Your Questions About Business Online Services Group
Richard asks…
I have an interview at a leading 5 star hotel group, how am I going to nail it?
I have an interview ( informational) with a leading 5 star hotel group, that I got through a contact. Although I have no hotel/tourism experience, I have managed a small service industry business, a college degree and years of other customer service oriented experience. How am I going to tell the HR director that I can do the job what ever it may be !!!
I have stayed at the hotels before and understand the “luxury” clientele. how do i relay this to her?
Jere answers:
Katy,
Relax.
Relax.
Okay.
First, you must talk to a friend who is most familiar with the corporate world. The friend will be able to point out to you your skills and abilities. If such a conversation or contact is not possible, then you must pause and focus on all your experiences. These include volunteer work at schools, religious attachments, social interactions in the community, etc.
Second, you have managment experience. Admit it. I don’t care how small or insignificant that experience is, you have it. Now write about the experience you have. Use the force Katy-the internet. Go there and look up terminology associated with management and implement those into your writing. DID YOU HEAR ME? YOU HAVE MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE. Capitalize on it. Yes, there are others who have more than you, but are you going to let that weaken you? I probably have less managment experience than you, but I could get the job before you. How? Because I am not going to underestimate my skills and abilities and my experience and my determination and my value. You don’t have that. You must get. Not by exaggerating, but by pinpointing specific incidents where your management role was used. Write about it in your writing.
What do you mean you understand the luxury clientele? If you understood it, you would know how to relay it. Oh, perhaps you aren’t passionate enough.
Katy, come on. Quit thinking small. What do you have to offer the company? Yes, your managment experience, but are you willing to learn? Are you a hard worker? Are you ready to take the job?
Relax.
Relax.
If you don’t get this job, always remember, you’ve gained by the opportunity. Oh, duh, you got the interview through a contact. Even that is valuable. Come on. Professional up. Put on your business attire. Collect your business portfolio. You are a professional. Act like one. And then you will soon even be thinking like one, positive and strong that is. Don’t be snobbish, though. Be kind. Be proud. Be kind. Don’t you feel better after you’ve served others? I hope so. If you don’t, then why bother applying at the hotel? You must see value in serving others even through work.
If you can get a hold of The Orange County Register, perhaps online, and read today’s paper, you will read about a woman who landed a job that said “Prefer Bachelor Degree.” She doesn’t have a bachelor degree. She got the job. She didn’t have great experience. But she used what she had.
I hope you are a kind and giving person. I hope you care about people. I hope you are not a greedy individual. If you are, then if you don’t land this job, you will be most miserable. If on the other hand you are all those positive things you will walk away from this with a most valuable experience.
Want passion in life and career? Serve others. Be sincere. Be honest.
Good luck. Live long and thrive.
Joseph asks…
is there any government help for people trying to start their own business?
I wanna start an online retail company but I really need help, guidance and a mentor for some assistant. Is there any association or group I can contact?
Jere answers:
Yes there is
Choose from Business Gateway, Business link and the Job centre
Business Gateway offer free courses to fill your gaps in knowledge and skills
whether it is finance, tax, marketing and budgeting or whatever
They’ll also help you put your Business Plan together
My husband and son both used the services of Business Gateway and both got a small grant from the Job Centre (they were both unemployed at the time)
They both now have successful small businesses and have had for the past 5 years
Donald asks…
Where do I look to find investors for newly developed ideas?
I have just recently filed for a DBA, and I have just started writing 2 separate business plans, generally the same idea but different themes. I think this could make a lot of money , and the return would greatly outweight the costs. These websites would generate profit through online advertising and a select few services we would provide to the user, but in order to build these 2 individual websites, I would have to put forth about 100,000 dollars worth (rough estimate), which would include all start up costs and etcs. After I have finished with the business plans, I will be in pursuit of investors? Where should I look for them? How should I contact them? Should I contact any specific ones that are interested in the internet?
Thank You.
I forgot to Mention… I do have somewhat of an online setup of one of these ideas already running… this was going to be the original idea, and solely owned by me and my partner. I thought I was going to be able to handle this on my own, but apparently not. I need more money than I already have.
Jere answers:
You may want to go and pitch your ideas where investors gather. Here are some places where angel investors come and those looking for funding can come and pitch their business plans. Be sure to have a strong business plan and describe what makes your business idea stand apart:
Angel Capital Association http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org
Angel’s Forum http://www.angelsforum.com
Band of Angels http://www.bandangels.com
Common Angels http://www.commonangels.com
Keiretsu Forum http://www.k4forum.com
Launchpad Venture Group http://www.launchpadventuregroup.com
New World Angels http://www.newworldangels.com
New York Angels http://www.newyorkangels.com
Prairie Angels http://www.prairieangels.org (charges $125 to submit idea)
Robin Hood Ventures http://www.robinhoodventures.com(charges $250)
Thomas asks…
What do you guys think of my cover letter?
I’ve been trying to find a career in advertising/marketing for a little while now. I always include a cover letter, to stand out a bit. Usually what I do, is have a “base” cover letter, but I change the contents of the paragraph to suit the position.
For example I applied to a position with this description and requirements:
“Job Description
The Account Coordinator plays a key role in the day-to-day client communication, planning and execution for a portfolio of Accordant Media’s advertising clients. In this capacity the Account Coordinator aids in development of client-facing documents and communications, helps design and implement campaigns, and facilitates communication between client and internal Accordant Media teams. The Account Coordinator will work closely with Accordant’s Analytics, Optimization and Technology teams, as well as the core Client Services group, gaining exposure to every facet of the real-time media practice.
