Tips for job hunting on Twitter; Americans blame their mattresses for their daily woes

Tips for job hunting in the Twittersphere

RESUME TWEETS: Can you keep your resume under 140 characters?

You may be able to tweet your way into a new career, according to Susan Britton Whitcomb, Deb Dib and Chandlee Bryan, co-authors of recently published book “The Twitter Job Search Guide.” The micro-blogging Web site is changing how people hunt for work, they said.

“In the past, you had to go through a maze of gatekeepers to get to the cloistered person in charge of hiring decisions,” Britton Whitcomb said. “Now you can have access to them with the click of a ‘Follow’ button. The ability to level the playing field — placing you nearly peer-to-peer with influencers, leaders and hiring authorities — is extremely powerful.”

The authors give these tips for your short and sweet, real-time job search:

— Active participation is essential. Take the time to regularly expand your network and engage others. Building relationships online requires patience, but you should be able to enhance your reputation and develop a fan base using just 15 minutes a day.

— Be transparent when reaching out to a hiring manager or person with influence about a job, but make sure the relationship is give-and-take in some way. Don’t just ask them to give you a position. Instead, give advice or demonstrate expertise on a subject that matters to them, and let them know you’re looking for work.

— Be sure to post regular updates about your job search, and acknowledge those who are helping you along the way.

— Be specific when it comes to your career objectives, skills, interests and your brand.

“Successful job seekers have a distinct brand that helps their networking contacts and prospective employers get a quick picture of who they are, how they work and how their talents would bring value to the table,” Dib said.

BLAME YOUR MATTRESS: Would you buy a new mattress if you thought it would improve your sex life?

About a third of adults recently surveyed said they would. Meanwhile, nearly half of those who responded to the poll said their old or uncomfortable mattress makes them feel ill and unrested.

The random telephone survey of 1,043 Americans, conducted by market research firm Harris Interactive Inc., found that nearly a third have been late to work or school, or made their children late, due to tossing and turning the night before. About 10 percent blamed a bad mattress for snapping at a boss, while 8 percent said they’ve secretly napped at work because they couldn’t get comfortable enough to sleep the night before.

Single people are most likely to let a rough night affect their level of activity the following day. More than three-quarters of those who live alone said they had less energy, while only 63 percent of people in households with three or more people responded that they felt less active.

The survey was conducted between Jan. 8 and Jan. 11. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.