Twitter, as a platform, has had a pivotal role in helping individuals around the world make their dreams come true. If we're being less poetic, it has concretely assisted in the revival of businesses, pushed fans to chat with their idols, and offered the perfect platform for the creation of memes.
Twitter, you've been great to us; you've surely helped a great deal in the Arab region. Saudi Arabia, for example, has seen many social issues rise to virality and reach authorities for proper support. The kingdom also witnessed the comeback of businesses that went bankrupt due to ongoing constructions.
Many more stories surface on a daily basis on the platform, helping us regain some faith in people.
If we shift the matter a little bit to the west, we land in the UAE, where a British expat recently witnessed a helping hand kind of story.
Jonathan Gard, a 46-year-old British expat in the UAE, was made redundant from his job back in November. He made the news public by sharing it with his modest 900 and so followers on Twitter in hopes of spreading the word among his acquaintances for the chance of getting a new job fast.
Life in the UAE tips on the expensive side of the scale. As an expat, losing a job means losing your already-hard-to-get residency and having to live on water until you find a job again.
"So I was made redundant today. If anyone needs a Restaurant General Manager or Assistant F&B Manager with luxury brand experience with Jumeirah, Emaar Hospitality & Sofitel, either in the UAE or Asia, I'd be massively grateful for passing the word on..." Gard tweeted out to his friends.
As the intro suggests, the ending is a happy one for the hospitality employee.
It took less than a month for Gard to nail interviews at different companies and eventually pin down an offer.
"In amongst an absolute flood of DMs, one person said they knew SWR had vacancies. I've met their boss before several years ago and he's a great guy, so I added him on LinkedIn. He then mentioned they were restructuring and if I would like to come in for a chat. Three interviews later I've been hired at a stunning new outlet and thankfully a position in time for Christmas!" the British expat told Khaleej Times.
The man has been living in the UAE for over seven years. His online network of fellow foreigners residing in the country proved to be a strong net to rely on.
Knowing his skills quite well, he was ready to go extreme job-hunting if it came down to it. Luckily, all it took was one tweet to go semi-viral to land him a new job.
"It's such a competitive market now that you have to do everything you can and I think I'm quite creative. My next step would have been to go on a local radio station and sell myself there!" the newly appointed restaurant manager added.
Social media isn't always bad and time-consuming; it depends on how one uses it.