Twitter is currently a pretty popular social network, and it has become a vital tool in the IT sector. Here people share tips, look for work, solve everyday problems, and launch startups. We set out to discover why programmers love Twitter so much, and, more importantly, why start an account here in 2024.
Why Should a Programmer Run Twitter?
Keeping your Twitter account means regularly posting tweets and actively commenting on other community members. In addition to pleasure and self-expression, it brings quite specific benefits. Here are a few advantages that the social network gives:
Expanding the Circle of Communication
Social networks enable people to expand their horizons and meet colleagues from other towns, companies, industries, and even nations. If you want to perform more networking and grow your professional contacts, create a Twitter account.
Access to Mentors
If you are researching a new technology for yourself, you can quickly find a mentor on Twitter who is well-versed in it. The mentor will assist you with creating a development roadmap, which is a thorough plan for reaching your professional goals.
It can be broken down into small daily or weekly tasks that will be convenient to monitor and control using an online schedule maker. The qualified experts will also answer questions, examine your code, and provide feedback.
Acquiring New Information
On Twitter, information is posted in a series of short posts – they are called threads. Discussions about hard topics are also common on Twitter, for instance, you can read a thread about salary in game development and learn the horrible reality of other people’s earnings.
A Better Understanding of the Labor Market Situation
Source: hoover.org
Twitter is useful for keeping track of job opportunities in the business as well as the intricacies of employment: what salary can I ask for, what nuances may be involved in hiring and dismissing. Developers frequently publish important tools and life tips, and they are occasionally looking for new members to join their company.
Community Support
In the community, you can ask for help or advice. The more people who read you, the more personal recommendations you can get in response to the question. Support can be not only in the form of advice but also as direct participation of colleagues. In many cases, public opinion becomes decisive, especially if there is a conflict.
Opportunity to Get a Job Offer
Sometimes it is enough to publicly announce your dismissal to immediately receive a dozen offers. Or you can just be present in the public field – recruiters from large companies or promising startups will pay attention to this. Programmers often become unspoken brand ambassadors – thanks to their posts, the employer attracts new applicants.
Furthermore, you can acquire a referral program suggestion or recommend people yourself – and earn a modest bonus. In general, the more active you are on Twitter, the more people remember you as a specialist rather than an abstract user.
Solving Everyday Issues
If you have a lot of subscribers, then a public complaint against the company can help you get money back for substandard services.
Invitations to Meetups and Conferences as a Speaker
Twitter allows you to be visible not only to specific people but also to conference and event organizers. The more famous you are, the more probable it is that you will be asked to perform.
In some cases, a public appeal via Twitter, especially if you have a lot of followers, can also benefit a startup. There were many cases when the team could not get a response from the support service, but through the social network, they contacted the company and received help.
What to Write About So That You Can Be Read
Source: techradar.com
Here are some recommendations for those who have just come to Twitter and do not yet know how to get used to the platform.
Write Threads
Many IT professionals use Twitter because they enjoy the format of the conversations. This is an excellent storytelling format, and it is also an excellent opportunity to update an existing collection or story. This format is ideal for technical information because a huge article may be outdated, but the thread is not; merely commenting on it allows you to update it.
The community values threads about work and life abroad. And if you have interesting cases about interviews – also be sure to write about them.
But technical threads are especially popular. If you know interesting ways to solve work tasks or can explain complex things on your fingers – go ahead.
Retweet and Comment on Popular Bloggers
If a comment is loved by one of the thousands of bloggers who follow retweets, they can subscribe to you. However, your page must include unique, interesting material rather than just retweets.
Speak Honestly and Write What You Think
To find your audience, you do not need to try to please someone. It is better to write about what is interesting to yourself and enjoy it.
Possible Pitfalls
Source: thesun.ie
There are disadvantages to an active life on social networks. Your answers will likely be read not only by fellow programmers but by employers. And it is not a fact that they will like it. Therefore, several things should not be done on Twitter, or it is better to approach them with caution:
Scold the Employer on Twitter
The company may take offense and terminate your contract. Some recruiters may blacklist you for such transgressions. However, if you are certain that you will never work for a particular company, you are free to write whatever you like about them.
Talk About Your Salary
Most companies ask not to disclose this information publicly. But according to the law, no one can prohibit it – the salary does not fall under the NDA or trade secret.
Disclose Confidential Information
Several items are covered by the NDA. Before you begin working, you must sign a confidentiality agreement. This information is legally protected and cannot be disclosed. What is contained in the NDA is determined by the company’s wishes. Do not put off reading your contract. If in doubt, check with the lead, legal, or PR department.
To sum up
A developer needs Twitter to join the community, develop professionally, and learn new things about technology and the market. Creating an account will take a couple of minutes, and writing posts will take quite a bit of time. If you do not have a Twitter account yet, it might be time to create one.
