FinditLocal411 Blog
June 15th, 2010 at 11:50 am
 Summer is approaching and many people are looking forward to three months of exhausting job search. Our site offers many options for continuing your education. For those of you who want a break—with pay—look to the Michiana tourism industry. There are actually many jobs in the area that offer the rewards of travel and scenery, but are temporary, allowing you the opportunity to take a break from your unemployment search without committing to a new career.
Mackinac Islands
Coolworks.com is a great resource when it comes to finding jobs in the tourism industry. Spend the summer season on an island where cars aren’t allowed and natural scenery abounds. Live and work in one of the resorts on the island. Positions include everything from bar-tending to reservations managers and chefs. Click on the “Employers” to see information on room and board as well as application details.
Summer Camps
Another way to get away for the summer, with pay, is to go to summer camp. No, you won’t go as a attendee, but as a camp counselor. Look to sites like Snag A job and Career jet, where Michigan and Indiana summer camp jobs are still available. You should also visit the camp’s website (go to the jobs or careers section) for more information.
Summer Nanny
The summertime also means the end to school. Kids all over the country are home and in need of supervision. Services like Nanny Pro and Nanny Needed are looking to hire nannies in South Bend, Gary, Hammond, New Buffalo and other Michiana cities. Nannies live with families during the week, taking care of the children while the parents work. They also go on vacation with the family, caring for the children while the parents have a little alone time. You must have some childcare experience to perform this job.
Internships
Get your foot in the door of a new career through an internship. Interns learn the ropes of a career by shadowing an executive, while performing menial tasks. Sometimes, they are given the opportunity to perform part of the exec’s duties. Interns aren’t always paid, and many must find their own room and board. Be sure to review the internship listings carefully before applying.
Farmhand
Michigan and Indiana have many rural areas where large scale farms and orchards are located. If you’d want to get your hands in the dirt and be truly close to nature, take a job as a farmhand. In Michiana, farmhands are needed from March/April when planting starts to October for late harvests. Michiana farmers grow everything from berries to vegetables to fruits like apples and peaches. Find these jobs in local newspapers or by contacting the farms.
Enjoy the Summer:Take a Job Hunt Break
Finding a summer job can be the break you need to rejuvenate the search for the job you want. In addition to being a paid change of pace, a summer job prevents a long lull in your resume and will provide you with valuable experience that may just come in handy in the new career.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Welcome to National Small Business Week! Each year since 1963, the President recognizes our nation’s small business and their owners with a week of keynote speakers, honors & awards, receptions and other events in Washington D.C.
This year’s Small Business Week comes at a great time for Michiana and Chicagoland small business owners, as our local economy is starting to swing upward with new jobs and companies popping up in the last few months.
Why Small Business?
Small business has received a great deal of attention in the past few years. As the presidential election of 2008 prodded along, citizens kept hearing that the economic recovery of America would come on Main Street, not Wall Street. This proclamation played out like a broken record until the message was clear: We must make small business a higher priority.
The Fabric of Our Communities
We’re talked about the importance of “Buying Local” on this blog before, but it bears repeating. For each purchase you make with a locally owned and operated organization, 73% of the capital stays within your local economy. If you shop for a new table at Target or Wal-Mart for example, only 43% of that purchase stays in your community. That’s a significant gap that could cost your town jobs and tax revenue. As expressed on the Small Business Week website, 60-80% of new jobs in the community are created by small businesses.
Small Businesses Thrive on Creativity
As Small Business Week has progressed, the message has been clear: Legislation and tax breaks can only go so far, creativity will win the day in this economy. It’s a message that has played out for decades, but today’s small business owners have a bounty of tools at their fingertips to promote their business.
 SEO
Search engine optimization has been around since the early 1990’s, but it has developed as a full fledged industry in the past 10 years. An effective SEO campaign helps small businesses compete with the big names for search engine referrals and online visibility.
Digital Marketing
Much like SEO, digital marketing on sites like FindItLocal411 helps your company reach audiences far outside the traditional audience of those in your surrounding geographic area. Online web-malls like the one we provide here at FindItLocal411 help small businesses sell products online when a personal Ecommerce site isn’t in the plans.
Small Business Year!
Let’s embrace the lessons learned during Small Business Week 2010 and carry them out throughout the year. The official delegation in Washington D.C. is honoring 27.2 million businesses this week, but there are even more in your community that deserve some recognition. Make sure you are supporting them and enjoy the week!
