After months of looking you’ve finally found the job of your dreams. The new company loves you and wants you to start work as soon as possible. The only problem is how to quit the job you have? Though you may have fantasized about telling your present boss to take this job and, well, you know how the song goes, there is a right way and a wrong way to quit a job — and just up and quitting in a bout of anger is definitely the wrong way.

The right method of quitting a job means formally resigning from your position. And even when you’re excited about leaving and perhaps even desperately want to leave, it can still be hard to actually resign. But it must be done — and the sooner the better. You should resign immediately when you’ve accepted a position with another company. This is particularly important if you’re going to work for a competitor because some companies have policies where this could cause what they consider a conflict of interest and they will want you to leave immediately after you’ve given them your notice.

When resigning from a position, you will want to give your employer a written letter of resignation. This letter does not have to be long or detailed, but should include the following:

• Salutation to specific manager of the department you’re leaving or Human Resources manager
• Date of tendering your resignation
• Date you’ll be exiting your position
• Brief explanation (i.e., I’m leaving to take a position that will offer more opportunity for advancement, to be a full-time mother, etc.)

Again, when writing your letter of resignation, there’s no need for in-depth details or to give the name of the company you’ll be going to work for. Also, don’t give into the temptation to use your resignation letter to vent your anger and/or frustration. This could cause you career difficulties down the road. Make your resignation letter short and to the point, and keep it as positive as possible.

If you’ve had a good experience with your company and managers, don’t be surprised if you receive a counter-offer. But you’d be wise not to take one. Staying with an employer that you’ve already made plans to leave rarely works out well. In fact, in most cases people end up leaving within a year after taking a counter-offer.

Emotions run high when you quit a job, even a job you dislike, and it’s always easier to stay with the devil you know rather than take a risk on the one you don’t know. Still, whatever reasons you had for seeking employment elsewhere will not go away if you decide to stay, so make your decision to leave and don’t give into pressure to stay, well-intentioned as it may be. The last thing you want to do is to have to endure resigning all over again!

LaJobHunter is an Los Angeles area job search engine. Specializing in providing job listings and resume. Our writers contribute original content to help you in your career search. lajobhunter.com/lajh.

by Lee Kendrick

Have you ever wondered why so many businesses fail within 1-2 years, or even after 5 years in business? To many business owners, this question is scarier than finding a burglar standing over your bed at night. So, here's some common sense advice that can save your business, regardless of how long you've been in business.

First of all, building a solid business credit rating is possible regardless of your personal credit scores. Obtaining the right types of corporate credit is vital to: the protection of your personal assets, the risks associated with personal lawsuits affecting your business, and your business' ability to weather economic changes that seem to occur overnight.

All business owners must make it a weekly priority toward developing relationships with the right types of lending institutions. You usually want to start your application process with out-of-state, national (or international) lenders... not your local or regional banking institutions; because these larger lenders typically won't require a personal guarantee or your social security number.

However, there are many steps you'll need to take before you start applying for any type of business credit. Ultimately, it's in your best interest to find a competent professional that can help you navigate through the murky underworld of building a strong corporate credit rating... giving you a head start on your competition and also letting you focus on running your business' day-to-day activities.

An excellent business credit score can help your company's image, overnight. You need to be able to answer some very basic questions, before you apply for any business credit.

1. Is your business structured as a sole proprietorship, C-corporation, S-Corporation, Limited-Liability Corporation (LLC), Partnership, or Trust?
2. How long has your business been recognized by your State and Local government?
3. Has this company ever had any derogatory information provided to the most popular business credit reporting agencies, Dun & Bradstreet or Experian?
4. Does your company have the proper permits, licenses and registrations necessary to conduct business in your jurisdiction?
5. Does your business have a physical address?
6. Does your business have a landline telephone number that's recognized by directory assistance?
7. Are your incoming telephone calls professionally answered in your business name, or is it answered as if incoming calls are personal conversations?
8. Does your business have a business checking account?
9. Does your business have an Employer Identification Number (also known as an EIN)?

If your answer to the first question was a sole proprietorship, partnership or trust; I urge you to re-establish your company as a corporation or LLC. I'm not going to provide you with legal advice, but many CPAs and attorneys highly recommend LLCs (Limited Liability Corporations) as a way of protecting your personal assets and estate... in the event of any lawsuits being filed against your company. As a sole proprietor, your personal assets are at direct risk of seizure or forfeiture when faced with most types of legal action. Additionally, most lending institutions will not require you to provide any personal guarantee when applying for credit in the name of an LLC.

