The Internet has morphed from a luxury to a utility in the lasttwo decades, and it is now the premiere way to establish oneself asa desirable job candidate. It can be the best tool for collegegraduates entering the workforce, but only if you’re using theright websites.

Leave a positive digital trail that will have HR representativesflooding your inbox by being sure not to forget to use these fivewebsites both before and after you graduate.

1. LinkedIn: This website is not for social networking, so don’tuse it like Facebook. Rather, use it as a tool to get your name andskills out to prospective employers. Think of it as a constantlyavailable online resume. Connect with past and present employers,colleagues and classmates and ask these individuals forrecommendations, which will boost the credibility of your profile.Contacts may even introduce you to industry professionals with whomthey’re connected.

2. Twitter: Twitter can be used for social networking, but aimto tweet at least a few times a day about your desired industry andattempt to establish a knowledgeable status about what you claim tobe your specialty. Be sure to list this specialization in the biosection of your profile. Follow experts, publications and accountsthat specialize in news from your desired industry, and learn aboutjob postings.

3. Associated Content: Although it caters to writers, manypeople in other fields create and publish news and advice articlesabout subjects and industries in which they specialize. Write shortarticles about subjects that display your expertise or knowledge ona certain subject. You can choose your own topic or fulfill writingassignments from the assignment desk. Yahoo! bought the websiterecently, which Associated Content says will mean more distributionand eventually high pay for its contributors’ content.

4. WordPress: Flaunt your web savvy ways by starting a blog.Yours may start out as a personal one, but if you blog just a fewtimes a week about your expertise, it can pop up in search results.Remember, brevity is the key in blogging, so keep it to about 100to 200 words per post and update on a consistent schedule. Linkyour blog from your LinkedIn, Twitter and Associated Contentaccounts to draw more traffic. Many companies use WordPress as aplatform for their blogs, so be sure to add this skill to yourLinkedIn profile and resume.

5. Indeed.com: This aggregator pulls job postings from otherwebsites. A search requires typing keywords, a job title or companyname into the first field and a location in the (optional) secondfield. It can’t get much simpler than that. Though Indeedaggregates other sites’ data, be sure to check on other job-postingboards for opportunities you may have missed.

Of course, whatever online tool you use will require a quick andeasily accessible Internet connection. Be sure that you have areliable highspeed wireless Internet connection to keep pace with news.Available virtually anywhere, satellite Internet providers canalso offer reliable internet access to those who may not haveaccess to DSL or cable. With a fast connection, you can get themost out of the real-time tools you need to make a digitalmark.

Courtesy of ARAcontent