“Technology has changed the way companies do business. Most notably, perhaps, for college seniors, are changes in company hiring practices. Many businesses now use the Internet to post job listings and to accept resumes online. The Internet has affected the job-search process in both positive and negative ways, said Joe Protopapa, an assistant director for cooperative education and internships at the University of Akron’s Center for Career Management.”
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Technology has changed the way companies do business. Most notably, perhaps, for college seniors, are changes in company hiring practices.

Many businesses now use the Internet to post job listings and to accept resumes online.

The Internet has affected the job-search process in both positive and negative ways, said Joe Protopapa, an assistant director for cooperative education and internships at the University of Akron’s Center for Career Management.

The Internet has increased the amount of information available to both employers and applicants, and that information can often be obtained directly from the company’s Web site.

Companies can get more information about students online, but students can also get more information about companies online, Protopapa said. You can obviously go directly to a company’s Web site and find out information before you even interview.

The CCM utilizes two web-based databases, ZIProfessional and Cleveland Intern.net to post internship and full-time employment opportunities of interest to UA students and alumni. ZIProfessional is maintained by the CCM and is for UA students and alumni only. Cleveland Intern.net is a consortium of several Northeastern Ohio colleges and universities, and students from all member schools have access.

Job postings are approved by the CCM before being added to the databases. Thus, the databases often are more helpful to students than other commercial job-posting Web sites are.

The nice thing is (that) every position that’s in the databases has been approved by (the CCM), Protopapa said. With ZIProfessional and Cleveland Intern.net, we actually approve the jobs first, so that students can have access to the jobs that they’re going to be most interested in.

ZIProfessional also serves as the center of the CCM’s career-related services.

ZIProfessional is really a central hub for all the career-related activity that goes on in the CCM – all the way from on-campus recruitment, to career fairs, to even individual appointments, Protopapa said.

The Internet can also pose a danger to students if they post unflattering personal information on online social networks. These sites can be viewed by anyone, including potential employers.

There are a lot of things students do that are not even related to the job search, and that are more social interactions, like MySpace or Facebook, that can really, really hurt students, Protopapa said. Even though those things are not related to the career search, it is information that is about the person online.

Protopapa advises students who maintain such accounts to make sure that all information posted is appropriate, or to set profiles as private.

Mike Kulick, an assistant director for cooperative education and internships at the CCM, said that it is best to not use such sites, because they allow other users to post messages on your account.

Employers look, and it’s best not to have anything, Kulick said. Even if your information is harmless, you may have a few friends that write some goofy things to you – just avoid it.

Just as information about an applicant on the Internet can be harmful, it can also be helpful. Protopapa said that students in the arts often create Web sites to post their galleries or published works for employers to view.

Instead of having those negative things, they’ve actually gone and taken control and put positive things online about themselves, Protopapa said.

Student must complete an orientation and be registered with the CCM to be granted access to ZIProfessional and Cleveland Intern.net. Orientations are held at the CCM in Simmons Hall and online via WebCT. Students can register for an orientation session by calling (330) 972-7747.

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” #1.1362184:2814557653.jpg:rub.jpg:A University of Akron student receives a therapeutic massage at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.:UA”