A corporation can still face difficulties applying for business credit, if it has been in business less than 2 years or if it has had previous credit problems reported against it... although it's not impossible to overcome. Here are some common fixes. You can purchase a "shelf" or "aged" corporation that's been recognized by your State government for longer than 2 years. You can attempt to repair your business credit rating by writing dispute letters to Experian or Dun & Bradstreet, which isn't always possible. A few corporate credit experts will sell you "shelf" or "aged" corporations, some of which already have strong credit ratings established in each entity's name, saving you a lot of hassles.

I cannot stress this enough. You must have a physical address (not a PO Box) if you want to establish a solid business credit rating. The same thing is said for telephone numbers & the way incoming phone calls are handled. You don't have to act as if your company is a Fortune 500 company. You just need to put yourself in the lender's shoes for a moment and ask yourself, "Would I lend money to a company that I can't find a physical address for?" or "Would I lend money to a company that answers their mobile phone with your favorite musician's answer tone and is answered in a non-professional manner?". I hope your answer was a resounding "NO!". If not, can I borrow $1,000,000? You can always find me wherever my mobile phone is at the moment. (Get my point?) And, don't forget to get the proper paperwork to go into business and keep these documents current.

Moving on, business checking accounts are a must. Again, this proves stability to your potential lenders. Here are some possible solutions, if you've had checking accounts closed in the past. Pay off the outstanding balance (if any) that's being reported by the bank, or open a checking account at a bank or credit union that doesn't use the ChexSystems credit reporting system. Most credit unions don't use ChexSystems, and you can always find a list of banking institutions in your area that don't use ChexSystems... by simply doing a search on Google, Yahoo or MSN.

Corporate credit ratings are tracked using your business name, business address and employer identification number (EIN). It takes less than five (5) minutes to apply for an EIN at irs.gov, which is the IRS' website.

Next, you'll want to obtain a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet, the largest business credit reporting agency. You can apply for this without any fees at dnb.com, which is the Dun & Bradstreet website, and you'll usually receive this number within thirty (30) days. Do not apply for this number until you've prepared yourself thoroughly, because any information you give to them goes into your credit file permanently.

After you've obtained your D-U-N-S number, you're probably ready to start establishing some vendor credit. Vendor credit is where many business owners start establishing business credit ratings. Simply go to staples.com, officemax.com or officedepot.com to get started. Then, you'll also need to fax your business telephone bill and the credit application to them on your business letterhead (which you can create using your favorite word processing software). They usually don't require any personal guarantees (if you've followed the outline above), and you'll usually receive a starting credit line of $750.

Be sure to always pay your invoices before the grace periods begin. This is critical, especially on unsecured credit cards. Dun & Bradstreet issues what's known as a Paydex score (your corporate credit score), and a score of 80 is very good... with 100 being the highest score you can achieve. Your Paydex score is issued once you've established a known vendor/credit relationship with at least five (5) creditors... and it reflects negatively on your credit score if you pay a bill after you've entered in the grace period, and even worse if you pay after the due date.

Again, there are shortcuts that will help you get much more than $750 a lot faster. I've seen hundreds of people start with vendor credit equaling $25,000-$50,000 and open credit lines of $50,000 up to $1,000,000, in as little as 45-90 days, by using a corporate credit expert's knowledge of the application process and "shelf" corporations. In fact, the best corporate credit experts will usually already have "shelf" corporations for sale, with pre-established credit ratings and lines of credit.

In summary, I've given you most of the tools and information you need to obtain corporate credit lines. Are you going to let a "cash crunch" put you out of business? Are you going to try to establish a business credit rating yourself and build your credit slowly? Or, will you utilize the services of a knowledgeable corporate credit expert to establish your credit rating and secure large credit lines overnight? The choice is yours.

Lee Kendrick has been featured on the cover of numerous magazines as a highly respected credit expert, finance professional, and experienced internet marketer. Register for his infamous newsletter at to discover how easy it is to get business lines of credit equal to $250,000 or more... in as little as 45 days... regardless of credit.

by Stephen D. Boyd, Ph.D., CSP
 
Delivering an effective presentation to 20 or to 200 people is difficult.  Because listeners have better access to information since the internet became commonplace, audiences expect more content from speakers today.  In addition, because of the entertainment slant of most media today, audiences want a presentation delivered with animation, humor, and pizzazz.
 
