JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Instead of sending resumes and references far and wide, just tweeting is now an option for job seekers.

Companies are now turning to the social networking site Twitter to attract potential recruits as they find typical job search sites are flooded with resumes, and this is more immediate.

"That's actually a great idea," said Shannon Italia, who runs the Career Management Center at the University of North Florida. "(It's) instant. As soon as you see a posting, put your resume. I know there's Monster and stuff, but with Twitter you get it instantly, know exactly what position."

Italia suspects the use of Twitter by companies looking for employees is only in its infancy.

"I think a lot of companies know they need to be there and be in the game, but they're not exactly sure how to effectively utilize these tools now," Italia said. "So they're trying a lot of things, and I think once the job market comes back, they'll have a better handle on how to use those tools."

Italia said as the companies learn the benefits of social networking sites like Twitter, they will learn how to find the best employees for what they need.

"Because of the capabilities that narrow down the area of interest based on what your profile is, they're getting closer to their target audience as opposed to a massive advertisement to anyone and everyone," Italia said.