A guest blog from Graham Salisbury:
OK. So what does Twitter do for me?
At the basic level it’s an integral part of my masterplan to launch my HR Case Studies blog onto an unsuspecting work!
I first developed HR Case Studies in July 2010, intending it to be (as it says on the tin) “a resource pool of HR related updates and HR case studies from the national press for teachers of Business Studies.” Twitter is invaluable not only in driving traffic to the emerging site, but it also serves as a live stream of news items for potential inclusion on my blog.
It’s also very effective in initiating a debate which can then carry over to the blog itself. Fortunately, even though my followers may be relatively low in numbers, they are high in engagement, and frequently re-tweet information about the latest blog post to a wider network. The ability to communicate on a global basis is a real advantage of twitter.
As the majority of bloggers also seem to be twitterers, the ability to pick up tips, tricks, larks, dodges and wizard wheezes is one not to be missed. There are few questions about communication in general, and blogging in particular that, once asked on twitter, will remain unanswered.
My main strategy for using twitter is to keep the numbers I’m following down to a manageable level; I only use the standard twitter home page, so don’t want to be overwhelmed with tweets from people that I’m only vaguely interested in. I regularly cull those that I’m following if their updates don’t serve any useful purpose. I also do the same with those who follow me; as I’m keen to present a professional face to the world, I don’t want to be seen as a mere collector of twitter-scalps, many of whom are of dubious pedigree!
One thing that gets on my nerves about twitter? Automated tweets programmed to be issued in the middle of the night, normally containing either unfathomable Chinese proverbs or stomach-wrenching inspirational quotations. If you’ve got something to say, say it yourself; don’t get a machine to do it for you!
You can find me on twitter at http://twitter.com/grahamsalisbury
Although most of my career has been in the turbulent word of HR, I originally trained as a teacher and acquired my battle scars in (literally!) the worst performing school in the UK. I now operate in the hazy zone somewhere between professional HR and academia, combining ad hoc HR consultancy with University lecturing. My HR Case Studies blog is aimed at enlightening and entertaining members of both the HR community and Business Studies/HR Management teachers by using items of HR interest from the daily news as an opportunity for debate.
Graham
Tags: graham salisbury, guest blog, hr, twitter
Graham, your post about HR caught my eye because I just earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration with emphasis on HR last year. I have been trying to find a way to do HR studies that are “true” without putting employees in jeopardy of losing their jobs. There was a reply to an earlier blog I did about doing a blind study. The reply from an individual indicated there could never be a study that “truly” reflected HR “practices” because organizations would never tell what actually happens. I do tend to agree. I really think there are tons of literature from scholars about HR concepts, but not nearly enough about the acutal PRACTICES. I want to find organizations that PRACTICE these concepts and the results. I am thirsty for proof of the benefits scholars say these concepts will bring.
[...] Using Twitter for HR Case Studies – What Twitter Does For Me … [...]
[...] Read the full story [...]