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Competing in today’s demanding job market and workplace presents many challenges, especially for recent college graduates. There are many ways to position yourself to stand out as a job candidate or employee, but you need to start working on them before you graduate. Here are five ways you can prepare to be the most well-rounded and interesting candidate in a sea of applicants and employees. See how well prepared you are.

Many UC students consider online classes an efficient way to earn credits without commuting to campus. But are you aware of the innovative gadgets you can use to make your studies even more productive? Check out these technological accessories!

Darwin Green really wanted to finish the college degree he’d started years ago, but there were a lot of things standing in his way. He had a job and a family, and all the adult responsibilities that go with it. Plus, it’s not always easy to commute to a college campus, where everybody seems to be half your age.

Green found the perfect solution in an online degree program. He was able to study when he wanted and without any commute at all. Read Green’s U.S. News and World Report blog about his experience, and then check out Syracuse University’s fully online degree programs in Creative Leadership and Knowledge Management. These part-time degrees were created with input from regional employers, and were designed to prepare students for the in-demand jobs that will be available in the coming years.

Remember . . . it’s never too late to graduate!

Lots of workers – 29 percent according to a recent survey by Spherion Staffing – are worried that they don’t have the skills to get ahead.

There’s ample evidence, though, that many workers, including those who’ve already racked up college and post-graduate degrees, are taking courses to keep their skills marketable. “Across the board, from entry level jobs on up, there’s increasing demand for skills,” explains Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “Even a Ph.D.,” he notes, may need a course to “keep ahead of new processes.”

Additionally, Carnevale says, employers will spend an estimated $177 billion for formal training programs. And one cannot estimate how much individuals spend because there’s a vast landscape of training options.

When LinkedIn Corp. recently announced its second quarter results, for example, a big earnings spike came from the company’s recent acquisition of Lynda.com, which offers 3,700 courses, accompanied by 150,000 online video tutorials. Individuals can purchase courses, as can businesses and other groups.

Among the most popular offerings, according to the Lynda.com site, are business tutorials, like “Excel 2013 Essential Training” and “Project Management Fundamentals.”

Similarly, providers like Coursera, edX and Udacity are offering a burgeoning number of online courses, says Carnevale.

Coursera, for instance, is offering many new classes this fall that were developed by colleges and universities in partnership with businesses, this fall – particularly tech and financial firms.

Sometimes, job course requisites are clear. “There are industry-based certifications, earned by successful completion of a specific course or courses, that are prerequisites for various positions,” says Carnevale.

Outside of industry certification, it’s hard to know whether a course will connect to a specific career goal. “If you can, ask other people who took the course,” advises Carnevale.

Thursday Morning Roundtable (TMR) will celebrate 50 years of service to the Central New York community at a breakfast on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at Drumlins, 800 Nottingham Road, Syracuse. Charles Blow, an op-ed columnist for The New York Times and a CNN commentator, will be the guest speaker. Registration for the event is open until October 5.

Since 1965, University College (UC) of Syracuse University has administered Thursday Morning Roundtable – a respected and well-recognized assembly focused on enlightening community members and actively engaging citizens in order to promote positive change in Syracuse and Central New York.

Founded by the late Levi Smith, a former dean at UC, the groundbreaking forum was one of the first of its kind in the country. The University provides a neutral ground for bringing reason and balance to discussions like public welfare, social action, and urban planning. Monies raised at the event will support the Levi Smith Scholarship Fund. The endowment provides the means for part-time students to continue their education. Recipients are chosen based on their financial need, academic record, and interest in public or social service, reflecting TMR’s purpose and mission.

“Thursday Morning Roundtable embodies one of the core missions of University College – to act as a bridge across the various sectors in our community – educators, business partners, and local government,” said University College dean Bea González. “In the past 50 years, we have facilitated over 1600 programs that have impacted the way we live and work in Onondaga County. Our participants build relationships that lead to more effective problem solving,” she said.

“TMR is an unusual place where people from all walks of civic life come together,” said longtime TMR member Marilyn Pinsky. “If you’re a young person in the community and want to get to know people, this is a great way to do it. I’m amazed looking back over the 40 years I’ve been a TMR member at how many people in the community I wouldn’t know if not for TMR, she said. “There’s not a session I go to that I don’t learn something new. You can’t ask for more than that.”

For more information about Thursday Morning Roundtable or the 50^th Anniversary event, call 315-443-4846 or e-mail cps@syr.edu.