How L&D Pros Can Tap Twitter for Professional Growth

I just got a notification for my 14th anniversary of joining Twitter and it made me reflect upon what a valuable contribution it has been to my professional development and growth. 

STEP 1 – Sign up! 

Head over to Twitter.com to sign up for free. Choose a professional Twitter username. That is what people will see and associate with you. 

STEP 2 – Create your bio 

Start by creating a profile short bio – don’t skip this step. This is how people will know who you are and what you’re interested in. Keep it short and concise – you only have 160 characters. And be sure to include a photo! 

Here’s some ideas for creating a good bio. 

STEP 3 – Start building your network 

Go on the hunt for other L&D professionals on Twitter. You can search for people, keywords or hashtags.  Start with experts you already value. This way you’ll get access to them without needing to wait for their next book to come out or for the next conference to roll around.  

If you’d like a head start, follow this pre-made list of “Workplace Learning Tweeters”. 

If you’re looking for some recommendations, here are some L&D pros that I’d suggest following. 

Twitter offers anyone a great opportunity to connect with potential collaborators, develop new business relationships and even find curriculum developers or instructional designers. 

Who you will follow first? I’d love to hear what you think. Drop me a line via email at mtaylor@change4growth.com or even better on Twitter. You’ll find me at twitter.com/tmiket 


 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MIKE TAYLOR 

With over two decades of real-life, in-the-trenches experience designing and delivering learning experiences, Mike Taylor understands that effective learning isn’t about the latest fad or trendy new tools. Known for his practical, street-savvy style, Mike is a regular and highly-rated speaker at industry events and consults on organizational learning design and technology at Change 4 Growth in Columbus, Ohio and teaches in the Franklin University Instructional Design & Performance Technology graduate program. Mike holds an MBA degree from Ohio University and a master’s degree in educational technology from San Diego State University.

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