One of the most common complaints people have about Twitter is that they don’t know who to follow. It can easily become overwhelming since there’s so much knowledge being tweeted.
What you need is this carefully curated list of Twitter accounts that can help you become a smarter and more successful government professional.
If you’re eager to dive deep into this valuable, self-guided professional development tool, follow all the Twitter accounts below. Or, pick only the ones most relevant to your career aspirations.
Government service wisdom
1. @ GovLoop
That’s us! Our Twitter account will inspire you toward better service and can help you advance in your government career.
2. @FedNewsRadio
Addresses federal agency managers, policy makers and contractors.
3. @GovMattersTV
Television show covering the business of government. Tweets highlight guests and topics you won’t want to miss.
4. @Diplopundit
Tweets from the “unapologetically opinionated and occasionally edgy” anonymous blogger who writes about leadership, management issues, and the international affairs community.
Local government focus
5. @governing
Twitter home of GOVERNING magazine, which provides news and analysis about politics, policy, and management for state and local government leaders.
6. @routefifty
State and local government ideas from Government Executive. Add on @govexec for tweets about the business of the federal government, @nextgov for technology and the future of government, and @defenseone for national security issues.
7. @BloombergCities
Talks about public sector progress and innovation in cities around the world. Run by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Government Innovation program.
8. @WhatWorksCities
Reporting on the national initiative to help 100 mid-sized American cities enhance their use of data and evidence. Part of Bloomberg Philanthropies.
9. @gov_ex
The Center for Government Excellence (GovEx) helps governments use data to make informed, effective decisions and improve people’s quality of life. Part of Johns Hopkins University’s 21st Century Cities Initiative.
Social media and digital government
10. @GovDelivery
Shares information to empower government organizations to create better lives for more people through communications.
11. @State_Scoop
Technology news, best practices, and resources for state and local government. There’s also @fedscoop if you’re at the federal level or @edscoop_news if you’re in education.
12. @govtechnews
Twitter home of Government Technology magazine, which covers information technology’s role in state and local governments.
13. @gov
Updates from Twitter itself showcasing creative and effective uses of the social media for civic engagement.
14. @GovernmentSM
Social media resources and training for state and local government. Hosts the bi-weekly #gsmchat for government social media managers.
15. @Digital_Gov
Shares information and resources to help people working at federal agencies who provide digital services and information for the public. Part of GSA’s Technology Transformation Service.
Better government advocacy and transparency
16. @USGAO
Shares reports, podcasts, and more from the congressional watchdog, the U.S. Government Accountability Office. For legal decisions and opinions, follow @usgaolegal.
17. @opengovpart
An international initiative built to foster greater transparency and accountability, improve governance, and increase civic engagement.
18. @SunFoundation
A nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open government and uses technology to make government more accountable to all.
19. @DataCoalition
Advocates for the publication of government information as standardized, machine-readable data.
20. @data_foundation
The nation’s first industry-focused open data research organization.
21. @AFFIRMtweets
A nonprofit educational organization whose goal is to improve the management of information within the federal government.
22. @opencontracting
Opens up public contracting through disclosure, data and engagement so money is spent honestly, fairly, and effectively.
23. @congresseditors
A Twitter bot that tweets when Wikipedia articles about current U.S. Congress members and legislation are edited.
Career advancement & job hunting
24. @dailymuse
Helps people succeed at their careers and find meaningful jobs.
25. @HarvardBiz
Practical and inspirational management advice to help you do your job better.
26. @GovernmentJobs
Shares public sector job opportunities throughout the country. Part of NEOGOV.
27. @USAJOBS
A source for jobs at U.S. federal agencies. Run by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
28. @careersingov
Frequent tweets government jobs at the local and federal level, plus the occasional job seeker resource.
29. @gogovernment
Advice how to find and apply for federal government jobs by the Partnership for Public Service.
What are your favorite Twitter accounts that support excellence in public service and government? Share them in a comment!
Lauren Girardin is a marketing and communications consultant, writer, and speaker based in San Francisco. She helps organizations and do-gooders engage their communities and tell their stories. Her website is laurengirardin.com and you can connect with her on Twitter at @girardinl.
If you are interested in helping make government services more efficient and effective for people, try one of these:
@CI_Minnesota
@DENPeakAcademy
@ResultsWA
Hey Joe – let us know why you’re recommending those accounts. Thanks
Thanks for the suggestions – they were useful to me.
I’m glad to hear it, Judith!
I must be missing something…there are not 29 twitter accounts listed here
I think you are missing something Laurie. The post above is a numbered list of 29 different Twitter accounts starting with @GovLoop at #1 and ending with @gogovernment at #29. Perhaps the webpage didn’t finish loading for you? Or maybe you have a problem with your browser?