Twitter and your Job Search

Okay. So you're on Facebook and you're on Linkedin (you are right?), where else do you need to be when you're pounding the virtual pavement in your quest for a new career? How about Twitter? The Wall Street Journal has a recent article that might give you a few ideas on how that can help land you a career.

Looking for a new job, Alexa Scordato didn't email or call her contacts about possible openings. Instead, she messaged them via the social-networking Web site Twitter.com.
Her brief message: "Hey there! Looking for a Social Media job up in Boston. Are you guys doing any entry level hires?"
Within a week, she had an interview. Within two weeks, she had a job.

That's a pretty direct approach and I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. But it's definitely thinking outside the box, which is exactly how you have to think in today's job market.

Now, none of this is going to do any good unless you have already built up your 'street cred' on twitter. So use your knowledge to help others and freely share across the network. Lend a hand where you can and be careful about what you tweet about.

Another way to use Twitter in your job search is to follow users who may be tweeting job openings in your area or field. One of these services is @smjobwire. Social Media Jobwire focuses on jobs in just one industry.