If you would rather spend your time preparing your content than reading a book on public speaking, this is an article especially for you!  From my experiences in delivering over 1500 speeches during the past 20 years, here is a quick guide to giving an effective and interesting presentation your very first time.
 
Begin with something to get the attention of the audience.  This might be a startling statement, statistic, or your own story.  Listeners pay close attention when a person begins with, “Two weeks ago as I was driving to work a car pulled out in front of me...”  You could begin with a current event:  “You might have read in the paper this morning about the flood that...”  A question is another way to make people listen.  “How many of you feel our society spends too much on medical care?” might be a way to begin a presentation about curbing costs.  Whatever technique you use, when you grab the attention of the audience you are on your way to a successful speech.
 
Second, be energetic in delivery.  Speak with variety in your voice.  Slow down for a dramatic point and speed up to show excitement.  Pause occasionally for effect.  Don’t just stand behind the lectern, but move a step away to make a point.  When you are encouraging your audience, take a step toward them.  Gesture to show how big or wide or tall or small an object is that you are describing.  Demonstrate how something works or looks or moves as you tell about it.  Show facial expressions as you speak.  Smile when talking about something pleasant and let your face show other emotions as you tell about an event or activity.  Whatever your movements, they should have purpose.
 
Structure your speech.  Don’t have more than two or three main points, and preview in the beginning what those points will be.  With each point, have two or three pieces of support, such as examples, definitions, testimony, or statistics.  Visual aids are important when you want your audience to understand a process or concept or understand a financial goal.  Line graphs are best for trends.  Bar graphs are best for comparisons and pie graphs are best for showing distribution of percentages. 

Tie your points together with transitions.  These could be signposts such as “First,” “Second,” or "Finally."   Use an internal summary by simply including the point you just made and telling what you plan to talk about next.  “Now that we have talked about structure, let’s move on to the use of stories,” would be an example.  When you have an introduction, two or three main points with support for each, appropriate transitions, and a conclusion, you will have your speech organized in a way that the audience can follow you easily.
 
Tell your own story somewhere in the presentation -- especially in a technical presentation.  Include a personal experience that connects to your speech content, and the audience will connect with you.  You want to help the audience link emotionally with what you are talking about, and the personal experience does that.  With almost any topic you might choose, you have at least one “war story” to relate to the topic.  When you tell the story, simply start at the beginning and move chronologically through the narrative, including answers to the “W” questions: “Who,” What, “When,” "Why," and “Where.” 
 
To add interest and understanding to your speech, include a visual aid.  A visual aid could be an object, a flip chart, a PowerPoint presentation, overhead projector slides, or a dry erase board.  Whatever visual you are using, make sure everyone can see it.  The best way to insure this is to put the visual where you will be speaking, and then find the seat farthest from it and determine if you can read the visual from that seat.  Introduce the visual properly rather than simply throwing it at your audience; explain what the visual will do before you unveil it.  Don’t allow the visual to become a silent demonstration.  Keep talking as you show the visual.  You are still the main event and your visual is an aid.  Look at your audience, not your visual.   When the visual is not in use, hide it from the audience.  Humans are a curious lot, tending to keep looking at the object and losing track of the speaker — you!
 
If you are delivering a persuasive speech, in addition to your own stories include testimony of experts whom the audience respects and whose views reinforce your points.  Add a key statistic when possible to show the seriousness of what you are discussing. For example, if I were discussing the need for improved listening  to better serve your customers, I might add that although we spend half of our communication time in listening, our listening efficiency is only about 25%.  By using stories, testimony, and statistics in your persuasive talk, you add depth to your evidence.
 
Look at the audience as you speak.  If it is a small audience, you can look at each person in a short period of time.  If it is a large audience, look at the audience in small “clumps” and move from one clump to another.  One way to insure good eye contact is to look at your audience before you start to speak.  Go to the lectern and pause, smile, look at the audience, and then speak.  This will help you maintain good eye contact throughout your presentation as well as commanding immediate attention.
 
One of the ways to have consistently good eye contact is not to read your speech.  Use note cards that have key words on them.  The word or phrase should trigger the thought in your mind and then you can speak it.  If you are including a quotation or complex statistics, reading from your note card actually lends credibility.   If you write out your speech you will tend to read it and lose eye contact with the audience, as well as not being as enthusiastic in delivery as when you speak from note cards. 
 
