Toysport

Archive for September, 2011

When it comes to ensuring your business stays in business it is a good idea that you keep a watchful eye on your competitors. This is also the case when starting up a new business because you will need to know what type of competitors that you will be going up against.

When it comes to starting up a business it is essential that the first thing that you do is to conduct your market research. This function is very important as it will lay the foundation of your business and determine its potential profitability. Market research will help you to identify your target market and how profitable it is likely to be.

Another important aspect of market research is to determine your competition. If you have uncovered a profitable market there is a high chance that there are a number of competitors that are already in there and making a tidy profit. To be successful you will need to understand who they are what they do and what you need to do to muscle in on the party.

Ignoring your competition is not a good idea as they could be well established with deep pockets that eat little pretenders for supper. To understand your competition better you will need to do a competitor analysis. The aim of your competitor analysis is to get a picture of what you are going up against. You want to know how many businesses you are going to compete with. You want to know their market share and how well they are established. You will want to know the types of products they are selling and how they are selling them.

The best place to start is by determining how many competitors there are. If you discover there are several then target the top 5 for further research. The next stage is their finances. This information should be available in the public domain. A good way of finding this information is by researching financial databases. This information can be found in your library or local chamber of commerce. With this information you can have a good idea of the financial strength of your competition.

Other things you can look at are their products and feedback. The internet and shopping sites such as Amazon provide customer feedback which is a good place to start to gauge the quality of their products. The more you know about your competition the better chance you will have competing against them.

Recently, Keith Olbermann, on his MSNBC news show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, cited Fox News as the “worst persons in the world.” He claimed that the Fox News Channel is blatant right-wing propaganda. He also noted that President Obama, in a recent TV interview (the same interview, incidentally, as the now-notorious fly-swatting incident, in which, according to news reports on MSNBC, NBC, CBS, CNN and elsewhere, the President demonstrates his “remarkable fly-swatting skills”) claimed that there was at least one news channel dedicated to undermining his administration at all costs. Olbermann suggests that the President was referring to Fox News.

Back in the day when the Republicans controlled both houses as well as the Presidency, a period that might well go down in history as a modern-day Dark Ages or Reign of Terror, the Fox News channel was considered to be the bastion of credible news. So much so that all other news agencies were too afraid even to question their authority.

Fox News, owned by Australian media magnate Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., had started on the premise that conventional news sources like CNN and network news operated on a principle of a subtle left-wing cultural bias resulting from the educational and social milieu of their journalists. The solution that Fox News apparently proposed was to dedicate a news channel to supposedly “fair and balanced” news coverage. “Fair and balanced” became their watchword, but it soon proved to be ironic. Over time, their supposedly objective news coverage has been exposed as right-wing propaganda that was pretty blatantly pandering to the Bush administration while they were in power.

This brings us to MSNBC’s news lineup. MSNBC is a news channel that is produced as a joint venture, as the name suggests, between Microsoft (the monolithic software giant founded by Bill Gates) and NBC. Their lineup of news shows supposedly offers us the alternative to Fox News, but, as implied by Keith Olbermann, what they are really offering us is left-wing propaganda that panders to the Obama administration.

The tragic consequence of all this government pandering and institutional propaganda is that the number-one casualty in mainstream news coverage is credibility. Where are the Woodwards and Bernsteins of today, with their stunning expos

Applying for a Job

There are four general methods of applying for a job including:

(1) mailing your resume,

(2) emailing your resume,

(3) faxing your resume, and

(4) hand delivering your resume.

Mailing Your Resume

Some companies prefer that you mail your resume. For this type of approach, it is best to include a cover letter with your resume. The cover letter is a basic letter that describes the position that you are interested in and a few details of your qualifications and skills. It is basically your lead in to it. Before writing your cover letter, you should know whom the letter is to be addressed to. You never want to begin a cover letter with “Dear Sir or Madame” or “To whom it may Concern.” It shows that you have not prepared, and that you are not looking for a specific position with their company, but any job that you can get your hands on. Basically, it is disrespectful to your prospective employer.

Emailing Your Resume

Emailing resumes is becoming a commonplace way for recruiters to get them. Attach it as a word document or a PDF file. These are the most common formats and what most companies will accept. The subject line should read like this: Smith, John (Accounting Position). This makes it easy for the recruiter to know who the email is from, and what it pertains to. It also assures that your email will be read. Sometimes there are specific methods for addressing an emailed resume. Some companies have certain subject line requirements (so follow them!). If the company wants you to paste it, don’t send attachments because your email will be deleted right away.

Faxing Your Resume

You will need to include a cover letter when faxing your resume. If you are not using your own fax machine, be sure to include your proper contact information. The rules for your cover letter are the same as for mailing it.

Hand Delivering Your Resume

You will want to dress appropriately, as you would for an interview. Generally, companies ask you to do this if you are going to be working directly with customers. They ask for a walk-in because they want to get a look at your grooming habits right away. Sometimes, the employer will give you a brief interview on the spot to see if they will require a formal interview later. So be on your best and most appropriate behavior. Also, walk-ins do not require you to bring a cover letter with your resume. Your appearance is sort of the cover letter. Sometimes, you will be requested to fill out an application form as well. Smile and be polite, no matter who you are speaking with.