If you want to go into business for yourself, one of the best ways to get started is to buy a franchise, particularly if you have no experience in the business you choose.
A franchise can lower the risk of starting a new business for two main reasons. First, you can learn everything you need to know to succeed before you pay out any money, and second, the business comes with a time-tested model that has been shown to work for dozens, if not hundreds, of people before you.
Related: Ready For A Career Switch? Consider A Franchise
All you have to do is operate the system as designed.
During your period of investigation, you learn everything the system entails. If you don't think you can do any part of it, this is the time to opt out. Once you buy the business, you should be comfortable with the system and have confidence you can follow it.
Don't despair if the first franchise you investigate has a system that doesn't work for you. There are franchise systems to suit every range of talents and experience.
For example, if you don't like to cold call potential customers, you shouldn't buy a franchise that requires that kind of sales. There are plenty of franchises in which the customer finds you.
If you don't want to hire employees, don't start a business that will require staffing to grow. There are plenty of choices where you can work on your own. A good franchise coach can help steer you toward businesses that suit you best.
The one thing you want to avoid is hitching your star to a business you think you can remake to suit your skill set.
We had a client who was once the fastest growing franchise in his region who for some reason didn't want to hire the necessary staff to cope with customer demand. As a result, he ended up strangling his business. Instead of growing, he stagnated.
Another reason people sometimes don't want to hire necessary staff is because they don't want to spend the money or they think they can do the work themselves. Then it gets to be too late. They're so overwhelmed by their business; they don't have time to hire someone to help.
The lesson: If you liked the business model enough to buy it, use it! That is the way to maximize your earnings.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a Work It Daily-approved expert.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.