These days, Twitter is a job-skill must

The rapid evolution of all types of technology has opened up opportunities for job growth in recent years. In some cases, such as green energy, an entire sector is being developed that could result in millions of new jobs over the next several years. In others, such as with social media, new positions are already springing up within established industries calling for skills to leverage the latest trend and increase profits.

One year ago, chances were the average person had never heard of Twitter and the potential of the site was still unclear. But just 12 months later, it is clear that the popularity of Twitter has exploded. In February 2008, there were 475,000 unique visitors to Twitter, but in February 2009 that number had increased to 7 million.

And the site’s growth has shown little sign of slowing. July figures from WebProNews show that the site added 9.3 million new users over the course of the month. More than 652 million tweets were sent by all users in July.

There is also abundant evidence that the site is not only being used as a way for people to discuss their everyday activities. In fact, Twitter has evolved into a major component of many companies’ marketing strategies. These means businesses are scrambling to make sure they are not left behind when it comes to making the most of these 140-character messages that can reach countless "followers."

According to Email Data Source, Twitter is now the most linked-to social media site in email marketing campaigns. The blog’s data from June shows that a total of 9,506 such campaigns link to Twitter, compared to 8,636 which use Facebook, the second-most-popular site.

As Twitter becomes more ubiquitous, a growing number of employers are requesting that job candidates be savvy with the tool.

Trend statistics from oDesk show that the number of jobs posted that request Twitter skills has increased to more than 350 per month as of July 2009. In total, there have been more than 1,000 positions posted on oDesk that mention Twitter in their description.

What type of jobs require knowledge of social networking websites? In the technology realm, companies are seeking software developers to complete jobs that include application and widget design, development and integration. These employers may also be seeking PHP developers and those with C++ and Perl skills to create applications and websites that can work with Twitter.

But perhaps the most common sector to require Twitter skills is marketing.  Recently posted positions on oDesk that mention Twitter include marketing assistant, graphic designer, and SEO blogger.

Bob Van Rossum, president of MarketPro, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that any roles in the advertising, marketing or communications industry will be interested in people who can get a message out to as many people as possible.

"If you’re in one of those fields, it’s now required for you to be pretty savvy in the social media area, even if it’s not your primary focus," he told the news provider.

There are also jobs being created that are exclusively devoted to creating running a business’ social media presence, including setting up a Twitter account. These are often contract positions that are offered to freelance professionals who can implement a social media strategy quickly, Van Rossum told the Constitution.