May 13th, 2010 at 11:05 am
 In tough economic times like these, the element of Hope is as necessary as a well devised job resume. There are many blog posts and articles out there focused on encouragement throughout the job search and tip lists to make the search more productive. However, many Michiana residents are finding themselves still on the job search sidelines after a year and often longer of unemployment. Instead of encouragement, many of you are looking advice on continuing the job search or making a drastic career change.
As Kenny Rogers said, “you gotta know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away.” In truth, no one can tell you when it is time to hang up your job search and go back to college or change careers altogether. However, there are things that you can consider before making such a decision.
Examine Your Motives
If your reasons for looking for a job begin and end with the fact it is the last job you held, maybe you should examine your motives. Spending several months or a few years unemployed for a job that you aren’t enthusiastic for doesn’t make much sense. This is especially true in the age of multiple furthering education programs, which provide training toward new skills.
Examine Your Industry
In Michiana, the steel, auto and RV industries went belly-up in 2008. However, the steel and auto industries are now making a rebound. Many of the displaced workers in Michigan and Indiana have been contacted for return to work or are already back on the job. Meanwhile, the RV industry is still down for the count. Workers in this industry may want to consider a career change or training for something new.
Examine Your Skills
Workers in the RV industry may have other skills that the other industries like steel, automotive and other manufacturing companies can use. Welders, assemblymen and even managers and inspectors can utilize their skills elsewhere, as the RV industry has yet to recover. People who have more specialized skills may want to look at ways to utilize them in other industries. This is where a craftily written resume comes in handy.
Examine Your Passion
 While you are unemployed, take up a hobby, something that involves your passion. Closet writers, artists, crafters, and people with a business plan that they never before had time for can dust off these ideas and try them out while unemployed. For some, your passion may end taking a life of its own, becoming a small business or career change.
To decide whether your employment path has ended, you must take stock of your situation. The above examinations and considerations will help. However, the decision is ultimately yours.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
“You’re a tool.”
“Thank you.”
Did you ever think that being called a “Tool” would be a good thing? Well, in this case it is. Let us explain.
Name recognition is an asset for any business, especially in the tourist communities of Michiana. Aside from spending a fortune in advertising or on gimmicks with little returns, small businesses can benefit from becoming a tool for consumer use.
What is a Consumer Tool?
A consumer tool is a resource that consumers use in order to make purchase decisions, gather information and to stay up to date on industry information. A business that becomes a tool benefits from continuous exposure for its role as a resource as well as for its profitable ventures. The consumer makes an initial purchase, but returns continuously because of the resources.
How to Become a Consumer Tool?
There are a few tips to consider when trying to become a tool for consumers.
- Find Your Niche. Appliance repair services and parts retailers can offer instruction on basic maintenance. A bakery could host a cake decorating class. An accounting firm can offer tax tutorials. Whatever your business is, figure out what you can offer to the community that would make your business a resource for consumers.
- Consider The Costs. Make sure that the resources you offer is cost effective for your business. You may want to try to recoup some of the costs. For example, the bakery may want to give one free course, while offering a regular course available for a fee.
- Be Creative. Instead of sending out how-to flyers or promotional items, find something that will get your business out and active with the community.
- Get Attention. Consider resources that will draw media attention a.k.a. free advertising. A copyediting service can offer resume clinics for the unemployed. In Michigan and Indiana, two states among the highest in unemployment numbers such a clinic will be major media news.
- Look for Grant Funding. Grants are available for community related activities. Businesses that come up with ideas to benefit the community like resume clinics and even boating safety courses, may be able to apply for grant funding for the projects. They may have to partner with a nonprofit agency in order to acquire the funding.
Activities such as these will keep your business’s name on the tips of tongues within the community. It will also give you business some positive press that will follow you out of this recession economy.
April 15th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
 It’s time to spend smarter. Although the American economy is waking up, numerous statistics from the past few years are showing that Americans are losing control of their finances. Personal debt is piling up at an alarming rate, which proves that it’s time to refocus our spending habits, as both individuals and businesses. Putting this philosophy into action will propel our economy to healthy and stable levels.
