“A Twitter chat is where a group of Twitter users meet at a pre-determined time to discuss a certain topic, using a designated hashtag (#) for each tweet contributed. A host or moderator will pose questions (designated with Q1, Q2…) to prompt responses from participants (using A1, A2…) and encourage interaction among the group.” (Source: Buffer Blog)
| Hashtag | Time | Video | Moderator(s) |
| #Tchat | Wednesday at 1pm EST | On website | @talentculture, @KevinWGrossman,@MeghanMBiro |
| #EBchat (Employer Branding) | 1st Thurs of Month | @BryanChaney@ThisIsLars | |
| #OMCchat (Open Mic Career) | Friday 12pm EST | @CyndyTrivella @TomBolt @LevyRecruits; | |
| #nextchat | Wednesday3pm EST | @SHRMnextchat | |
| #hootjobs | Biweekly 3pm EST | On periscope | @ThisIsLars @HootsuiteLife |
| #rechangout (Recruiters hangout) | Monthly Wednesday 8am EST | On website | @ColleagueRS @louisetriance@greg_savage @alanwhitford |
| #KeepThemEngaged | 10am EST | @HeadHR_Deepak | |
| #LinkedInchat | Wednesdays 8pm EST | @AmberJonesMktg @LinkedInExpert | |
| #careerservchat | Thursdays 10pm EST | @RichCareer | |
| #HRtrends | Thursdays 7:30am EST | @plugHR |
This is a great way to audition Twitter chats before diving into a conversation right away.
After lurking, you’ll quickly notice who the regulars are. When you decide to finally join the chat, know that there are a lot of social rules at play even in a virtual community, and thus there are some common rules of etiquette to follow, especially to be adhered to during your first chat. You’re the new kid, so that first impression is key. However, I will say that it is very hard to find an inhospitable twitter chat. Most are very welcoming and are glad to see new faces because they know that means their conversation is only growing.
Free tools like TweetChat and Hootsuite can help automate hashtagging while chatting. These free tools also help ease the entire experience by isolating tweets being exchanged on that chat on the same window wherein you write and post your tweets to a chat. This removes the need to switch back and forth from multiple windows, which can get dizzying especially for chats that are very active.
So what happens to chats when they end? Do they disappear into the Twitter ether? Only to resurface when searched?
For the most organized of communities, these gatherings are documented through a story, or should I say Storify—a collection of tweets pieced together to convey a story. Here’s an example of the Storify for Talent Chat (#tchat).
Twitter has changed the way we think of “the meeting of the minds.” Twitter chats allow for anyone with shared interests to “meet” at a specified hashtag and time to share ideas and contribute to a community’s collective thought. Follow @careerarc and share your favorite chats, topics, and tips on #talkHR.
Hope you enjoyed our Recruiter’s Guide to Twitter Chats. See you on the next chat!