Include a “wow” factor in your speech.  Something in your speech should make your audience think, “Wow!”  It could be a story, a dramatic point, an unusual statistic, or an effective visual that helps the audience understand immediately.  With a “wow” factor, you then have something to look forward to in the speech that you know will have an impact on your audience.  You’ll become a more enthusiastic speaker because the “wow” factor will get you as well as your audience pumped for the speech. 
 
Consider using a touch of humor in your speech.  Don’t panic at this suggestion; you are not becoming a comedian but rather lightening up a serious speech so that people will be more accepting and interested in your ideas.  Humor will help you to be perceived as an amiable person, and it is hard for people to disagree or be bored if they are smiling at you.  Until you have lots of experience, keep your humor short.  Perhaps inject a one-liner or a quotation.  Yogi Berra said a lot of funny things.  “You can observe a lot just by watching” for example.   Tell a short embarrassing moment in your life that you might have thought not funny at the time.  Now that you can laugh at the experience, you understand the old adage, “Humor is simply tragedy separated by time and space.”   Don’t poke fun at your audience; you should be the object of any shortcoming, showing that you can laugh at yourself.  Avoid long stories or jokes.  Even seasoned speakers know that funny stories soon become unfunny if they go on too long.  Probably the least risky use of humor is a cartoon.  The cartoon is separate from you and if people don’t laugh, you don’t feel responsible. (Be sure to secure permission to use it.)
 
Finally, leave the audience with something to think about.  People remember best what you say last.  You might summarize your main points, or you might complete the statement, “What I want you to do as a result of this presentation is....”  But beyond that, make your last words a thought to ponder.  For example, I might end a speech on becoming a better speaker with “As Cicero said centuries ago, 'The skill to do comes with the doing.'”  
 
A more modern guide to effective public speaking was penned by some unknown sage:  "Know your stuff.  Know whom you are stuffing.  Know when they are stuffed."
 
One never becomes a “perfect” speaker; developing public speaking skills is a life-long experience.  But the points discussed here will get you started in becoming the speaker you want to be and the speaker your audience wants to hear.
 
Stephen D. Boyd, Ph.D., CSP, is a professor of speech communication at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky.  He is also a trainer in communication who presents more than 60 seminars and workshops a year to corporations and associations.  See additional articles and resources at http://www.sboyd.com. He can be reached at 800-727-6520 or at info@sboyd.com.

 

Unless you are an inventor, most likely you are selling a product or service that is being offered by someone else, somewhere, at some time. The first person to start your type of business would have gone through a lot of trial and error. Thank that person, as now you can not only profit by not repeating the same mistakes, but by learning what they do to get business.

The best way to do this is to practice what any businessperson knows: know your competition. The most beneficial thing you can do is to study what they are doing to attract customers. 

Go online, do a search, pull up the web sites of your competition, and start taking notes. Here are some things to look for.

* What do you like about their web site?
* How can they improve upon it?
* Is it user-friendly and easy to understand?
* Is it too wordy or complicated?
* Could someone browsing this web site learn quickly what
this business actually does?
* Does their web site move too slowly, due to an
over-emphasis on graphics that sacrifices the actual
message?

With your notes, you can begin to set up the key points that you feel your target audience needs to know about your product or service, and why it will benefit them to do business with you.

Look at these different web sites and read the headline.

* Does it draw you in?
* Do you care to read more?
* Do you feel intrigued, or more than a little confused?

If you find one you like, there is nothing wrong with re-wording it to fit your business. Remember that we are talking about imitation, not plagiarism.

It has been said that there is nothing new under the sun. While this may be the case, at least give what your company is offering a unique slant, and make an effort to provide it in a more informative and interesting format than what your competition is doing.

====Side Bar====
This "unique slant", often called the "Unique Selling Proposition (USP)", opens the door for effective competition among businesses selling a similar product -- even the same product. 

Rosser Reeves was the first to coin the phrase Unique Selling Proposition in his book "Reality of Advertising", published in 1961.

Here's Reeves' 3 part definition of USP:

1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer.
2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not offer. It must be unique--either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field of advertising. 
3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions.
====Side Bar====

Try to look at your competition with fresh eyes. Treat what they have to say as if it is the first time you have seen this information, because that may be the case for your target audience. Make a list of the questions that come to mind, or points that you feel you would want more information on, if you were in the shoes of your audience. 

