This is the second post in our social media series! To learn about how Facebook can help you market yourself professionally, please refer to our first post.

From its conception, Twitter has been a go-to networking platform for those looking to share information, chat with leaders in their field, and develop a presence to wield in future job searches. Though limited to 140 words or less, tweets have become as powerful as airwaves when it comes to sharing information and news. In fact, in many cases, they’re faster—and it’s precisely because of their speed and brevity that they’ve become such a choice source for information in our fast-paced society. As a result, many take to Twitter first when searching for content and connections, and therefore, having your own Twitter presence can be a great way to stand out in your field and be heard.

Don’t let the word “tweeting” fool you—this social media platform gives you a big voice. Here are some ways to harness it:

1. Follow the leaders. Chances are, if a person you look up to in your field is prominent enough, he or she will have a Twitter account. Find them, follow them, and then follow some more. Twitter will tailor a list of recommendations for you based on who you follow, and as a result, you can often find more connections in your field with just a click or two. Some will even follow you back—and who you follow, as well as who follows you, says a lot about you on your profile.
2. Use common #hashtags and keep them short and sweet. The more common the hashtag, the more likely your tweet will be found by others discussing the same subjects. Hashtags are also great ways to discover tweets by others in your industry and spark conversations with people you may otherwise have never spoken to.
3. Deck out your profile. Write an informative bio, create groups to sort your contacts into, and link to your other profiles and online content. Remember, your profile includes your most recent tweets as well, so be sure to tweet about your latest accomplishments and link to whatever published work or projects you may have to show. Keeping your Twitter up-to-date is a helpful way of keeping in touch—and showing that you’re on the move.

Do you already have a Twitter account, or is the “140 characters or less” rule too confining for you? Then trying out Tumblr or your very own blog may be the best next step! Keep an eye out next week for our third installment of the series on what Tumblrs and blogs can do for you.