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Twitter is an excellent example of good writing for the screen because of its use of brief and concise information. In addition to communicating with followers and gaining information about the changing world, twitter allows its users to create a personal presence online. Twitter not only provides more contact information when applying for a job, it also provides a platform to create a professional brand. By having a twitter account, students who are searching for a career can add a personal aspect to their résumés.

Twitter

Twitter is a social media site that allows users to send messages containing information in a brief and concise way. These messages are called tweets. Twitter helps the user hone his or her writing skills. With only a space of 140 characters, a tweet is an excellent example of what writing for digital media entails because it forces the user to write pointedly.

Twitter Uses

Tweeting allows users to access information quickly. A twitter feed, which Vanessa Doctordefines as "a list of updates or tweets that are constantly being updated . . . and are usually arranged in chronological order" has become a source for information about friends, the weather, entertainment, and news. By following sites such as USA today, Huffington Post, and The New York Times, a twitter user can stay updated on what is happening in the world.

Not only has twitter become an aggregator of news and information, it has also become a way for users to share and report their own news. Twitter allows users to participate in breaking news stories. Both journalists and non-journalists are using twitter to report significant current events. As Matthew Ingrmapoints out in his article we are all members of the media through the use of twitter.

Twitter for Jobseekers

Twitter has been called a micro-blogging site because it offers specific information about the user. Twitter can help jobseekers develop their own personal brand by allowing them to follow and interact with businesses or employers.

Over the past few years, employers have looked at potential employees’ presence on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter during the hiring process. Veronica Fielding writes, “It's becoming more common for recruiters and hiring managers to value a candidate's presence on popular social networks, in addition to traditional qualifications such as a strong resume and interview skills.” Because social media sites provide more information for an employer to consider when hiring, it is important that a student searching for a future career utilize twitter professionally.

Veronica Fielding has some key points to remember when creating a personal brand on twitter which include:

• To find Twitter users in your industry, check out directories such as ExecTweets, JustTweetIt, WeFollow and Twellow.

• If you have a Linked In profile or online portfolio, include a link to it in the bio section of your Twitter profile so other people can easily learn more about you.

• To find job listings on Twitter, try using the Twitter search engine and typing in a desired job title, or follow an account that posts the latest jobs on Twitter. You can also find job listings by searching for the following hashtags: #jobseeker, #hiring or #jobs.

• Another way to find employment opportunities on Twitter is to follow job boards.

The Hashtag

Twitter is known for its use of the hashtag, used in order to categorize the user’s message or connect it to relative subjects. Hashtags become especially important in order for members of a group to post similar material to a thread that is connected by a common hashtag.

Communication then, becomes easier when an element such as subject hashtags are employed, making connections and visibility of posts easy among users. The most important aspect of Twitter is arguably conversation among users. The hashtag then, facilitates these conversations by linking users from all over the world with similar text subjects. Also, more unique hashtags narrow the focus of the message and allow for those who use the same subject words or phrases to connect.

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Example of the use of hashtags in Writing for Digital Media. Courtesy of Twitter.

Hashtags and Students

For students attempting to enter the workforce, hashtags can help broaden their career exposure online. Using a hashtag to link to specific people, organizations, or relative career fields, the student will not only connect with these pages and people, but make their interests and desires to enter the field known.

Additionally, students who are able to efficiently utilize hashtags will have developed skills for the job force when brevity of communication is necessary. Communicating on Twitter requires that the student "get to the point" and be able to employ the hashtag to appropriately classify the post.

Regarding Writing for Digital Media, the use of hashtags is crucial to the connections of groups or like-minded students who wish to relate their thoughts to others. Because writing on Twitter must be brief, hashtags assist in quickly “summing up” what has been relayed in the Tweet. Specifically, because of hashtags, the engagement within a classroom setting of individuals using Twitter can be much more successful, as students communicate ideas for the course to their peers and professors.

Things to Know About Hashtags

It is important to note, though, that not all hashtags are created equal:

• Depending on who the user/student is attempting to appeal or connect to, some are better than others
• According to Vanessa Doctor, there are several ways to make the hashtag trend
• Additionally, It is possible to claim a hashtag, which reverts to a landing page, allowing for further branding of self

As Twitter is always evolving, it is important to consider that the definitions and abbreviations of hashtags are also changing. And, as always, it is imperative to remember Twitter etiquette and the basic do's and don'ts of hashtags.

External Links

• Twitter
• Writing skills
• Twitter feed definition
• Participation in current events
• Personal brand
• Twitter creating stronger resumes
• What are Hashtags?
• Introduction
• Career Exposure
• Twitter Conversation
• How to Find the Best Twitter Hashtags
• How to Get Your Hashtag Trending
• Claim Your Hashtag
• Hashtags in the Classroom
• Definitions of Hashtags
• Twitter Etiquette
• Hashtag Do's and Don'ts

References

1. Doctor, Vanessa. "Basic Twitter Terms You Must Know." Hashtags.org, 21 June 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
2. Doctor, Vanessa. "How To Get Your Hashtag Trending On Twitter." Hashtags.org. 12 Nov. 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
3. Doctor, Vanessa. "What Characters Can a Hashtag Include?" Hashtags.org. 12 June 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.
4. Doctor, Vanessa. "Twitter Etiquette 101." Hashtags.org. 19 June 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
5. Couros, George. "Twitter Hashtags in the Classroom." GeorgeCourous. 20 Nov. 2011. Web. 6 Nov. 2012.
6. Fielding, Veronica. "Improve Your Job Search with Social Networking." CareerCast. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
7. Guiseppi, Meg. "Amplify Your Personal Brand with Twitter." CareerCast. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
8. Hines, Kristi. "How to Find the Best Twitter Hashtags." SproutSocial. Web. 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
9. Hyatt, Michael. "12 Reasons to Start Twittering." Intentional Leadership, 4 May 2008. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
10. Ingram, Matthew. "The Twitter effect: We are all members of the media now." Gigaom, 25 April 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
11. Ingram, Matthew. "David Carr on newspapers, Twitter and Citizen Journalism." Gigaom, 14 Sept. 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
12. Messina, Chris. "Hashtags Introduction." pbsworks. Web. 6 Nov. 2012.