As a HR professional, I like finding like minded people on Twitter and sharing interesting articles and tips. In today’s digital society social media is one of the best ways to network with an array of people who have similar interests to you. The platform gives you the opportunity to share ideas with and gain tips from both professional bodies and other individuals.
Although having a professional twitter account comes with many benefits, it is also an area with a lot of potential pitfalls. Anyone could come across your Twitter profile including colleagues, recruiters or even your manager so it’s really important to have a professional, relevant presence on Twitter.
Here are some top tips for you to look out for when establishing a professional Twitter account:
- Have a professional Twitter handle. @JadeYxxx wouldn’t scream professionalism and neither would @xhry_159. The latter could also make you look like a robot and wouldn’t be easily identifiable as you. Try having something simple like Forename Surname or if that’s taken Forename Surname and a reference to your company or industry.
- Ensure you have a professional, high quality photo. Use the one on your work website if available or just take one on a good day. No selfies with sunglasses whilst on holiday or group photo at a festival with a beer in hand.
- Ensure you have a description and it’s relevant, interesting and snappy. This could include:
- your job title,
- company,
- industry and
- any professional bodies you are a member of e.g. @CIPD.
You can also list your personal interests. This is supposed to be a professional account but it certainly does no harm to show your human side. Lastly, in the description box add a disclaimer like ‘all views are my own’. A lot of employers now require their employees to add this to personal profiles and may have an official disclaimer, so check your company’s social media policy before your profile goes public.
Ensure all tweets are professional and avoid tweeting about controversial topics like politics and religion especially when stating a provocative opinion. Have a mixture of tweets, retweets and likes and don’t forget that social media is all about engagement. Join in with conversations that are relevant!
Follow accounts which genuinely interest you otherwise your home feed is going to be very boring.
