my standard advice on that question, which is to focus on what you have done best or most of.  I gave her an article to read for reference, Should You be a "Jack of all Trades" or a Specialist?  We later had a quick phone conversation where I gave her some ideas to work on.  And wouldn't you know, all this prompted her to write a great blog article entitled, The dilemma for a "Jill of all trades".  Annette is a great writer who will soon be getting paid to do so, in my humble opinion.

Finally, Thursday I mistyped "Come Shake Your Groove Thank" in a post I sent out to let people know about a get together happening this weekend.  I meant to say, Groove Thang, which I clarified in a follow-up Tweet.  But a new Twitter friend, Judy Kinney (@flourishingjudy), liked Groove Thank better and we discussed how it could be a metaphor for social networking.  She smelled a blog post coming and we decided to each write something.  So on Friday she posted an insightful article, Grab Your Gratitude Groove Thang. 

And here I am writing this.  Thank you to all those who have made this such a memorable week.  You keep renewing my faith in people.  That's what social networking is all about.  People, not numbers.  Do you talk to your network?  Just listen?  Or do you truly engage?  Give more than you expect to get and you will soon find yourself in a thank you groove too.

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 a recruiting network, 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)

Thanks to Flora Felisberto and Martin Burns of ZoomInfo for including me, alongside recruiting industry great, Lou Adler, in this edition of the newsletter.

If you haven't done so, I would recommend going to www.zoominfo.com and searching for yourself.  If you find yourself, but the info appears out of date, claim your profile and update the information.  This is a great place on the web to stamp "brand you".

Here is an excerpt from the February Zoominformer:

The social media phenomenon is no longer breaking news, but its impact on talent (finding, recruiting, and retaining) has started to accelerate.

Over the coming months, we'll be taking a closer look at social media trends. We're working with our clients and industry thought leaders to get to the "actual" behind all of the hype. It's our goal to help you work in the present, as well as understand the future. This month's newsletter will focus mainly on some of the practical impacts of social media, but we are also looking to a future that may be wildly disrupted by new methods of connecting with prospects, companies, and candidates.

If you have any ideas and interesting examples, please let us know. We are always amazed by the creativity of recruiters in navigating this world.

Stay tuned..

Are You a Web 2.0 Wannabe?
by Lou Adler

According to Lou Adler, "If you don't invest in finding tomorrow's candidates today, you'll become history." By investing time in key low-cost technologies, recruiters can increase both the visibility and interest of their job postings. In this article, Lou Adler describes the six most important web 2.0 trends and tools. Read on to find out if you're a "Neanderthal or a new ager."
Click here for the full article

Employer Branding with Web 2.0 & Social Media
by Craig Fisher

If your company's HR department is not already utilizing web 2.0 tools and social media to market the company to job seekers, it should be. A new report by Gartner, Inc., shows that even though corporate marketing and web strategies are embracing social media, HR departments are generally slow to align with those efforts for the purpose of employer branding.

Click here for the full article

The newsletter is: http://www.zoominfo.com/About/m/newsletters/february_2009.asp

You can subscribe to it here: http://www.zoominfo.com/About/resources/newsletters.aspx

ZoomInfo is a business information search engine used to quickly find information about industries, companies, people and products. ZoomInfo is used by sales and marketing professionals to identify business opportunities, by recruiters to locate talent, and by anyone conducting in-depth research about products, services and businesses. ZoomInfo's semantic search engine continually crawls the Business Web - the millions of company Websites, news feeds and other online sources - to identify company and people information which is then organized into fresh, comprehensive and objective profiles. ZoomInfo currently has profiles on more than 40 million people and over 3.5 million companies, and its search engine adds more than 20,000 new profiles every day.

Ten Ways To Boost Your Time Management Skills

by Ann Rusnak

Want to gain more control over your time? Try these time management tips.

1. Take Time to Plan

Just 15 minutes of daily planning can dramatically improve your productivity. The next time you're tempted to rush right into doing something, pause to plan. You'll also reduce stress and avoid crisis management.

2. Start With a Vision

A vision gives you direction on how to allocate your time. A vision or goal for the today is better than nothing. Knowing what want to get done will keep you focused.

3. Stay Flexible

Allow time for interruptions, distractions and opportunities. Life happens.

4. Energize Yourself in 5 Minutes

Unplug, disconnect and get out of the office for 5 minutes. Read motivational quotes, daydream, or flip through a catalog. You'll be amazed at how energized and invigorated you will feel by taking 5-minute power breaks throughout the day.

