Why You Should Not Be Tweeting

I feel like a lot of my friends and even some industry colleagues think I should be on Twitter. What do you think?

Everyone is posting stuff. I know I need to post things I guess or do something. What should I do?

Why do I even need to do anything other than be on LinkedIn?

I got a Twitter account. What do I need to be tweeting about?

Do I need to be tweeting about stuff? I am not sure why.

In the work that I do many executives and serious career professionals ask me career impacting questions kind of like what you see above. Among those questions are these as they correspond to social branding, personal branding, so-called social media (which I call professional media mostly), LinkedIn, Twitter, and sometimes forums like Facebook and Instagram. Mostly I am focused on Twitter and tweeting for this article but the application applies to all in lots of ways.

Many of the questions you see above about one's own personal brand go like this in the start of the questioning from clients and potential clients who, outside of their company, feel compelled to "do more" on social media. Some of the platforms now converge so it's hard to just talk about one. For example, you can post something on LinkedIn, connect Facebook and Twitter and share simultaneously with all.

Here are some thoughts and insights if you are thinking about jumping in and becoming more active:

Should I even be on Twitter? In general and to a client my response is often yes, I want you on Twitter; however, I don't necessarily want you to be tweeting. I ask: Can you discipline yourself? In fact with some of my clients who are seeking jobs quietly and trying to build their somewhat confidential personal brands, Twitter can be distraction and even hurt their chances for advancement and employment. It can diminish them if they don't understand the impact of tweeting. With my entrepreneurial clients Twitter could be very helpful for them personally or their business. Without a clear plan to tweet and if you can be disciplined I find Twitter to be potentially a great mining tool for advanced entrepreneurs and savvy professionals. A tool it is like a hammer. It can build. It can destroy and destruct.

Your Lack Of Social Medial Discipline Can Hurt You. I see a total lack of planning and discipline to most people's so-called personal brand building on LinkedIn for example and especially on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Professionals may post an article or share a professional event on LinkedIn but on Twitter they share a snide remark or an unsavory post. Their wittiness in the limited character universe can be easily misinterpreted. This can be a anger to you, your clients and stakeholders especially in a platform that reinforces your immediate impulse.

Share Insight Not Impulse. In my world of executives in career change, outplacement or transition I see them start sharing articles and information multiple times a day or week. They feel like they need to take action with the mindset of any action could be helpful but that's not often the case. Unless your personal and professional brand is about instant reactions, impulse and quick responses it's much better to take a much more measured view. Insights take time, reflection, further reading and a thought about their impact. Many on platforms like Twitter don't seem to condone or reward this approach and that's exactly why my clients take it. Observe the flocks of birds and where they fly then go the other way.

Watch And Listen. Unless your brand depends on your quick reaction and response on platforms like Twitter it's best to observe, follow and not to share. You will gain less attention but be able to gain insights into other people, key audiences, companies and much more. Instead of oversharing impulsively I highly recommend and guide my clients to simple stay still and listen. Then possibly with careful, conservative and quiet intention do we talk about sharing relevant, brand building material and original insights. I want my clients to look professional, decisive, engaged and consistent.

That's not what sites like Twitter reward for those who need to and want to tweet. Impulsive reactions and real-time wittiness is trading in for thoughtful, professional introspection. Your freedom to share, tweet, react or respond on "social media" should be a well thought out career impacting plan. If not you are free to experience the many consequences you can read about every day. Tweet if you want but I would get a game plan before you do. My argument against oversharing and tweeting is my bias. My opinion, I know, may not stop you. Maybe you have a compelling personal brand reason to tweet away and share share share. You also have the right to doing things that could hurt your professional and personal brand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In his 28th year of career strategy coaching, outplacement and best practices in career services, John M. O'Connor has written 31 Feature Articles and been cited in 100+ Expert Panel Quote publications for Forbes on career and workplace issues. He became the first private practice Reach Branding Certified Specialist in North Carolina and is the first Certified Federal Job Search Trainer (CFJST). With a unique fiction writing pedigree, he obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Bowling Green State University. He has written multiple LinkedIn articles and contributed to career transition stories for Yahoo! Hotjobs, Monster.com, CNN-Money, The Ladders, AOL.com, and in many newspaper publications locally and nationally. 

His diversified experience includes serving as a college professor and as a United States Army officer. John is a keynote speaker and corporate trainer offering consultations, outplacement and talent issues, best workplace issues and human resource services.