It got me thinking. What would happen if I could only be on one social media site. Ultimately, I’d choose TWITTER.
It’s crazy considering I’ve only been active on Twitter for about 10 months. But, it’s completely changed my view of social media, and as dramatic as it sounds, the direction of my life and career. I would have no doubt been one of those naysayers, who can’t stand Twitter, if I hadn’t seen some friends tweeting while I was still in college.
Once I got over the initial sense of being overwhelmed by the sense of information overload and the fear of saying something dumb, I became OBSESSED with the tool. And the seemingly endless uses for it. Think about it? What other site can act as a news feed, a place to connect with friends and a place to get advice from amazing pros in your industry. All in one place and in real-time.
If it weren’t for Twitter, I wouldn’t have the amazing job I have today. Instead of using Monster, Yahoo Hotjobs and other big job search engines, I used Twitter (and Linkedin and Brazen Careerist to a lesser extent) as my personalized job search engine. It gave me real-time results way faster than waiting for the Monster posting. Let’s face it, by the time it makes it to Monster. It’s probably too late.
Then, there are the Twitter chats. I mean what’s a better way to build a sense of community and learn from other people in your industry than a Twitter chat. It’s truly remarkable.
But getting back on track. Is there any other site with so many endless uses, like Twitter? I’d love to hear from you, please leave your comments below.
I 100% completely agree. I’ve been on Twitter since January and kind of fought it even then. I can’t imagine life without it.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Jenn! It’s crazy to think how you fight something for so long and then suddenly be so addicted to it. When I first joined Twitter, I thought it was the stupidest thing ever. Now, just like you, I can’t imagine life without it.
I think your experiences are very similar to how other people’s, in that you go through a period of confusion (overwhelming) and perhaps feeling a little lost. Then you start tweeting and connecting with people, and interacting with them, and it’s like a new world opens up.
For me, the moment when I saw the amazing power and speed of Twitter to convey info was when I was working in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. One day, a car went over the rails and fell into the harbor (I don’t remember exactly how this happened). My office overlooked the harbor so I could see the trucks and all the people gathered. But I didn’t even think to look out the window until I read a tweet that said something to the effect of “OMG, a car just went into the harbor!”
Since then, it’s been my main news source, and a lifeline for my business. I’m able to get in touch with reporters who might have ignored my emails previously. I’m able to get to know people in my professional community from around the world, and I’m more easily able to connect with friends and professional acquaintances than ever before.
That said, I often have to remind myself that the world doesn’t revolve around Twitter! And that not everyone is using it.