Archive

Posts Tagged ‘small business’

Make Your Job Search Effective

February 11th, 2010 No comments

Some people seem to keep up with the race pretty well. You just heard about them looking for new jobs last week, and now they are ready for the interviews and even trainings. While that, some people may spend months to find a new job and yet they do not know how long the position will last. What makes the differences?

Everything depends on you. You buy the condition. The process, or people can just call it cycle, starts from the first time you prepare for job search. The differences can mean months of being unemployed. That is considerable and you certainly do not want to wait longer. Nevertheless, ineffective job search is usually the second big problem after your own mental state. Here are some tips to make your job search effective.

1. Prepare yourself mentally. Be ready to promote your qualifications and strengths. You will never do wrong when you are confident with it. Just make sure you tell everything as it is and be natural. Different job positions will require different personalities. Just be yourself. Start from fields and positions that you like most. If you have tried for several times and still do not get approved, maybe it is not the best job for you. Don’t worry about that. You will have better luck next time. Start applying for other types of positions. You may not realize if a specific position is the most passionate job that suits you best before you let it flow. Feel good about the chances waiting in front of the door. Many companies are looking for employees they can rely on. Many ideas are waiting to be implemented by the right person. You mostly pass the good chances when you are pessimistic and think negatively.

2. Prepare yourself technically. It is about the curriculum vitae, cover letter, and other “job search kit” you should prepare. During the search period, make sure your CV is always updated and ready to promote you anytime. You can find a prospective job unexpectedly and need to send resume as soon as possible. Also, collect all the relevant information. If you have a website, an independent business, resumes, or any other attribute that can add value, attach the information. Most job positions will prefer CV that sounds professional. Pick your best email address if you have some. When you have sent it to companies, be ready for phone calls, emails, and maybe faxes.

3. Be active in the job search. Being unemployed, or getting ready to resign from the current job, it is the perfect moment to explore all the possibilities. Make account at job listing or employment sites, browse the available positions, find more information about what sound interesting, and submit the already planned well application letter. Don’t limit yourself. It is too soon to do that. You can also get information about vacant positions from friends, family, newspaper, radio, and else. It is usually effective to find job posting from network because they may know the information before the information is made public. Yet not all jobs are opened for public. So just tell your acquaintances and family. They can refer you if they know a job will suit your interest and talent.

Alex Wu operates a classified ads website that lets people advertise, build groups, and connect. He hopes to create an active environment for businesses to place their part time jobs.

How Do You Spell Success In A Home-Based Business? MMMM!

February 11th, 2010 No comments

Here is a short list of some of the obstacles, challenges and hurdles involved in running a business from home: building, training and maintaining your downline (if you are in a MLM), constantly playing the role of customer service representative, inventory storage and carrying costs, shipping and returns headaches, order processing….the list goes on and on. Perhaps that is why such a small percentage of people who start a home-based business actually succeed. So what is in the “secret sauce” of success for those entrepreneurs who ARE successful with their home-based businesses?

We can call it the 4M model of success in home-based business. Mindset. Motivation. Method. Market

Mindset. Entrepreneurs who have enjoyed success with their home-based business all share a mindset of success, a belief that no matter what, they will succeed. It all starts with their inner belief that they will persevere and arrive at their destination. Their family, friends and colleagues might tell them to “get real” or to a get a “real” job, but they remain committed to their vision and accomplishing their goals. In addition to that mindset, they also take action. Though positive thinking and visualization are very powerful, it is the action taken on the inspirations and opportunities that arise that contribute to their success.

Motivation is the second ingredient for success in a home-based business. Successful entrepreneurs have a very strong “why” behind their business that provides them the energy to go the extra step, to complete the inconvenient task. This “why” could be for any number of reasons: more time with family, greater income, freedom to travel wherever and whenever or even just a passion for helping others. These know that, while they can get a short-term burst of external motivation from a speaker or seminar, its the internal motivation that will consistently drive them to get out of their comfort zones, to grow and to consistently work on achieving their goals.

Method. A simple process that can be repeated again and again is another key ingredient for the successful home-based businessperson. They may have created their own process or method to follow or they may have found one already in place with the home-based business they chose, but they definitely have a process in place. There is certainly a “method to the madness”, even though it may not appear that way from the outside looking in. The old saying “success leaves clues” definitely applies here. It is the actions, activities and process that are repeated on a daily, weekly and monthly basis that are the clues to the success.

Market. Without a defined, growing market within which to promote your product or service, the chances of success are very slim. There are the very few can create their own markets ( think Apple’s iPod, though even that was an extension of the personal music player market ), but for the vast majority of products and services out there, the successful home-based business entrepreneur has found two things: 1. A dynamic and growing market for the product or service they are offering. 2. A sharp focus on a particular group within that market which they target with their advertising. Knowing they are in a growth market and exactly who their customers are gives them a big advantage over their less successful competitors.

There are thousands of home-based business opportunities available for someone who is searching for a change, looking for extra income or just wanting to try something new. Which one is the right one? Which one is best? If you want to give yourself the best chance for success, consider your own Motivation, and then look for an opportunity that nurtures your Mindset, provides a Method and operates within a growing Market. Add a pinch of good fortune and your recipe for success will smell MMMM!

Steve Sheeren has been a contract trainer and consultant for over 15 years, traveling throughout North America facilitating development and training sessions for Fortune 500 corporations and small companies alike. Along with his partner Alana, he now offers a different path to wealth and fulfillment than the traditional 9 to 5 route.

LLC Formation – Pros And Cons

February 10th, 2010 No comments

The creation of an LLC is often the quickest route to beginning a business venture. There are very few steps involved and its structure has increased with popularity over the years. When beginning an entity such as a Limited Liability Company, you will find that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. With the Internet being a large part of today’s lifestyle, an online Limited Liability Company formation is easier than ever.

There are many sites online that will assist with the formation of an LLC, by making sure all the correct forms are filled out. These need to be delivered to the state, along with all the fees for filing, in order for the LLC to be legally started.

The federal government taxes an LLC the same way a partnership is taxed. An LLC also has the benefit of limited liability, similar to corporations, but neither of these aspects make an LLC part of either of these categories. An LLC is all on its own, but it is considered to be a hybrid between corporations and partnerships.

The following lists include positive and negative points to LLC formation:

Advantages to Forming an LLC: 1. Provides limited liability 2. Flexible management 3. Simple ownership structure 4. Less paperwork

Negative Points: 1. More expensive than a DBA 2. Renewal fees may be higher 3. New entity in the business world 4. Difficult to raise capital

Forming an LLC only requires one owner, who is over 18 years old, and this smart business move relieves the owner of responsibility of any debts accrued by the company. An online Limited Liability Company formation is one of the most flexible business forms around. Since a huge number of small businesses are sole proprietorships and partnerships, an LLC is frequently an excellent choice for these types of businesses. It retains most of the benefits of a sole proprietorship or partnership with the added benefit of limited liability, with very little in the way of extra requirements.

When setting up a LLC for your company you should consider using an online start LLC service. This ensures the formation is completed in a timely fashion and with accuracy, while letting you concentrate on your company.