Office work employment may be a great starting point for you if you’re just coming out of owning your own business. You’re probably used to handling a lot of details. Whether you apply to be a general manager in an office, work employment is available at all levels.
If you’re a small business struggling, have you considered hiring some part time office workers? It may be an option that frees up expenses, but allows you to get smaller, tedious tasks done.
If you’re looking for office work, employment search engines can help you out. I did a quick search on CareerBuilder for office jobs for entry level positions, and close to 4,000 job openings came up. You’ll want to focus on a particular location of course, as well as maybe honing what type of position you’re looking for. In this case, I searched office work employment at the entry level.
When looking for entry level management positions, 900 positions were available. Take advantage of the different search engines and see what else you can find.
I heard of two more people being laid off during the last week. If your small business is going under, you’ll need to find work once again. Office work employment may be the right match. What industry are you involved in? Search those industries, and just keep your eyes open. You never know when something will turn up that suits your needs.
If you’re looking for tips and strategies to help you land that job, be sure to sign up for my free 10 day series for an edge. The sign-up is at the top of this page in the center column.
When you’re looking for ways to cut costs in small business, sometimes you just have to find new ways to do things you are all ready doing. One example is to start a newsletter which always you permission contact with your customers, all while reducing the cost of having to mail letters with stamps. Learning to use modern technology, you have the ability to find new programs, compare prices on items you need, and reach out and have a discussion with your visitors with things like email and blogs.
Another simple solution is purchasing items online where you can often times find things cheaper, rather than going through traditional channels. Let’s look at business cards for an example. If you go through your traditional printer, you may pay a higher price. They are not only charging you for the price of the cards, but they have a building to maintain, pay rent on, probably more employees to pay, along with a landscaper to pay for, snow removal and more. An online business doesn’t have as much overhead and can often times offer you a lower price. One particular company is PsPrint.com. You can buy your business cards and other printed material such as brochures, catalogs, tickets, stickers, banners and more. Their online printing services offer you value, and a wide selection.
One of the things I find appealing is that they offer a free sample pack so you can see the quality of their products. Once you see the quality of their printing and products, you’ll know what a great deal it is! You get online pricing, top quality products and choice. Now that you’ll be saving money on printing needs, where will it go to better use?
Have you heard of DocStoc (www.docstoc.com)? It’s a great website that will allow you to not only find and share documents, but also embed them into your site.
Take for instance, this blog which is about small business. I was able to find a document called “10 Questions to Consider When Starting a New Business”. It’s a perfect fit for this blog, and with .DocStoc I can embed it right here for you.
How might you be able to use this great program on your company blog or website? Why not share a handbook, guide or useful tips for your customers? With DocStoc, you can embed files in different formats, whether they are .pdf, .doc, .xml or .ppt, which means it’s easy to use, no matter what program you’re writing your information into.
Continuing education and training is something that will always hold value to your business. Whether it’s learning new management tactics, learning more about potential growth in new areas, or getting your employers certified with training programs.
One program you may be interested in learning more about is over at QuickCert.com. IT certification is well worth the investment of time. You can get a list of available courses at their website, along with checking out their courses for free. They have a special pricing contact form, so make sure you fill it out to see what good deals you can get for employee training.
You’ll find MCSE Training, MOS, Vista, MCTS and more. Check out their full menu at their site.
They offer self-study courses, which are instructor led. What this means is that the course is solid, strong and the employee can follow at their own pace. With hands on exercises, students apply what they learn, which makes that learning stick.
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is, they guarantee you’ll pass, or they’ll give you your money back! That’s confidence, but when you have a good product, it’s easy! If you’d like to learn more about the available IT certification programs, check out QuickCert.com.
If you’re looking to start a small business, the first building blog is financing. Here are some small business finance options you may not have thought of. While saving the money for a start-up can be daunting, it’s a great way to save yourself from drowning in debt at a later date. Also consider asking family members or friends to invest in your business. If this path isn’t for you, here are some more common finance resources.
Small Business Loans from the government are one option to check out. There are different levels you can apply at, including a federal level, through your local government, and also through your state, so be sure to check them all.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a great place to start. They offer loans and resources to small businesses who qualify. The SBA works with private financial institutions, and can often times offer you a better interest rate.
