Intern Hopefuls on Twitter: Do This, Not That
by Alex Braun
The post comes from our partners at Internships.com. Read more great posts in their blog.
By now you know that I spend lots of time tweavesdropping on your conversations (not like a stalker, but for market research purposes, of course) and checking out intern wannabes. I think sometimes people forget that what happens on your Twitter feed, stays on your Twitter feed for only your followers to see stays on the internet forever for millions of strangers to see. Remember Sweet Tweets?
SO – if you are planning on applying to jobs and internships anytime soon (or anytime at all), use Twitter to your advantage and keep these 5 tips in mind:
Your Twitter handle should closely resemble your name. Include your full name in your Twitter profile. This is building your personal brand, people.
We like to see your pretty little faces. Put your headshot up there.
Follow the companies and brands you want to work for someday. You need to interact with them. Start to reply to or mention them. The point is to engage. You can even become what we like to call a “brand evangelist” or “influencer” and it’s a good way to get noticed.
Don’t start with “I want to intern with you.” That’s like starting your first date with “I want to be your boyfriend.” Slow down, go back to #3, and wait a bit before you say this.
Don’t tweet about how your current internship/class/teacher/boss is so pointless/stupid/annoying/ugly. Even if it’s true. Same goes for any illegal activates you may be participating in.
A cover letter and resume alone just don’t cut it. Use Twitter to supplement those (if we have to work with you everyday, we want to see what kind of person you are!) and to make the employer aware of who you are beforehand. Ultimately you want to land an job or internship, but you can still have fun - this is social media, after all. Leave your own Twitter tips in the comments below.