Twitter can be a valuable resource

By: Taylor Trudon

Posted: 6/15/09

First, it was the Pokemon cards in elementary school, then the UGG boots in middle school, and then Facebook in high school. Whether they are collector's cards with Japanese animated creatures or Australian boots with sheepskin lining, trends come and go. Then college came, and although I was reluctant to jump on the Twitter bandwagon, it wasn't long before I had to see for myself what the hype was all about.

Like most people, I initially did not understand the premise behind Twitter. To me, it seemed like a rip-off of Facebook where you update your status every five minutes (i.e., "Taylor is eating a bowl of Cap'n Crunch"..."Taylor is now studying quantum physics"). I understood Twitter as a way to not only convey your every thought and action to the entire world in under 140 characters, but also as a convenient way to stalk your favorite celebrities, because really, who doesn't want to get inside John Mayer's mind?

I could very well blame John Mayer for making me join the Twitter community, but instead I'll allow my own curiosity to take responsibility. At first, I was hesitant. Why in the world would I want to share so much information about myself? And then I realized that I didn't have to. Instead of announcing to the entire cyber world that I was flossing my teeth or reading Russian literature, I could twitter (or rather, tweet): "In New York City. Anyone know of any good places to eat on the Upper West Side?" In what seems like a nanosecond, I could instantly get half a dozen responses, each with a list of some of the best eateries that the Big Apple has to offer. No Google necessary.

But with celebrities and restaurants aside, here's the real reason why I joined Twitter: because of the connection. What I love about Twitter is that it is just one more way to stay connected to other people. This becomes especially helpful in the professional world. As a recent winner and recipient of the New York Women in Communications Scholarship, I had the opportunity to meet a handful of brilliant, independent and career-savvy professionals and students who are pursuing their passions within the communications industry like myself.

When you are constantly meeting any new people, all at once, shaking dozens of hands, and exchanging business cards, it can become overwhelming and you are likely to forget important information and more importantly, to stay in touch. I have a tendency to take a mental snapshot of each person and file that picture into a catalog in the back of my brain, hoping I can later recall if the individual works at NBC, CBS or ABC. But, with the technology of Twitter, you can more easily "follow" these individuals, receiving their status updates while keeping up to speed on their business endeavors, non-profit organization projects and published works.

As an aspiring magazine editor, I strongly believe that for those interested in media and communications, it is imperative to immerse yourselves in every technology medium available. From potential writing gigs to increased blog readership, Twitter is the newest and most innovative social networking tool to allow such a flow of information to be shared in a multitude of ways. Twitter serves as a vehicle to advertise yourself and your skills. By putting up links to articles you have written or to the Web that you contribute to, a potential job could emerge because you never know who is reading your updates. Twitter is yet another news source where you can retrieve new information, blog posts and stories.

Twitter is more than just another silly social networking device. While you can chat with your friends and keep tabs (or "creep") on Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, it doesn't hurt to use Twitter smartly and to your advantage. Unlike UGG boots and Pokémon cards, I have a feeling that Twitter is a trend that is here to stay.