If you still think Twitter is a social media tool mainly used to discuss the details of your latest meal, think again. The Global Language Monitor selected Twitter as “Word of the Year,” above Obama and H1N1, to name a few. It has evolved into a sophisticated resource to network, manage your career, and find a new job using 140 characters or less. Before you sign up, here are a few pointers to guide you along.

Some do’s:

• Browse Twitter and read several streams to get a feel for what the community is like. Then decide what you want to accomplish – networking, job seeking, research, fun?
• Choose a professional screen name, whether it’s your first and last name, or one that captures your brand (like me for example: @Resume_Writer).
• Shoot for a 70%-30% business-personal tweet ratio, particularly when you are new. Remember, potential managers and customers will be reading your stream, so "think before you tweet.”
• Engage in interesting conversations, and offer advice to promote your expertise.
• Tweet with regularity and make sure your comments demonstrate your skills and interests. Try to set aside 15 minutes per day to establish a consistent presence.

With all the focus on layoffs and unemployment rates, it is sometimes hard to remember that the majority of Americans are still employed. Implement the advice below to give yourself the best shot at keeping your job, and not being on the top of your manager’s downsizing list if your company restructures.

I interface with numerous HR professionals, hiring managers, and recruiters through my business as a resume writer and career consultant, and LinkedIn recommendations are a hot topic. While some LinkedIn members have none, others have hundreds. Can you have too much of a good thing? And, what makes a recommendation attractive to a company that may be interested in interviewing you?

Remember these 3 basics for a successful job interview

Even the most confident professional can get nervous during an interview. Sticking to the basics will help you focus on compelling answers instead of the butterflies in your stomach. Make sure your responses meet these three requirements for successful interviewing:

1. Relevancy: Answer the question you are asked. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Many jobseekers don’t completely understand the question and start talking hoping “it will come to them.” Warning: the answer won’t come to you. You will only get more anxious as you realize you are off track. Write down questions or ask for them to be repeated if you aren’t 100% clear. Winging it will only get you in trouble.

The only thing an employee fears more than getting laid off is getting fired. Executing a strategic career management plan is the best insurance available to protect you from being involuntarily terminated. Unfortunately, not all employees who are fired deserve it, just as there are workers that are laid off who should have been fired.

LinkedIn has served to advance the careers of numerous professionals, and while some members flourish with this premier business networking site, others just can’t seem to get it right.

Apparently forgetting the basics of good manners, along with the caveat, don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mother (or boss) to see, some members treat LinkedIn as their personal sounding board and free sales tool. By the time the offending member is done, instead of enhancing their network and establishing a positive brand that adds value, they have become a source of ridicule and derision.