The recent unemployment figures show the jobless rate going nowhere (flat at 9.5%) and that the economy shed131,000 jobs in July. Time for some actionable advice. I spoke to Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0, for a piece on Moneywatch detailing how to leverage Twitter to find a job.

There are basically four steps:

1. Craft a Specific Network

Make a list of the top three to five companies in specific locations where you’d love to work, says Schawbel. Then head to Twellow.com, a sort of Twitter Yellow Pages that helps you find people based on keywords in their bios. For example, type in “Accounting California” or “Microsoft PR” and Twellow gives you a list of Twitter users who have those keywords in their bios.

2. Organize Your List

Before reaching out to folks you’ve located via Twellow, create a Twitter list that includes all their names. Perhaps you want to call it “People I Need to Network With,” says Schawbel. Those you are following on the list will be able to see that you’re keeping track of them and it may spark some positive interest on their end.

Just remember that your these folks will be able to see the name of your list – so choose something flattering, like “Accounting Industry Pros,” instead of a more stalker-ish “Accountants to Keep Tabs On.

3. Ready, Set, Retweet

You’re ready to make contact. “The best way to begin engaging is to retweet,” says Schawbel.  If, for example, you see someone on your list sharing a cool article on the industry, retweet it. It’s a way of casually introducing yourself and showing interest. It’s like being at a real networking event and you overhear a conversation that interests you. You may want to jump in somehow. Retweeting is the equivalent of jumping into a conversation and saying, “I totally agree. Hi, I’m Farnoosh, by the way.”

4. Direct Message

After a few weeks of conversing on Twitter and introducing yourself to your select network (with them hopefully tweeting back to you), the time may now be right to send a direct message via Twitter or add them on LinkedIn to advance the conversation and talk about sending over a resume or a link to your Web site.  Only at this point is it appropriate to bring Facebook into the picture. “Once they already know you from Twitter, it’s much easier to connect on Facebook.