Some loans can be found based on your location. For example if you’re going to start a business in a slow, recessed or upcoming area, you may be able to qualify for special loans.
Military veterans may be eligible for a veteran loan. Check with your local veteran’s chapter for more information.
The agricultural industry small businesses will want to check with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Check out their website to find if your business would qualify, and any other information you may need. .
Women and Minorities, there are often times loans that you qualify for based on your gender or if you’re a minority. Some are offered through your state while others are offered through small business corporations, organizations and non-profits. The MBDA is one site you’ll want to look into if you’re a minority. You’ll also find tips and resources to help you get started.
Grants are a unique option all their own. They are a circumstance where you’re given money that doesn’t have to be paid back. There are usually special situations that qualify. I don’t have enough information about grants to offer advice on this topic.
No matter what type of small business finance option looks best to you, there are many choices, and places to look. Research is the first step, so know what is available to you, and apply for the loan that will best suit your circumstances.
New to business? Have you checked out Entrepreneur.com? Whether you’re looking to start a new business, buy a franchise or are all ready in the mix, there are articles that you’ll find helpful. Let’s say you’re thinking about opening a sandwich shop. You can check out their guide here, which not only shows you a checklist of things you’ll need, but also floor plans, and show you franchises in that industry. This is one site you want to bookmark.
You may have seen their magazine, but their website is geared to the topics you need, when you want the information. They cover topics from money and marketing, to management and the technology. A subscription to their magazine runs you about $16 a year, the website, always available and free.
Let’s face it, we’re all pretty busy in our lives, and getting somewhere to take a class puts a crunch on your time. one of the best places to start when you’re talking business, is SCORE. You can find them at SCORE.org, and they have so many resources for people starting up in business, it’s well worth a bookmark and your time.
Today, I wanted to highlight their Online Training section. Whether you’re just starting out and looking to create your business plan, or you’re trying to learn to manage your money and understand how to create a profit and loss statement, SCORE is ready to help you. You can also learn about pricing, promoting and advertising your business. SCORE sets up to help you from beginning your business, to the point where you’re trying to stay in business.
If you’re not up for a class, then be sure to check out their “How-to” section which can answer a lot of questions you may have. This is one resource worth mentioning again and again. They also offer tips, articles and guides. Their 60 second guides are offered in both English and Spanish.
I was asked to take a look at HP’s Total Care package for small and medium businesses. I am in no way affiliated with the company, and was more than happy to look at it, as I own HP equipment myself. I have an HP desktop, along with a Compaq laptop. Prior to owning this HP desktop, I owned another. When my mom needed a computer, I chose an HP for her as well. It’s a company I trust. They’re Total Care solution is looking to help support and finance small and medium businesses with their equipment needs.
I love their silly spin on this latest video. You have to watch this one!!! I got such a kick out of it. Humor is a great way to bring your point home! The video features HP and their financing options for small and medium businesses. Take a moment to watch the creative work here. They did an excellent job on this one! Kudos for a job well done.
Anyway, let’s talk about HP Total Care and look at what it is, what it does for a small business, and how it can benefit you. One of the big issues with having a small business is money. You may not have the disposable income for all the equipment that you need. This is where HP steps in offering finance options, so you can use the equipment that will make your business run more smoothly and efficiently.
In looking at the overview of the program, you have to look at the company you’re dealing with. In this case, HP has a solid reputation, a great product and offers support and reliability. I’m working on an HP desktop now, so you can see it’s a brand I know and trust. HP offers support 24/7 which a lot of smaller companies can’t do for you.
Maybe you’re not sure exactly what you need, with the Total Care package, you can get customized recommendations, and speak with an advisor, so you don’t over spend or under spend choosing the wrong equipment. With an advisor, you’ll find what will work best for your individual needs. You can also use their selection guides and tools, if you want to get started on what can help you.
When it comes to purchasing, whether you’re a small business or a medium business, budget concerns are always an issue. What I like is that you can look at financing options, as well as looking at refurbished equipment. For someone just starting out, looking at refurbished products and overstocks, you can save up to 35% off of these items, which can add up.