Specific Responsibilities and Activities:
Contribute to day to day client communication and translate client objectives into campaign strategy
Develop client-facing materials highlighting the execution and performance of Accordant programs
Interface with client contacts to provide updates and insights on campaign performance
Work with Optimization and Analytics teams to devise tactical strategies and drive campaign performance
Desired Skills & Experience
BS / BA degree.
1-2 years professional experience. Experience in media, research, advertising or financial services field preferred.
Knowledge of the online media business and underlying technology and research
Strong analytical skills: must be comfortable with MS Excel and Powerpoint, data analysis, and internet technologies
Effective time management skills – ability to prioritize and meet deadlines
Must be self-motivated and able to take the initiative to get the job done
Excellent listening, presentation, written and verbal communication skills
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, demanding, and fun entrepreneurial environment
Ability to travel as required”
To which I replied with my resume, and this cover letter (name and phone number omitted)
Hello,
I am responding in regard to the Account Coordinator position posted on LinkedIn.
I feel that I am right for this position because of my experience, my skill list, and my personality. Primarily, I have over 8 years of experience in selling, up-selling, negotiating and managing. This means I’ve developed excellent communication skills and can juggle multiple projects at once. One of the most important things my background in management has taught me, is that results are essential. This has made me a very metric oriented person, and makes me always quantify what I do.
In addition, my resume details that I started as a Marketing Intern at a Hispanic theater company called ————-. I took this internship, because I wanted to differentiate my experience to cater more to an advertising oriented career. My initial responsibilities were to edit and create ads. But I’ve always been the type to go above and beyond my responsibilities and do more. It ended up being a success for me, because they noticed my work ethic and an unpaid internship that was supposed to last three months, transformed into a freelance Communication Design position where I would do so much more.
I feel that a combination of being a manager and a freelance communication designer makes me the ideal candidate for this position. Being manager means I know how to talk to the team and to the client and my experience in design shows that I know how to craft a message that will be receptive to my audience.
I’m excited to talk about the Account Coordinator position and talk about what I can offer you and your organization in person. You may contact me at any time at —–, or email me at ——@gmail.com.
Thank you for your time!
Best Regards,
Jeff——–
What I try to do is kind of craft a story as to who I am and why I would be beneficial to them. I wouldn’t want to make it completely boring which is why i chose this method. Also I know about the point of an “action close” cover letter but i’m not too fond of it. Otherwise, ANY feedback would be much appreciated and thank you for reading this.
Jere answers:
It’s much better than most, for one simple reason: Rather than just talking about how talented you are, you specifically explain why you are the right person for the job.
As a recruiter who recruits on LinkedIn, here’s an important piece of advice. As you may know, when you apply to a job posted on LinkedIn, it simply sends the employer/recruiter a link to your LinkedIn profile (unless you also choose to attach your resume). So make sure you LI profile is great and includes all of your qualifications. You’d be amazed how often people apply for my job on LI and their profiles are pretty much devoid of relevant information.
Donna asks…
How do I start a business in Nebraska.?
I would like to start a business and wld like to know if thr r grants available. I’m a single mom w/very little income, I’m tired of being behind and not being able to pay the bills. Our community is in need of daycare.
Jere answers:
It is hard to find grants to start a business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK – lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.
Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.
Even if you buy books on “how to get grants” or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same – hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.
Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html…
“The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments.”
Here is a listing of federal grants for small businesses. See if there is any available for individuals for starting a business — THERE’S NONE.
Http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show
11.800 DOC Minority Business Enterprise Centers
14.132 HUD Mortgage Insurance_Purchase of Sales-Type Cooperative Housing Units
14.155 HUD Mortgage Insurance for the Purchase or Refinancing of Existing Multifamily Housing Projects
14.197 HUD Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act
20.907 DOT Minority Institutions
59.007 SBA 7(j) Technical Assistance
59.012 SBA Small Business Loans
59.026 SBA Service Corps of Retired Executives Association
59.041 SBA Certified Development Company Loans (504 Loans)
59.043 SBA Women’s Business Ownership Assistance
59.046 SBA Microloan Program
59.050 SBA Microenterprise Development Grants
81.036 DOE Inventions and Innovations
81.105 DOE National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics
Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. Minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women’s Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women’s business center that will train women entrepreneurs
For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center’s Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It’s a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for “students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices.” Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don’t have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.
If you wish to start a daycare business, the first step is to prepare a business plan. Even if you will not be applying for a bank loan, a business plan helps you to think through your business – what it needs, who it will benefit, how much it will cost, and what is its potential. Here are free business plans on childcare business that you may want to look into:
http://www.sba.gov/library/pubs/mp-30.doc
http://www.misbtdc.org/documents/BPWORKBK.pdf
http://www.misbtdc.org/documents/CDCPLAN.pdf
http://sbdcnet.utsa.edu/sbic/bplans.htm
You may want to read the free article “How To Start Your Own Day Care Center” http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol40/daycare.htm It covers various aspects of starting and running a daycare center including the demand for daycare centers, how to start this business, shoestring strategies, how to operate a daycare center, tips on caring for the children, income potential, how to manage your daycare, marketing your business and other additional income potential. There are so many things to learn about the business that the first step is to read everything you can find.
For in-depth information, I suggest checking out the following books:
– Start and Run a Profitable Home Day Care
– The Daycare Provider’s Workbook
– Start Your Own At-Home Child Care Business
– So You Want to Open a Profitable Child Care Center :
Everything You Need to Know to Plan, Organize and Implement a Successful Program
It is also important that you learn the tax rules affecting daycare centers, especially if you are going to open one from your home. Here is the IRS page on child care centers: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/industries/content/0,,id=99878,00.html
As for the licenses and requirements in your state, the Administration for Children and Families provide a state by state listing of contacts for licensing and regulations governing child care businesses:
http://www.nccic.org/statedata/dirs/regoffic.html
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