Recruiter: “Who will follow me on Twitter? I am not that interesting”
I was reading a post over on Pinstripe Talent's Recruitalicious blog today, and in it Ali Webster remarks how she asked recruiters several social media orientated questions at a recent round table event he hosted. While Facebook and LinkedIn pretty much surprised the session, Twitter, however did not. One of the concerns raised regarding Twitter was:
Who will follow me on The Twitter? I’m not that interesting.
Having talked alot about Twitter recently with recruitment companies, I just wanted to dispel this obvious concerns for recruiters.
Here is my answer to any recruiter that asks me this question………
You are a recruiter, right? You do make placements, right? And you do regularly speak to candidates, right?
Now, pop down to the local fish counter, buy a nice big fresh fish and slap yourself round the face a few times with it ! (my little tip for waking people from a stupidity slumber!)
Once you have stopped being a social media muppet for a moment, just think about why companies and candidates come to you in the first place? Think about it……..
- You are an expert in your field
- You are knowledgeable about your sector
- You help clients and candidates alike (not just for money)
- You are honest (I know there are many recruiters that will fail here!)
- You are well connected
- You go that extra mile when needed, giving free advice
- You are well read about your industry
- You keep up to date with the latest news in your sector / industry
- You do actually have a sense of humour
- You believe in the power of networking
- You belong and contribute to many different groups on LinkedIn
- As a 'clever' recruiter you subscribe to the 'pay it forward' principle
- You always have some great live jobs at any one time
- You regularly refer people to others, when they are better suited to help than yourself
Now, tell me again why candidates who may want a new job or advice, and clients who want excellent candidates won't find you interesting, and will not want to follow you on Twitter?
The people who are successful on Twitter, exhibit all of the above (in different ways) while they are building their own following on Twitter. They share information, they engage with people, they share funny moments and they understand what a powerful platform it can be.
So if you really are a social media muppet, and you have listened to the hype and negative press regarding Twitter, think again. Twitter (and the other social media channels like LinkedIn and Facebook) are a great way of reaching out and engaging with people, that will become valuable to you at some stage, now or in the future.
For me, questioning your ability to be interesting is the same as admitting that you don't understand what you do every day in your job as a good recruiter!
Not being interesting = being boring.
If you were that boring, you wouldn't be the good recruiter you are, and clients and candidates wouldn't show the desire to talk to you as they do, would they?
So therefore, contrary to what you may think, you must be an interesting person after all!
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Comments 4
Stephenodonn
Phew, that’s a relief.
My wife often says, “Why on earth are 500 people following you on Twitter? You’re not that interesting. I wouldn’t follow to the end of the garden”. Lovely woman, my wife.
I do think people need to get over themselves a little. Us Brits are modest, and a little bashful by nature, and the terminology of “Following” infers that you are some kind of leader. In truth, it’s much more democratic that, and no-one is anyone’s leader. We all have something to say, and even the least experienced of us will be listened to.
Twitter creates a level playing field, where Joe Bloggs can be conversing with Stephen Fry, and anyone can chat to famous business leaders like say Duncan Bannatyne or politicians, like my MP, Tom Harris. For experienced recruiters, who communicate for a living, it should be an absolute breeze, and they should be in their element.
Ali Webster
Andy, I will be copying & pasting your entire post into the comments section of my post on Recruitalicious. Then, I will read it aloud (in my booming orator’s voice) during the next recruiter round table.
A big 10-4 on your points, thanks for expanding on this key factor. The “I’m not that interesting” syndrome is an emotional hurdle that needs to be cleared in order to become more effective recruiters. Once that concern is put aside, there are numerous resources available that can empower recruiters to learn more about the platform and Twitter time-management techniques.
PS Can you add an “s” to “he” in the first paragraph?
Andy Headworth
Correct Stephen - ‘no-one is anyone’s leader’ on Twitter. It is all about the ability and the vision to engage with a real wealth of people at all levels.
As I have intimated in the post, people follow others who they find interesting, wether they have 50 followers or 5000. It is all personal interpretation of the word interesting!!
However for recruiters not to think they can get something out of Twitter, then they need to go and find a big fat wet fish!!!
Andy Headworth
Thanks Ali,
You are right about the Twitter resources out there, and I share many at Twitter recruiting workshops. But the desire needs to be there to use it - it recruiters just don’t get it, then there is no point forcing them!!
>>>Sorry for the typo<<<<<
Andy