After spending the past few months attending various industry conferences, I have to admit that I left feeling surprised. Maybe even shocked. Could Twitter really be the latest and greatest sourcing tool? Twitter is the microblogging site that has been taking the recruiting industry by storm. Twitter seems to be everywhere. We see it discussed on webinars. We read about it in articles. We might even be active "Tweeters" ourselves…but how effective is Twitter for sourcing and recruiting? I signed up for Twitter a few months ago and I wasn’t convinced…

Over the past week, Facebook seemed convinced and offered to acquire Twitter for $500 million. A recent Nielsen report was convinced and reported that Twitter will grown 343% in 2009. The estimated 6 million users seem convinced. Yet, I was still skeptical and decided the best way to find out would be to start tweeting. Over the past few weeks, I have witnessed a “social media job hunt” experiment, learned about various recruitment tools, attended an Ernst and Young live recruiting event, and reviewed several job openings. It quickly became clear that many recruiters have identified candidates, established relationships, and created a solid employer brand on Twitter. nGenera, a software company, hired 70% of its new hires this year using Facebook, Twtter, and LinkedIn.

Here are some tips on how to strengthen your recruiting strategy using Twitter:

• Be Creative- When creating your profile, make sure you include relevant information in your bio in order to attract followers. Some recruiters even include “I just posted seven (7) Developer jobs (Symbian to C++).”

• Update, Update, Update - Take advantage of the “What Are You Doing” option by posting job opportunities, listing companies, and self-promoting. Posting can enhance your employer brand and your personal brand. It can also help to build relationships that will improve your chances at finding candidates for tough-to-fill jobs.

• Provide Content- The most popular tweeters are able to drive traffic to their page by linking to relevant articles, videos, blogs and discussions.

• Direct Message – Invite discussion by sending personal, private messages to fellow “Tweeters” and make sure to let them know what positions you are looking to fill or what candidates you are sourcing.

• Download Tools - Twhirl is one example of a Twitter tool that can save you time, keep you organized and automate your updates. You can find other tools at the download option on the bottom of the home page. Tweetbeep is another tool that will let alert you of the latest news and tweets relevant to your candidate search.

• Search - Twitter purchased search.twitter.com to help you find individuals efficiently. Some recruiters have success with both general and specific searches.

With a myriad of social media sites to choose from, Twitter seems to be the de-facto microblogging site and an effective way for recruiters and sourcers to reach both active and passive candidates. Although there is a lot of information or misinformation to sift through (I recently read a tweet about someone asking for kidnappers to come and take his kids), it is important to keep up with potential candidates and break out of your comfort zone. As one Tweeter said, “Recruiters should use Social Media as extension of tried & true 'networking' instead of business cards” …interesting thought…