5. Kill Your Inner Perfectionist

Perfectionism can really drain your time. Adopt the attitude of Done is Good and remember you can always go back and tweak it later.

6. Learn to Say NO

This is where planning and goals become invaluable. Planning show you how much available time is in your day, making it easier for you to say NO to unimportant tasks.

7. Identify Your Biological Prime Time

Are you morning, a night or late afternoon person? What time of day are you at your best? Knowing when your best time zone occurs, you can plan your higher priority activities during that time.

8. Prioritize

Put the 80/20 rule into effect. Identify that valuable 20 percent that will bring you the highest reward. Prioritize your time to work on those items.

9. Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination often happens when you feel overwhelmed on where to begin. Invest time to take your bigger project and break into smaller more manageable tasks. Break those tasks into smaller 15 minute chunks. You can fit those smaller task chunks easier into your day and will see progress happen much faster.

10. Give Yourself a High Five

Even the smallest wins deserve a celebration. Before you begin a task, promise yourself a reward when you finish. Then keep that promise. You earned it.

About the Author:

Author, Ann Rusnak,Time Management Expert,advises overwhelmed entrepreneurs how to Get More Done in Half the Time. Sign up for her free 4 part Time Management video series "Control Your Day in 15 Minutes

Subscribe to this feed . Email this . Add to del.icio.us . Share on Facebook . Stumble It! . Email the author . Digg This! . Tweet this!

A Twitter friend was having trouble with the shortened URLs of 3 job search articles I posted there, so I am posting the full URLs here for his and anyone else's convenience.

Your Next Employer Wants to Know: Where in Google Is That Guy?

http://articlemarketer.com/b2/b/article_marketer_blog.php/2009/02/18/your-next-employer-wants-to-know-where-i

How Adding a Tailored Sound Bite to My Resume Doubled Interview Requests

http://personalbrandingblog.com/how-adding-a-tailored-sound-bite-to-my-resume-doubled-interview-requests/

Help prospective employers find you

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/career/?p=542

A-List solutions is proud to sponsor the Dallas Twestival, which will take place this Thursday in Dallas form 6-9pm at Mockingbird Station.  There will be live music, a comedy show, and a movie screening in addition to free site wide wi-fi and some great networking with all your Twitter friends.  If you're not too sure about all this Twitter business, this is a great opportunity to experience what it's all about first hand.

Please join A-List solutions founders, Craig Fisher and Jeff Lipschultz for an historic event that will take place simultaneously in over 175 cities worldwide in support of Charity: Water, a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations.  For more information, go to twestival.com or Dallas.twestival.com.

A-List Solutions is a full-service staffing and recruiting firm providing permanent and contract placement services for management, Marketing, and IT positions. 

You can follow A-List Solutions on Twitter at www.twitter.com/alistsolutions for great employment, hiring, and job search info.  You can also follow Craig Fisher (www.twitter.com/fishdogs) and Jeff Lipschultz (www.twitter.com/jlipschultz ) for job search tips and social media strategy for careers and employment.

Here's is an article about the event form today's Fort Worth Star Telegram:

Twitter users will meet offline for a good cause | News | Star-Telegram.com

By MELODY McDONALD

mjmcdonald@star-telegram.com

It's enough to set your heart a Twitter.

On Thursday, in more than 175 cities worldwide, people who chat on the social-networking site Twitter will come together (in person) to raise money for one charity.

Think of it as virtual fundraising with a twist.

"When Twitter users meet up, they call it a 'tweetup,' " explained Laura E. Hall, a volunteer who is helping organize the event in Dallas. "It's like a social event that benefits social causes or social justice."

The "Twestivals," as they are being called, will be held in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. Dallas' event will be at Mockingbird Station, where tweeters (people who use Twitter) can meet, enjoy live music, and take in a free film and comedy show.

All the proceeds will go to Charity: Water, an organization devoted to bringing clean drinking water to developing nations.

"Clean water is a right that everybody in the world should have access to," Hall said. "It is great that we can use whatever method of technology available" to get the word out.

Twitter allows users to send updates (also known at "tweets") to their Twitter friends about what they are doing. It's similar to Facebook, but each update is limited to 140 characters.

Hall acknowledged that most people mail invitations or post fliers when they host a charity event. Using Twitter, she said, makes more sense.

