Who Was Your First……Social Media Contact?

Did the title get your attention?  I thought it would.

It’s a serious question though.  I signed up for Twitter two years ago and I didn’t “get” it.  So I left it.  Then, one year ago, I decided to give it another try.  I had watched a short video about how to use Twitter and I thought there had to be some benefit of connecting with other people who have similar interests.  Turned out it was the best move I could have made.

So, I tweeted.

I searched for human resources and recruiters to follow and within a few days I was following some interesting people.

Who were the first three who connected with me, interacted with me, and made a real impact on my life?

Michael Long (@theredrecruiter)

Michael, the Red Recruiter, has been instrumental in developing my social media skills.  He was the person who made me pick up a phone and *meet* him.  He was the person who encouraged me as my blog was new.  He was the person who has supported my efforts every step of the way.  Michael has helped so many people learn how to use social media to meet people in the industry.  Long before Twitter had lists, it was Michael who created the #FollowHr hash tag so that HR and recruiting professionals could find each other easier.

Steve Boese (@steveboese)

Steve, author of ‘Steve Boese’s HR Technology‘,  has been one of my biggest supporters.  He has included me many, many times in his HR Happy Hour radio show on Blogtalk Radio.  He was also one of the first people to jump on board with the first HRevolution un-conference. Steve spent countless hours making arrangements so that HRevolution would be a success.  Since then, we’ve collaborated on e-books, posts, speaking engagements, and business ventures.  He also opened my eyes to HR technology, an area of HR that I never felt comfortable with until this past year.  He’s still right there in my corner for HRevolution 2010 and I am so grateful he was one of the first people I met.

Mike Krupa (@pdxmikek)

Mike is the perfect friend.  He showed me right away that it’s easy to make a connection with someone online.  He is genuine and sincere, and snarky too!  He’s one of the smartest HR tech guys around and always willing to share his ideas with me.  When I met him in person at the HR Technology Conference last fall, it was if I had known him forever.  I know that I can pick up the phone and call him day or night.  He also writes a great blog (www.infoboxinc.com) and always supports mine.

So, as you can see, I got really lucky when I started using Twitter.  Since then, I have met more great people than I could ever name.  I’ve traveled with them, shared family stories with them, became true friends with them.

So, who were your “firsts”?  Tell me about them in the comments.