Twitter is good for many things...even getting you out of jail!

Yes, you heard me right....

Check out the quote from this story I ran across...

Buck, a U.C. Berkeley graduate student of journalism, managed to type out a simple one word message -- "Arrested" -- to his network of followers on Twitter. Friends, fellow students and journalists quickly sprang into action by contacting U.C. Berkeley, the U.S. embassy in Egypt, the Associated Press, and other media outlets. The next day, Buck walked out of jail a free man with a U.C. Berkeley hired lawyer at his side and the U.S. embassy on the phone.

So, what are your thoughts about Twitter?

I'm now a Twitter user...am I a Twit? I'd define Twitter as a combination of a social-networking tool + instant message. Like most social networking sites what you type or twit can be public or private and you can allow almost anyone to follow your twits - and you can follow almost anyone's twits as well. I know...I am now over using the word twit.

So, who is really using Twitter anyway? I surprisingly saw where Democratic Presidential Candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton use Twitter...do they update it themselves or do one of their interns or staff members do this for them?

What if you are addicted to Twitter? I think my brother is and a few nights ago I called him a twit-a-holic...he didn't disagree.

Some of you out there that are a Recruiter like me might check out myspace or facebook to see if a candidate you are considering has a profile and if they do what does it look like or reveal about them? As a Recruiter I have done this before but I don't do it consistently with every new hire.

If you're a candidate (and twit user) out there check out this post on Fistful of Talent regarding what to be careful about. Below is a quote from that post...

Here's my take - the digital footprint is positive, but whether it has any impact on the hiring decision depends on three things:

1. Whether you use the digital profile to expand your knowledge or otherwise work more effectively..,

2. Whether you are giving me WAAAAAAY too much information in what you post... and

3. The type of job I have to fill.... If there's creativity involved and you're using the tool to expand your vision via #1, it's a plus... If I don't need that based on the job, than it's probably neutral or perhaps a liability...

So, for those of you twits out there, go ahead and twit away...just remember that it's always out there and available for anyone to find, read, and even possibly hold against you...