Many people want to network but they struggle with finding the time to book lunches and coffees or attend professional meetings. Others are concerned with the costs associated with attending events and some feel extrememly uncomfortable in networking situations.
Online networking provides a sound alternative to traditional networking and while I don’t advocate it as a replacement for in-person networking, I certainly see the value of incorporating these tools into your career management strategy.
The new social networking “darling” is Twitter, a form of microblogging that allows you to make mini-posts or “tweets” of 140 characters or less to your network or “followers”. With Twitter you can do everything from update your network on what’s happening in your life, make plans, solicit advice, share information, find friends, follow friends, form strategic partnerships, or learn what’s going on in your community or industry.
In the past few weeks I have used Twitter to:
- Congratulate a colleague on the second anniversary of his business.
- Teach a colleague how to synch her Facebook and Twitter feeds.
- Solicit resources for an upcoming presentation.
- Share information on career resources.
- Share blog posts.
- Brag about my recent interview on telecommuting on CNN.
- Discover that a colleague has just authored a new book on networking.
- Give my two-cents on the benefits of reputation profiles.
- Inform my followers of a Spoke interface on Simply Hired.
- Complain about all the rain we are getting in NYC (I got a lot of sympathy for that one)
I’m using Twitter to build and deepen relationships, keep my contacts top of mind, and stay on their radar as well. I’m following people who are recruiters and career experts and thought leaders in the industry. I’m building inroads with the people I want to learn from, grow with, and get in front of. What about you? No matter where you live, I’m sure you have time for a New York minute, a human exchange, a touchpoint, a tweet. You owe it to yourself and your career to get in on the conversations that will help you build professional and personal relationships. If you would like to follow me on Twitter, you can find me here.