"Twitter is definitely faster," Hall said. "People that use the service get their messages on phones or e-mails immediately. It becomes viral. People see the conversation, and they click over to see what is being talked about or what is going on."

Plus, Hall said, Twitter is eco-friendly.

"We are trying not to use printed material and are telling everyone to take the DART rail to Mockingbird," Hall said.

According to twestival.com, the idea to use Twitter to organize a charity event came from a group in London.

In September, the group decided to host an event that would benefit a local homeless charity and connect the local Twitter community, many of whom had never met.

Soon, other stories started popping up about local Twitter communities coming together for various causes.

Finally, the idea for a global Twestival was born.

Hall said that each city is responsible for its event. Dallas' goal is to raise $4,000, roughly the cost of drilling one water well in Central Africa.

Hall said part of the money will be raised through ticket sales. The rest will come from sponsorships and donations.

Hall said it is hard to predict how many will attend Dallas' Twestival, but she expects people to continue to use social media to raise awareness - and money.

"My whole life is wedded with social media," said Hall, 24, of Dallas. "I keep in contact with people through Facebook and I share stuff on YouTube. There is a saying that Twitter is what happens between e-mails and blogs. Twitter connects people directly with one another. I think it is a natural extension of where things are headed."

The Dallas Twestival is from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mockingbird Station, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane (just off Central Expressway) in Dallas.

Tickets for the Dallas Twestival are $10 if you buy at amiando.com/twestivaldallas or $15 at the door. The ticket gets you into a free film at the Angelika, a free show at Hyena's Comedy club, access to a raffle, drinks and food.

Volunteers run the event, and all proceeds are donated to Charity: Water.

For more information, go to twestival.com or dallas.twestival.com.

MELODY McDONALD, 817-390-7386

For many people, especially those new to Twitter, one of the big questions about this popular application is, "who should I follow?"  Well, there are many good answers to this, all depending on your purpose for using Twitter.  But there are a few shortcuts you can use that will make life simpler and get your Twitter neighborhood growing quickly. 

First, find someone else on Twitter who has your same position or interests and follow the people who follow them.  Since you are in a similar line of business or have similar interests to the person those followers are following, there is a good chance they will follow you back if you have clearly stated these interests or position in your Twitter Bio.  A good way to find this initial same-brainer is Twitter Search.  Just type in the keyword that tickles your fancy and you'll find lots of tweeps who are talking about it.  I, being a recruiter, might type in terms like "hiring" or "jobs" or "recruiting" to find similar users.

The next quick and easy method is to register with Twellow.  Twellow is like a yellow pages for Twitter users.  Once you register and include the proper identifying info (so other users can find you too), you can search for users by location or category.  If you dare to check the enhanced features box just below the login area (this temporarily stores your Twitter password) you can follow users right from the search results page.  This is very quick and very easy.

Quick and easy jumps to a new level when you use the "Find People" link at the top of your Twitter home page.  Once there, click the "Find on other networks" tab and locate users from your Yahoo, Hotmail, MSN, AOL, or Gmail accounts.  Don't have one of these free email services?  No problem  Just export your Outlook contacts to a .csv file and upload them to the free email service of your choice and you're in business. 

Another great trick is to export your LinkedIn contacts to a free email service to achieve the same result with your current LinkedIn Network.  On your LinkedIn home page, click "Contacts" in the box on the left of the screen.  Once on the "Contacts" page, look at the bottom of the list and you will see an "export contacts" link.  This will create a .csv (comma separated values) file suitable for upload to any of the above free email services.  If you upload them to Gmail you can categorize them all at once as "LinkedIn contacts".  Then go back to Twitter and find all your LinkedIn contacts who are currently on Twitter, through the same import process mentioned above, and follow away.  You might also update your LinkedIn status that you are now following all those in your network who are on Twitter and list your follow-back Twitter id.

See?  Quick and easy.  Happy Tweeting.

Follow me on Twitter, www.twitter.com/fishdogs

Connect with me on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/wcraigfisher

Very funny post on EmploymentMetrix.com about the extremes some job hunters go to in order to get noticed.  Talk about branding yourself!  Great stuff, enjoy.

EmploymentMetrix.com: Extreme Job Hunting - How Far Would You Go to Get Hired? by Jeremy Hatfield

"Experienced M.I.T. grad for hire," and "I will buy an interview," are the messages of many brave job hunters looking to draw attention to their career aspirations. On a daily basis we hear major corporations reducing human capital as a means for cutting costs and counteracting this recession. Jessica Dickler of CNNMoney.com recently reported that candidates outnumber job openings three to one. Is it any wonder that individuals seeking jobs will go to extreme lengths to attract the attention of potential employers?