Even what your competition does wrong with the information they do or do not provide can be instructive. It serves to get you to think of all the things that you can do to sell the service better. You are building the structure of your business on what someone else has done before you, but improving the end product by going the extra distance in covering the whole story in a clear manner. 

Now that is smart business.
========
David Geer's Success 4U Marketing helps small business owners discover how to market any product or service online – quickly ... easily ... profitably ... successfully.
http://www.cashflowseller.com/

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By Stephen D. Boyd
 
Often managers have to deliver presentations with unpleasant content.  The vice president has to announce that there is a hiring freeze or a downsizing.  The human resource director speaks to the employees about a benefits package with fewer benefits.  Because executives are often speaking in difficult situations, the more credibility they can develop, the more the content will be considered and accepted.  Speakers will have little or no impact on audiences if audience members don’t respect them and what they have to say.
 
What makes us trust a speaker or believe that he or she is a reliable source?  Whom can we trust to have our best interests at heart?  Let’s look at some practical ways a speaker can maintain and enhance credibility.
 
Act in ways consistent with the message of the presentation.  This can be as simple as showing concern in tone of voice and facial expression when talking about an issue that is facing the company.  Acting disinterested or unconcerned when presenting bad news can offend your listeners.  Showing enthusiasm in delivery by quicker movements, more variety, and a faster rate of speech when reading an exciting climax of a positive presentation can produce the same enthusiasm in your audience.
 
A student began a persuasive speech by spreading garbage out on a table.  She said, "What do all of these pieces of trash have in common?  They can all be recycled."   She gave a good speech on the need for recycling and how to set up community recycling programs.  She finished to a nice round of applause; then she gathered up all of the recyclables from the table--and threw them away in the wastebasket in the corner.  She obviously didn't understand the need for speakers to act in ways consistent with their messages in order to maintain credibility.
 
Good preparation is an ethical requirement as well as a practical one. Your audience has given you time and an opportunity, and audience members deserve to hear your best effort.  That only comes through careful preparation.  If the audience can tell you didn't prepare for them specifically, they will feel betrayed and won't respond positively to your message.  Thus the executive should start preparing several days or weeks before an important presentation is delivered.  It is hard to cram for a speech, and the audience can tell when preparation has not been adequate.
 
Show respect for your audience.  Don't insult your audience in any way.  Racial slurs and profanity are obviously unethical, but in addition, don't show disrespect for people's gender, backgrounds, positions, appearances, or nationalities.  Don't put people down because of their lack of knowledge of a topic; sometimes their lack of information is the very reason you have been asked to speak.  Don't embarrass any member of your audience.  Don't play a joke on anyone without seeking permission first.  Even if you do receive permission, playing a joke on an audience member can backfire because the rest of your group might become fearful they will bear the brunt of your next joke, causing them to lose trust in you.  Poke fun at yourself instead.
 
Base your conclusions in your presentation on clear evidence. Support your assertions with relevant facts, statistics, and testimony.  Keep track of your sources and be ready to produce them if an audience member has a question.  Don't make assertions you can't support or justify.  Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca write in their book, The New Rhetoric: A Treatise on Argumentation, that whatever support you use should be able to satisfy the "universal audience"--that group of all reasonable, rational people.   In your outline each major point should show a variety of evidence.  If that is not the case, then eliminate the point or, if it fits, place the evidence with another point you are making.
 
Choose topics that are consistent with your personal beliefs.  Pick topics important to you that you live out on a daily basis.  You might be able to craft effective speeches advocating views you do not agree with, but you will be much more effective and ethical if you advocate opinions you actually hold.  If you advocate a position which is not something you feel completely comfortable with, this will be communicated to your audience by your delivery style.  In choosing material for your presentation, one major criterion is how strongly you feel about the point or support.  This is an excellent way to cut out materials when you have more content than time allotted.
 
Respect the time of your audience.  Know what time you are expected to finish--and finish at that time.  It is an insult to your audience members and an abuse of your opportunity to speak to keep them ten, fifteen, or thirty minutes more than what is expected of you.
 
