Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: News

Media Credit: MCT Campus Career InfoNet Web site (http://www.acinet.org/acinet/default.asp) provides you with information on a wide variety of jobs. It includes a general outlook on the job market for different education levels as well as wage and occupational trends by state.

There are many Web sites that offer jobs to people of all ages but not all of them lead to a rewarding position in a growing industry. So how can people tell the difference between the average job postings and dead-end jobs as opposed to a Web site that offers successful and promising careers?

The advancement of the job market from face-to-face to internet-based applications is in its final stages. Many companies post job openings online for potential employees to search through in order to find a position that would best suit them.

"These sites are connecting employers with interested and qualified candidates in an efficient manner. I continue to see the internet being used as the first step in the application process," Dawn Francis, lecturer in communication, said.

Francis teaches the Career Preparation and Job Search Techniques course at Cabrini College. In this class she supplies students with valuable information on how to successfully search for jobs and prepare them for professional interviews upon graduating from college.

Due to the latest advancements in the job market, applicants must find new and innovative ways to catch the eye of their potential employer.

"A well-written cover letter and resume sent via the internet can be used as a calling card for getting to the first interview. That's where the real positioning and selling takes place," Francis said.

Cover letters must highlight skills that would benefit an employer and their company. Applicants should clearly state why they would be a perfect candidate for the position they are applying for by referring to their experience and skills.

"Students should use the cover letter to highlight their knowledge of the industry and also what keeps that employer awake at night. Then, students should tell the employer that their experience and skills would meet the employer's needs. Cover letters that simply restate what appears in the resume don't have impact," Francis said.

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