By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-866019.mp3
Albany, NY – The New York State Labor Department has high hopes for a new Internet program expected to revolutionize the way the agency connects job-seekers with employers. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
In this age of globalization, the Net has become one of the primary avenues for individuals to conduct job searches. The New York State Department of Labor is well aware of that, with a presence on twitter, facebook and youtube... the agency has taken the wraps off a new on-line program designed to monumentally expand employment opportunities for New York's 870,000 unemployed: Skills Matching and Referral Technology, or SMART 2010, analyzes resumes, then e-mails job-seekers recomemndations for their geographic areas based on past work history, experience and skills: officials expect a quarter of a million New Yorkers to avail themselves of the technology.
The SMART 2010 program uses a "holistic approach" to match job seekers with the best openings available. State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith said, "We know that job seekers are on their computers every day, searching through job openings and trying to find their niche. SMART 2010 already knows their niche, and can also find other occupations out there they may not even have considered. With one click of the mouse, this program takes everything we've done in our 100 year history and changes the way we do business for the better."
To increase the effectiveness of SMART 2010, the Labor Department encourages every business across the state with job openings to list them on the New York Job Exchange. Here's a link to help you find your nearest Career Center or to post a job with the State Labor Department.