Twesumes – what are they and will they work?

In 2011, 89% of companies used social networks for marketing, including NAHCR. Social media is clearly becoming a mainstay in the health care industry, especially for those recruiting for it.

Recruitment has come a long way from paper applications, mailed-in resumes, and having face time with each and every applicant we interviewed. As our world becomes more social media friendly, so does the world of the candidate.

Twitter users across the world have started using what has been dubbed a “twesume” – a resume in 140 characters or less. Twesumes are “flexible, living documents” that can change with you as you change tasks, change job titles, or even change career fields.

In the world of health care recruiting this can be revolutionary, even for the naysayers of social media. If a physical therapist or surgical nurse tweeted at your hospital or health care facility, “@HealthCareInstitution: 20-year OR nurse with 6 years in CVOR. Current ACLS, BLS, CVOR certifications. Excellent work history. Relocating to your area.” That candidate is no longer a name in a database – they are an active follower of your institution and have reached out to you in a very direct way.

Candidates who have not caught on to this trend yet can be encouraged to by your company. Tweet to your followers that you are having a twesume contest. Explain what a twesume is and see what valuable candidates you may have been missing.

Not everyone who drafts a resume knows how to best present themselves. By limiting the applicant to 140 characters or less, you are really getting to their skill set and what they want to be known. While this may not be a complete work history on the person contacting you, it does give you a place to begin a dialogue.

Health care recruiters can begin utilizing this avenue for recruitment before the trend really hits, and we will be on the forefront of this wonderful new recruiting tool.

Try it for your facility and post your results!