History gives us a good example of the power of an actual presentation to create credibility.  The year was 1952, and Dwight Eisenhower was running for president with Richard Nixon as his vice-presidential candidate.  Charges surfaced, however, that Nixon had illegally used some campaign contributions, and Eisenhower considered dropping Nixon from the ticket.  In what became known as the "Checkers Speech," Nixon defended himself in a 30-minute, nationally televised speech.  With his wife Pat sitting in the background, he defended his ethics, at one point holding up a piece of paper he claimed was the result of an audit of his books finding him blameless.  Nixon did admit, however, that some supporters had given his children a dog.  He said the kids had named the dog "Checkers," and no matter what anyone said, he wasn't going to let them take that dog away.  He concluded by asking people to telegraph or mail to the Republican National Committee their opinion of whether or not he should continue to run with Eisenhower.  The overwhelmingly positive response assured his place in the campaign.  Who knows how much of American history for the next twenty years was changed because of a little dog and a presentation that convinced people of Richard M. Nixon's credibility.
 
All of these ethical principles can be condensed to one, a "golden rule" of speaking ethics:  Treat each audience member as you would like to be treated if you were in your audience.
 
Stephen D. Boyd, Ph.D., CSP, is a professor of speech communication at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky.  He is also a trainer who presents communication  seminars and workshops to corporations and associations.  See additional articles and resources at http://www.sboyd.com.  He can be reached at 800-727-6520 or at info@sboyd.com.

Businesses of all kinds can and do benefit from the tool of outsourcing every day. Businesses large and small have been outsourcing every day projects for many years. The businesses that use outsourcing as a tool to enhance and grow their business already know the value that outsourcing brings to their organization. Outsourcing is a business process term for what has literally become known as hiring a consultant, independent contractor, or freelancer to do a specific task or tasks for an organization in which the organization either does not have the time or the expertise to do on their own. The organizations that have used outsourcing for many years know that with the positives it brings to the organization that it is also important to have a well managed plan of action for hiring a consultant or contractor for a business task. This includes deciding which projects or tasks to outsource, whom to hire for these tasks, how to manage the project, how to agree on payment terms, and how to achieve the desired results.

There are many forms of outsourcing ranging from outsourcing payroll to outsourcing package handling, to everything in between. Small businesses hiring a self-employed accountant to handle the corporate tax returns are in essence hiring a tax consultant. Large corporations that hire outside customer service firms to handle their customer support are outsourcing that function of their business to focus more on their core business functions. It is entirely possible to outsource practically every business process within an organization.

OUTSOURCING TOOLS
There are a wealth of tools available for the organization looking to outsource business processes. Companies such as SmartyLance.com, enable a business to post a project to a project marketplace and receive bids from experts in the field. These type of freelance sites match companies with freelance professionals, consultants, and independent contractors. There are many advantages for a business to use services such as SmartyLance.

First, the marketplace enables businesses to use a centralized location to post their project, receive bids on that project, communicate with potential providers, choose a winning bid (either based on lowest cost or based on the credentials, expertise, or prior feedback of a particular provider), manage the project specifications, receive the delivered project and make final payment based on the terms of the auction. This centralized marketplace provided by SmartyLance greatly streamlines the entire outsourcing process and enables the business owner or manager to have greater control over the entire outsourcing process.

INCREASING COMPETITION
Competition is a complicated subject for many people. Ultimately, competition is good for the consumer, whether the consumer is an individual or a business, competition enables products and services to maintain high quality and low cost. Although many people dislike competition because it forces action to improve quality, the benefits to the overall economy even result in improved products and services for the very people that dismiss competition and the headaches it sometimes brings. Freelance marketplaces such as SmartyLance are no exception in that competition improves the overall quality and value for the project buyer and causes the freelance provider to adjust to market conditions in a practical, intelligent manner to win new business. The benefits to the company looking to hire freelancers are obvious.

