Twitter is one of the best social media tools for professional networking. The professional contacts, interaction, and collaboration available on it can lead to work at home job opportunities. Here are some of the best ways to search Twitter for users to connect with.
Adding Users to Your Professional Network
On the top of your Twitter home screen, click #Discover and then on the left hand side of the screen click on ‘Who to follow’. This Twitter feature gives recommendations of users you can follow who have similar professional interests to yours. Read and scroll through Twitter’s recommendations. Then click the ‘follow’ button for those users you want to add to your PNL (personal learning network).
When you are on the ‘Who to follow’ screen and you want to read more information about a user before following him or her, click on the username. A popup menu will appear that gives the user’s website link and some example Tweets. It is courtesy to send the user a nice Tweet saying that you added them to your PLN and look forward to networking.
Another fabulous method to finding Twitter users to add to your PLN is to scroll through your user ‘following.’ What does this mean? Go to the user profile of someone you follow. Click on their ‘following’ icon. This will lead you to a list of people that he or she follows. If you highly value and respect the Twitter user professionally, then his or her ‘following’ list will lead you to people and companies that are professionally valuable to your PLN. Click and follow the users that seem like excellent additions to professional growth.
If you want to search for a specific person or company on Twitter to add to your following, you can search a person’s name or username in the search menu at the top of the ‘Who to follow’ screen. If you find the person you are looking for, click on the ‘follow’ icon.
Participating in Twitter Chats for Networking
Twitter chats are weekly live discussions on Twitter. All Twitter chats use the # symbol (called a hashtag in the social media world) to have conversations in real time. All participants of a Twitter chat post hashtags on their Tweets so that others can see the conversation. Look up Twitter chats in your areas of expertise and find the ones that you could benefit from interactions with. If you find people in a Twitter chat that you really connect with, add them to your PLN. Connecting with ‘like’ users on a Twitter chat can open professional doors. Use this list or this list to find the ones in your niche.
To participate in a Twitter chat you must use a Twitter tool that allows you to follow the Twitter chat hashtag. Review these Twitter chat tools and select the one that works best for you.
These are ways to network for professional leads. Sometimes leads won’t come overnight. Build trusted relationships by networking on Twitter and doors will open in due time.