The Untraditional Method for Finding Employment

Put aside the traditional methods of attending job fairs, emailing resumes, and networking.  Those tactics work in a stable economy, with normal unemployment rates, but when times are tough it is a MUST to stand out from the crowd!

Desperate Times Call for Creative Measures

Many professionals are pioneering new job search tactics as evidenced in the following job search stories.  Keep in mind that these guerrilla tactics should be taken with a grain of salt as not all of these actions have resulted in employment.  

Send Tangible Objects To Get Their Attention!

. After an interview, one candidate followed up with the interviewer by sending him a T-shirt that said, "I interviewed Bob and lived to tell the tale."

. Another applicant sent his resume on a giant hamburger roll, implying that "he was on a roll."

. After going on a first interview and taking notice of an employer's relatively empty office the job seeker showed up for the second interview with a plant to "add some life". 

. It's even been reported that some job seekers have used singing telegrams as a creative way to get their resumes in front of prospective employers.

. One applicant had breakfast delivered to the office he wished to work at for an entire month until he was finally hired. 

So if you are looking for ways to get a potential employers attention, below are a more extreme job search tactics to consider.

Sell Yourself

A few job seekers have tried putting their services up for auction on eBay. This was successful in gaining the professionals attention but also led to eBay removing the listings from its site.  Perhaps they overpriced their services?

Create Public Visuals

.Now famous Joshua Persky, stood in the streets shamelessly self promoting his skills on a wooden sandwich board while passing out resumes to passersby.

.Javier Pujals had the interesting idea to pay companies for their time.  If they took the time to interview him he would pay them based on the type of position he was being interviewed for. Employers could visit BuyAnInterview.com to access his fee schedule. 

.One candidate even rented a billboard and placed a personal advertisement within view of a company's office so the HR representative would see it.

Place a Bounty

One job seeker leveraged his personal network of family, friends, and colleagues to help him in his job search.  He offered a cash bounty to the first person who referred him to his next job.

So How Far Would You Go To Get Your Next Job? 

Would you audition on American Idol to sing your resume objectives?  Or hire a sky writer to inscribe your contact information within the clouds?  Whatever the method you use in these tough times, keep the outcome of your actions in mind.  Remember to maintain a level of professionalism in whatever tactic you choose to distinguish yourself from the crowd and understand that if one of these crazy antics does get you're hired that you'll have an interesting reputation to live up to.  Good luck and happy hunting!

Posted by Jeremy Hatfield

Steph Auteri has written a wonderful guest post on TwiTip.com about how Twitter has jumped off of your screen and into your home town.  I can attest that the networking potential at a Tweetup (a meet-up of Twitter enthusiasts) is superior to most networking events, chamber of commerce gatherings, job fairs, etc. that I have ever attended.  My goal in networking is about getting to know people interested in Social Media and also employers (potential clients) with hiring needs. 

But I feel strongly that job seekers with a genuine interest in Twitter and other social media would find fertile ground at a Tweetup to network for a new position.  The job you seek doesn't have to be related to social networking or new media, but your interest in it should be your entry into conversation.  Don't show up knowing nothing about Twitter and expect a good conversation with people that might lead to a job prospect.  Immerse yourself in all things Twitter as much as possible before attending a Twitter related event.  Newbies are welcome, but it really helps to be at least familiar with the terms and the technology.

8 Twitter Networking Tips: From Online to In-the-Flesh

I didn't know quite what to do with Twitter until I read a post on Problogger that advised setting Twitter goals. My mind immediately grasped upon the possibilities for promoting my multiple blogs and, since then, I have (I hope) maintained that focus. (Just ignore those tweets that mention Xanax, wine, and my three cats.) It was a happy surprise when it became clear just how much Twitter could help my career in other ways.

Read on for tips on how to use Twitter to take networking from online to in-the-flesh.

1. Use Your Twitter Profile As You Would a Business Card:

Those cards I had done up at VistaPrint are so perfect. They include my name, title, phone number, e-mail address, and website URL and, best of all, they even match my site's background! I love how they represent the brand I've created for myself. Your Twitter profile should operate in a similar manner. Pimp that URL of yours in the appropriate space. Craft a well-written professional description in the spot meant for your bio. Personalize the background also! It will help you stand out from the pack. And then include a link to your Twitter account on every last social networking site you belong to, and in your e-mail signature as well. (Bonus tip: If you want to go all out - and frighten friends and family! - order a T-shirt with your Twitter ID.)