For example, Company A can compile a list of consultants to work on the design of their new company logo. This list may include a multitude of design firms from the same geographical area. Company A would be required to submit an RFP by contacting each design firm individually, stating the requirements of their project and requesting a quote based on the requirements. Many factors come into play in deciding which design firm Company A will choose. Chances are, that using this approach, Company A will end up paying too much for the project and will only have a handful of providers to choose from. Company B also must outsource the design of their new company logo. Rather than compile lists of design firms, which can result in overpriced quotes, Company B decides to post their logo design project to the SmartyLance marketplace. Doing so enables Company B to get competitive bids that help ensure that Company B gets the most competitive price for their project. By posting the logo design project to SmartyLance, Company B not only reduced costs associated with the project, they had access to specialists and skilled professional designers from around the world that were competing to give Company B the best cost and highest quality design for their money. The entire process was managed easily through Company B’s SmartyLance account enabling them to keep in contact, manage project specifications, manage competing bids, and send payment easily and securely through one of several different payment methods. An escrow account enabled Company B to ensure that payment wasn’t released to the provider until all project requirements were met. Company B successfully outsourced the logo design project and was able to save several hundred dollars. They also received the project several days quicker than Company A. In this example of Company A and Company B, we see that Company A had limited its ability to find a skilled professional and limited its ability to save money on the project. Company B took full advantage of all the resources and benefits of the SmartyLance marketplace and was able to save time and money. By outsourcing critical business functions that are not core business functions, the organization greatly benefits through a savings of time and money which in turn benefits us all through decreasing costs that are passed down to the consumer.

TO OUTSOURCE OR NOT TO OUTSOURCE?
That is the question many small business owners and large corporations alike are asking themselves each and every day. Risks are inherent in any new business strategy or thought process. However, like any business decision, risk can be managed. By intelligently choosing a provider that matches your intended skill requirements, carefully detailing and outlining your project requirements, and ensuring that you maintain the requirements within budget, the benefits can far outweigh the risks. One of the more common fears among some larger organizations that may be reluctant to outsource projects is a fear of the unknown. This fear stems from the inherent inability to oversee each and every aspect of the project from start to finish and to evaluate each step along the way.

Internal employees devoted to a project are more easily evaluated and can be guided through performance and work appraisals. Managers may feel that outsourced projects are more difficult to oversee and manage with an eagle eye. The fact of the matter is that so long as there are well-defined contractual obligations and project reporting requirements, an outsourced project can in fact result in a more manageable outcome than actually thought. Also, the talent pool and skills obtained that may be completely unavailable to the organization allow the organization to reach milestones and achieve success that may never have been possible with their current employees.

OUTSOURCING CONTROVERSY:
The outsourcing controversy that is making headlines today is the public opinion of outsourcing jobs to other countries. This includes manufacturing of products, such as those that are “Made In China” as well as service outsourcing such as computer programming that is outsourced to skilled workers in India. One can argue that outsourcing projects overseas is taking opportunity away from workers in their native country.

Others may contend that outsourcing projects, whether it’s overseas or in the same country is a great opportunity that will improve business processes, improve productivity, reduce costs and have an overall positive effect on the economy, thus creating more new jobs and specialized jobs in specific skill areas. All businesses are consistently looking for ways to increase productivity and lower costs. From an economic standpoint, increasing productivity and lowering costs are essential elements for business success. Business success, in turn leads to more growth, which leads to new job creation, be it in a more specialized skill area or through the development in new types of jobs in new specialized areas.

OUTSOURCED BUSINESS PROCESSES
As mentioned previously, practically any business process not related to the core business activity can be outsourced. Some examples of commonly outsourced business processes include:
Accounting and Finance
Graphic Design & Multimedia
Sales and Telemarketing
Web Design and Development
Administrative Support and Data Entry
Business Strategy, Advertising, Business Plans, Consulting Legal, Contracts, Copyright, Corporate, Incorporation Software and Technology, Database Development Writing and Translation, Copy Writing, Creative Writing Press Releases

A REWARDING CAREER
Having a specialty or skill in a particular business area can enable you to begin a career as a consultant or freelancer. Freelancing enables you to have the flexibility to work on your own and on your own schedule. You can choose which projects match your skill set and decide which types of freelance projects that you would be interested in working on. There are numerous sources available to find freelance work. Some sources include browsing freelance directories, job boards, and registering with talent auction sites such as SmartyLance. All of these resources are filled with potential jobs. In comparison, it seems that talent auctions are the most comprehensive resources offering the most flexibility to both the freelancer and the company hiring a freelancer. They offer the breadth and depth of listings and the simplicity to bid on numerous projects as well as services enabling the handling of the entire payment process through a service provider account with the talent auction site. Bidding on projects requires much discipline and planning. Before placing a bid or giving a quote on a project, the freelancer must take into account many factors including the length of time required for the project completion, the budget the service buyer can afford, and whether or not they can actually meet the requirements to complete the project. It is also important to keep in mind that developing relationships with service buyers can lead to more work in the future. Developing a relationship with service buyers and meeting or exceeding their project expectations will enable you to develop a client base that allows you to practically always have new projects to work on.

