When people find out that I landed my government job on Twitter, they are usually shocked. Aren’t government jobs only searchable on horribly confusing government job websites? Don’t you usually have to go through a lot of bureaucracy before starting the job? That is all typically true, but as companies continue to perform Human Resources work through social media and government catches up with the digital age, it is important not to rule out Twitter as a tool in landing your dream government job.
1. Check your profile.
As you’ve heard before, maintaining a certain profile on your personal social media sites is important. This goes far beyond just making sure those old college party photos are private. Does your Twitter description exude what you want others to know about you? Your passions? Your background? What makes you special? Think of your Twitter profile as a first impression. Define yourself. Highlight the things you are proud of. Can you fit your brand into a short, 3-word sentence? Try it out.
Beyond the profile description is your actual social media engagement. Sheer number of followers does not always indicate your legitimacy. Are you interacting with articles and prominent voices that reflect the sector you are interested in? Because I was interested in working for local government, I interacted a lot with news media, scholars/researchers, or politicians concerned with urbanism through sharing their articles, responding to their tweets, or tweeting quotes. Content I engaged with related to the sector I was interested in – city government. This showed that I was engaged in a subject that was not only my passion, but one that I understood well and was an expert in. This is not to say you should ONLY fill your timeline with content related to the sector you are looking to get into; only that it is important to be aware of what you are putting out there.
2. Find someone you admire, and follow them.
Be intentional about who you follow. Will they share content that you can engage in? Do you have a possibility of meeting them IRL one day and collaborating with them?
While you may not see actual job opportunities to work with the person you admire, there will be instances where they may pass along job announcements that may relate to a career you are interested in pursuing.
When I moved back to Honolulu, I immediately did some sleuthing to find people I’d like to read content from on Twitter. I came across a TEDx video that really impressed me, and knew immediately I needed to follow its subject. I admired her story, and what she wanted to do in her new position of transforming and updating a government agency in Honolulu. This video led me to following my future boss on Twitter!
3. Don’t be afraid to respond to conversations.
“It feels creepy,” or “what would I even say?” are two things I hear oftentimes when people are scared to answer tweets. Don’t be afraid! People on Twitter are usually there to have conversation and welcome anonymous responses, provided they are relevant to what they are talking about.
When I saw the woman I admired tweet about a job in her office, it all seemed too perfect. I responded immediately for more information regarding the office, position, and her contact. And she, thankfully, responded back!
If a person you follow tweets about another opportunity, respond to them about it, too. You never know if they are friends with the manager, and can give you additional information.
4. Follow up quickly outside of social media.
While you could keep a conversation going through tweets, that interaction eventually ends. Don’t wait long before transferring that conversation to the more professional setting of email. This shows how serious you are about your inquiry on the position, and allows the application process to move forward. The ultimate goal is to turn online interaction into a real-life interview.
So, don’t rule out Twitter as a useful tool for landing your dream job, even if it is in government!
Accounts to follow for job opportunities:
-Government HR Twitter accounts
-Government department-specific accounts
