One of the many things I've learned about social media over the years is that it is inundated with valuable information sources. I mean that in a good way.
My mother has told me more than once that the biggest reason she avoids social media is because she doesn't want to hear about what people had for breakfast that day. I understand where she's coming from because things do pop up on all of our Twitter timelines and Facebook walls that, quite frankly, we don't need or want to know about.
However, I've found the best way to weed out the superfluous information and focus on a topic is to participate in the many Twitter chats available on the social network. Twitter's use of the hashtag is ingenious because it allows users to follow a certain conversation.
Recently, I've been trying to participate in at least three Twitter chats per week. Today, for example, I joined in on #careerchat on CityGal Magazine's Twitter account . (I am partnering with CityGal Magazine to help them with social media marketing and also writing this blog.)
For those of you unfamiliar with Twitter chats, let me give you a quick background. Twitter chats are generally scheduled once a week and last about an hour. The host of the chat usually asks four or five questions of the participants. Conversation ensues, opinions and experiences are given and links to articles relating to the topic are shared. To join in on a chat in Twitter, you simply need to know the time of the chat and the hashtag. Type in the hashtag in your search bar on Twitter, click on the link it provides and you'll be able to follow the conversation and reply.
#Careerchat is hosted by Amanda Guralski, co-founder of bizME.biz, an online magazine with a focus of mentoring and guiding young professional women through their careers and lifestyles. I met Amanda once face-to-face (although I'm not sure she remembers) during a lunch with mutual friends at social media hot spot AJ Bombers in downtown Milwaukee. After this lunch, I quickly followed her on Twitter because our conversation during that lunch intrigued me. This is how I found out about #careerchat. (Amanda partners with Manpower Inc.'s MyPath to hold #careerchat each week.)
The topic of this week's #careerchat was if a person's general good looks gave them an advantage in job interviews and promotions or even just better favor in the workplace.
What I liked about this particular topic was that it could have very easily digressed into a flood of complaints, but it didn't. What transpired was a discussion that was thoughtful, intelligent and insightful. The participants shared personal experiences and opinions. While primarily women participated in the conversation, there were several men who offered their point of view. It became obvious that this wasn't just a "women's issue." Also, several helpful articles and studies were shared during the course of the chat that I looked up later.
By the time I left #careerchat, I had resources for the topic at hand, new followers for information and a feeling of comradery. It was a nice break in the middle of the work day; but, even better, it made me think.
If you are new to Twitter or just haven't found the benefit of it, I highly recommend finding a chat to join like #careerchat. There are undoubtedly hundreds - or even thousands - out there waiting for you.
#Careerchat occurs on Tuesdays at noon CST.