COMPETITION FOR PROJECTS
There will always be competition in all forms of business. Competition for freelance projects is fierce. One of the major ways to compete and win is to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. You can start by fine tuning your resume. This will force you to think about your accomplishments as well as your exact skills and abilities. There are numerous services that can help you with your resume, including ResumeEdge. Using a service to help you with your resume will enable you to better explain your accomplishments and present them in a manner that will captivate and impress the reader. Especially if you are an independent freelancer, having your resume retooled by ResumeEdge will allow you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Many freelance service buyers will wish to see a list of your accomplishments and your skills.
 
If you register as a service provider with a freelance marketplace such as SmartyLance, they offer several different options that enable you to stand out above the crowd. First, there are different subscription levels when registering. There is a Limited subscription, a Novice subscription or a Professional subscription. Each higher level subscription offers more options to the service provider. Every service provider does have the ability to post a profile, detailing various information about their abilities. Limited subscriptions limit the cost range in which a service provider can bid. For example, a Limited service provider can only bid on projects with a price range less than one thousand dollars. Novice subscription service providers can bid on projects less than five thousand dollars, and Professional subscription service providers can bid on any service level project. Several added bonuses with the Novice and Professional subscription levels include the ability to purchase credential verification services as well as the ability to post “Buy Now” projects. Credential verification services enable you to post information related to your references, certifications, licenses, education and previous employment. Simply adding these options to your account gives you a special designation stating that your information has been checked and verified as being true and accurate by the freelance marketplace.
 
This designation gives you an added level of credibility making you stand out from the rest of the service providers and enabling you to showcase your achievements and abilities, giving a service buyer confidence in choosing you to complete their project. This will undoubtedly lead to more work and more projects coming your way. In addition to verifying your credentials, you have the ability to showcase a portfolio of your previous work. This allows you to show the service buyers your achievements and your successes with previous clients. Showcasing your portfolio is another important aspect that gives the service buyer confidence in your ability. Finally, the higher level subscriptions enable you as a service provider to offer “Buy Now” solutions. Similar to purchasing products immediately without bidding as on major product auctions such as eBay, “Buy Now” solutions enable freelance service providers and consultants to make a solution available to all service buyers for a specific set price. For example, a freelance graphic design firm may create a “Corporate Identity Package”, enabling a service buyer to purchase this package that may include the graphic design of a logo, along with designs for letterhead, business cards, and banner ads. Another example could be from a lawyer or legal consultant who creates an incorporation package that includes corporate setup and incorporation services for all fifty states, creation of shareholder agreements, employment agreements, and registered agent services all for a set price.
 
These simple examples of “Buy Now” services enable freelance consultants and independent contractors to create easy options for service buyers who are looking for simple solutions and quick turnaround time. Service providers also enjoy creating these type of services because it enables them to focus on their core interests and abilities. Only higher level subscriptions such as the Novice or Limited subscriptions enable freelance service providers to post “Buy Now” projects. The beauty of these additional options as a freelance service provider is that you can focus on one specific aspect of your business. If you are a consultant for a graphic design firm and you simply enjoy creating and designing corporate logos and identities, then you can find work specifically in this area by posting your own “Buy Now” solution. If you are a lawyer working for your own legal firm and your passion is new business setups and incorporation services, then you can steer projects your way with a “Buy Now” solution posted on a freelance marketplace like SmartyLance.

CONCLUSION
These are only a few examples of the many opportunities that exist as a freelancer. Whether you are a small business, an individual, or a large corporation, this article simply serves as a guide to help you in your quest to use outsourcing to your advantage to help your business grow and flourish. Outsourcing, when done correctly, can benefit your business in so many different ways. The two most obvious benefits are a savings of time and money. From the freelancer’s standpoint, this article has been developed to help educate and guide you with the many options available to find work as well as to delve into the minds of freelance service buyers.
 
Knowing their concerns and understanding the reasons for choosing one service provider over another will greatly benefit you by enabling you to increase your odds for getting new business. Understanding the concerns and needs of service buyers will lead to your gains as a service provider.
 
If you are able to provide enough people with services that they wish to have, then you will always be in demand.