In previous posts I have told you how you can build great relationships via Twitter. Also, Craig Fisher wrote about the "cool kids" that are using Twitter and other social media outlets to network. Now, I want to give you a real example of how Ben McCormack, a new MATRIX consultant, used Twitter to find a job. I spoke with Ben a few days ago, and asked him to walk me through the job-search process he used on Twitter.

Did you join Twitter intending to look for a job?

I joined twitter about 8 months ago to start following experts in the Microsoft .NET Silverlight space. I noticed there were many industry experts on Twitter so I figured it could be a great tool to gain knowledge of a specific subject. I started following a guy by the name of Joel Spolsky. One day, I noticed a tweet that they were hiring a Support Engineer in New York. So I responded to the tweet and actually got a job interview. Though, I didn't get that specific job, it made me realize that Twitter really can be a powerful tool in a job search.

How did you find your new job on Twitter?

Like I said, I wasn't actively "looking for a job." But, one day I noticed that one of your recruiters, Kelly Thielemann, started following me. I looked at her profile information and saw that she was a Technical Recruiter in the Atlanta area. I read through the information she was sharing on Twitter, and I liked it, so I decided to start following her. A few days later, she sent out a job that she was looking to fill. It sounded interesting to me so I went ahead and responded to her. From there, MATRIX took care of the rest.

How often did you check Twitter for updates?

I use a desktop application called TweetDeck to arrange and organize my Twitter account. I stayed of top of the information that was being shared daily - usually every evening. What I like about Twitter is you can be close enough to see what's going on, but you are not obligated to respond.

Do you think Twitter is a powerful tool in a job search?

Yes. Definitely. Again, you can keep a pulse on what is going on in and around the "technical community." My e-mail wasn't clogged with "suggested jobs" and I didn't have to browse through jobs on a career site.

Now, I know that Ben's story sounds easy. And, not everyone will be followed by a Technical Recruiter in the exact city where they are looking for a job.

So, you need to be proactive and, just as Ben did, follow experts that are in your field. Run searches using TweepSearch.com or Search.Twitter.com to find specific people or conversations. You can also find numerous articles about using Twitter to find a job.

The point is, Twitter really does work in a job search.