Looking at the buying guides and tools, you can not only look at comparisons with other vendors, but you can learn how to choose the right products whether you need handhelds, notebooks, desktops or other units like printers or servers. In the “help me choose” area, you’ll answer a few questions which will help you get started and narrow down your needs. Some of the questions are basics like what the units will be used for, will they travel, how much display size do you need, along with others. You can even put your budget in. I played with the notebook advisor tool, and was shown a couple of units that would work. They showed me a side-by-side of the units, and sure enough it showed me a Compaq quite similar to the one I chose a few months ago after doing some research.
One thing I can’t say enough to you is never stop learning. I’ve held many different jobs in my lifetime, and that’s just in my personality. I like variety and can get bored. I’ve been able to train others in a telecommunication field with a large company on modems and digital equipment, to helping a day spa open, to building websites and other things. When I say variety, I mean variety! Did you know I’m a licensed skin care specialist on top of it all? I meant it when I said, never stop learning! Now at 40, I have a multitude of experiences behind me, and when I saw that HP offers free online classes, along with how to guides and more, I was thrilled. I’ve written about their free online classes previously on my personal blog back in July. I believe in HP, and like what they’re offering. Feel free to read more about them at my site, or at HP.com. Take advantage of them! There are also IT training programs available. This is one section of their website you should check out immediately.
Back to Total Care, another aspect that shines is the ability to keep track of all of your devices. Their Client Automation software allows security measures, tracks hardware and monitors how often it’s being used. These are all things that help you better manage your business. When you know how your systems are being used, and how often, it can help you with things like productivity, and understand strengths and weaknesses.
For a small business on a shoestring budget, equipment can be costly. One of the things I love about Total Care is that they’ll help you trade up if and when you’re ready. You can get cash back on your equipment to use towards upgraded equipment. You also have the option of just getting cash. Of course all your private data is scrubbed, and your confidentiality is maintained.
If you’re a small or medium business looking for a company for equipment, solutions, and support, you can’t go wrong with Hewlett-Packard’s Total Care solution.
When a friend decided to open a spa, one of the first things I said to her is don’t waste money on bad equipment. You need equipment you can rely on, and you need it to work. You want someone who can offer you support. She wasn’t opening a huge business, but her business needs were just as important as a larger business. She needed her equipment to work, work well, handle her individual needs, and if there was a problem, she needed support.
It doesn’t matter if your business is huge or small, you want things to work. If you have to waste time figuring things out, if things don’t run smoothly, you’re wasting time and energy and it’s misplaced. You should be able to focus on your business, not focus on problems that your equipment gives you. Let’s face it, reliability matters!
[tags] HP, hewlett packard, total care, small business, business, totalcare, equipment, support, solutions [/tags]
Blogger and Podcaster, a digital and print magazine for those mentioned, obviously bloggers and podcasters brought us their first issue in April. I’ve been reviewing the magazine monthly, detailing page by page my thoughts. While I’ve enjoyed the process, at this point you’re either reading it or you’re not. You can pick up a free subscription by either following the link on my sidebar or going directly to their site. You can click on the picture above to be taken there as well.
I wanted to bring light to this new medium, because let’s face it, there’s not a lot aimed directly at us, the bloggers and podcasters, unless of course it’s blogs or podcasts! It’s an excellent magazine that offers tips, tricks, interviews and other pieces of information. At this point, I’ll just be reading the magazine for my own pleasure, and not detailing it as I go. I hope that in the past, it helped you decide it was worth your time to get your own subscription.
It’s free digitally, and worth your time to read it.
If you’d like to read previous reviews, you can see them here:
Have you poked around the Better Business Bureau site lately? You can simply add in the area you’re in, and be taken to a local version which offers news, alerts along with a lot of information. What you may not have known about is that the Better Business Bureau offers books and DVDs on different topics ranging from Identity Theft to eBay.
One interesting article I just read is about protecting your teen’s identity. Let’s face it, a new young adult, new credit cards, a license….your teen is prime for identity theft. This article offers tips on how to help your teen protect their identity.
Whether you’re a business looking for their Accreditation standards, or a consumer looking to file a complaint, your local Better Business Bureau has information for you. Mostly importantly, you can check out a business or charity you’re looking to do business with.
Don’t forget to check out their archives that lists known scams.