2. Let Your Twitter Feed Be Your (Ongoing) Portolfio:

While I maintain a portfolio on my professional site, I often suspect that no one actually goes there. Even when I include a link in my cover letters. This makes me sad. But nothing beats the immediacy of a tweeted link! I tend to tweet the links to my latest clips, and also point my followers toward the blog posts I'm most proud of. This way, people don't become overwhelmed by how amazingly prolific I am, or mistake me for a spammer. If this is not a worry, there are Twitter applications - such as twitterfeed - that automatically feed your post titles and links straight to Twitter. Not only will you get a nice bump in traffic from your own tweeple, but followers might find your work so gosh-darn awesome that they retweet it, placing it in front of a constantly growing number of eyes. Who knows what could happen then! I've actually received additional writing assignments from those impressed with my already-existing work.

3. Grow Your Twitter Network:

If you're doing everything right - posting helpful and interesting tweets, maintaining a healthy level of back-and-forth, and seeking out other Twitter users worth following - your network will grow organically. Once you have them there, it's time to harness their remarkable power.

4. Get the Lowdown:

.by getting the lowdown on things like professional organizations, conferences, and other events. In musing - via tweet - about the pros and cons of joining the EFA, the NWU, or Freelance Success, I received immediate feedback of others' personal experiences with each. Being able to determine the effectiveness of real-work events and networking groups before paying an arm and a leg, based upon the firsthand experiences of others, can be invaluable.

5. Tweet Yourself Up:

.by advertising your wares. I tweet about the blog posts I'm working on. I tweet about the manuscripts I'm copy editing. I tweet about the articles I'm researching. It makes me sound way productive. Plus, it gives others an idea of where my skills and talents lie. If you happen to tweet a lot about your amazing grasp of the behavioral sciences, or of medical writing, you'll be the first person people think of when they need a medical copywriter. Or a shrink.

6. Ask for Help:

.by sending out an SOS. It's been known to happen. People have acquired employment by simply letting others know they were looking for work. But you can start smaller. Ask for input on that blog post you're working on. Search for interview subjects for that next article (I use Twellow or Twitter Search). Ask all of the tens of thousands of web developers out there why that plugin didn't work when you did the whatchamacallit to the thingamabobber. There is a world of wisdom out there, just waiting for your call.

7. And Help Others:

Is there a way to measure Twitter karma? Or is it wrong to quantify the ways in which you help others? Either way, I believe karma exists, and the more you help others, the more others are willing to help you. This can mean simply answering others' queries, making suggestions, or offering your help when a fellow Twitter user appears in distress. Some twitterers go a step further, and create accounts meant solely for charitable purposes. Twestival - which "brings together Twitter communities for an evening of fun and to raise money and awareness for charity" - is just one example (more information can be found here). Another one I've recently come across is JobAngels. They define themselves as a movement, in which they ask followers to help one person find a job. Several of the people I'm following have already retweeted their request.

8. Plan a Tweetup:

All of the above has referenced the real world only indirectly, by mentioning actions you can do in the Twitterverse in order to affect your non-virtual life. For my last point, I'd like to mention Tweetups, the happy and inevitable cousin of the Meetup. Rather than waiting for an event to happen, why not plan your own meeting of the (Twitter-based) minds? You can follow tweetup to learn about happenings in your area, or just send a shout-out to your own followers, asking if anyone would be game for taking things offline. While online networking can be amazing in its influence, I often find that nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. Placing a face to a name.being able to talk at length with more than 140 characters.bonding over a glass (or five) of wine or the healing powers of a cup of coffee.all of these things can help you to develop a more concrete connection with someone you've only been conversing with online. In marveling over the powers of the Internet, don't discredit the traditional tactics.

It was great fun to see the two largest job boards go head to head in Sunday's Super Bowl.  I really liked both of these ads, but I have to tip my hat to CareerBuilder this time.  I think it's the Koala with the coffee cup and the glasses, but there are many great things about this one.  Monster was a very close second, and I really laughed when I saw the other side of that wall spin around. 

With the current economy, you know these two companies are really scrapping for their share of the employer market.  Who do you think won the advertising contest on Sunday?