in the e-commerce industry, and secondly, the opportunities for those involved in the e-commerce industry are almost limitless. At this time, there are really only two approaches to setting out on a career in e-commerce. The first involves studying and perhaps gaining a qualification in electronic commerce before applying for a position, while the second is getting stuck in as quickly as possible. The ideal way is to get in at the start of a small company that looks like its going places at whatever level, even if its making the coffee. Of course if you could combine working for a cutting-edge e- commerce company while learning or gaining a Micro-Soft certification or even an MBA then you would have the best of both worlds. Regardless, hard work is going to be the prime requirement. Over the past couple of years, Ive noticed that web shopping is only a small part of the e-commerce picture. The term has also come to refer to online stocks and bonds transactions, and buying and downloading software without ever going near a store. Today, you can order a pizza, pay your bills, get legal and medical advice, confess your sins, attend college and receive a degree, all without ever leaving the comfort of your home. com.merce n [MF, fr. L commercium, fr. com- + merc-, merx merchandise] (1537) 1: social intercourse: interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments 2: the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place. (Websters Dictionary, 131) Many fortune 500 companies have jumped onto the e-commerce bandwagon. Sears is one of the newest, along with major airlines, and The U.S. Post Office, Im sure they recognize that their future depends on being able to stay competitive, but dont take my word for it, just Ask Jeeves....