Campaigns
According to the American Institute of Public Accountants (AIPA), Americans spent more than they earned in 2009. That hasn’t happened since the Great Depression! As a result, numerous campaigns and organizations are stepping up to remind us that saving money now, will pay off later.
Feed The Pig
The AIPA and Advertising Council are teaming up on a project called Feed the Pig. Along with a radio and TV campaign, the project is backed by a robust digital presence focused on interaction and user involvement. The applications help map out your spending and provide a budget for your household or business. Saving a little will go a long way and this site shows you the results.
Banks Promote Saving
Fifth Third Bank has launched an ad campaign with the slogan, “The Things We Do For Dreams”. A series of commercials focuses on the different ways people of differing backgrounds save money each day. It’s a genius campaign, offering simple, actionable strategies to control personal spending in the spirit of planning you’re your dreams whether that be the purchase of a house, providing for your future family, or leasing a new car.
Energy Star Tax Credits
Even the government is helping us spend smarter. The Energy Star program is perfect for businesses or families looking to save money over a long period of time. By replacing your clunky water-heaters or furnaces, you may qualify for cost cutting federal rebates of up to $1,500. Not only can you receive credits for these appliances, but you’ll save money over time as well due to the efficiencies these new technologies bring. As the Energy Star website points out,
ENERGY STAR distinguishes energy efficient products which, although they may cost more to purchase than standard models, will pay you back in lower energy bills within a reasonable amount of time, without a tax credit.”
 You can find plenty of Energy Star appliances at Brunke Geiger Heating and Cooling of Baroda, Michigan. This Lennox Dealer ships all over the Michiana area, as well as nationally.
Time to Act
I know, I know, first I was saying “Save, save, save” and now I’m going on about spending money on appliances. A little contradictory, yes, but the point is, it’s time to think about every purchase we make for business or personal reasons. If we plan ahead and spend smarter, we can improve our future.
Although the experts keep rattling off troubling and disparaging stats, there’s no need to panic. There are plenty of ways to spend smarter and plan a budget.
April 8th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
In a January 2009 article, Newsweek Magazine coined the phrase “gigonomics” to describe the ever increasing trend toward a freelance workforce. Made up of so-called “giggers” who work by the project or gig, with no strings attaching them to one company, this emerging workforce was absorbing many of the newly unemployed. Today, several million people make up the freelance or “gigger” workforce, but millions more are searching for jobs that just aren’t available. So, how does one find a gig or freelance project?
Freelance Job Auctions
There are a number of sites that allow you to submit a bid for a job. In your bid is your price, experience, samples and a description of how you would complete the work and the length of time it would take to complete it. The employer chooses the bid or bids that best suits the project. The follow sites offer many job opportunities for writers, designers, computer programmers, data entry workers, editors and others.
Stock Photography
There are sites for photographers to get involved. These portals are a place where graphic designers and photographers can post their work for sale to web designers, publishers and advertisers. Customers pay for the right to use the images. You, the creator/photographer, receive a royalty calculated on the types of use. Most are operated on a system of credits. Buyers purchase credits based on the size and type of file needed. You earn a set dollar amount or percentage of the credit. If you’re looking for ways to sell your pictures or designs, check out:
Freelance Classifieds
Find everything from walk-on movie roles to hair modeling gigs on Craigslist in the “Gigs” section. Look at sites like Online Writing Jobs, Sologig.com and iFreelance.com for writing, design, coding, data entry and more. These sites and others like them are classifieds for the gigger nation. Sometimes you can find a long-term project here after you build a working relationship with the company or individual, but the majority are one time or temporary gigs.
Take Care
Remember to watch out for scams, which abound in the freelance job industry. Some sites like Guru, elance and iFreelance charge a fee for full membership. However, a certain amount of bids or job posts is open to anyone for free. Do not pay for a service until you have deemed it cost effective and your getting the proper return on your investment. For example, a basic membership to Guru.com is $130 that you pay quarterly. It is cost effective to pay this fee if you have received enough work to profit after the fees. Otherwise, use the free account.
Welcome to the gigonomic workforce. Get out there and find that first project!
April 6th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Small business owners and freelancers alike must make their website a marketing asset. There are many websites that are underutilized. In a time when budgets are tight and businesses are fighting to survive, using a website as a marketing tool (as well as information provider) is even more important. Here are some inexpensive Do-It-Yourself tips for fully utilizing your website without shelling out the cash for a web-marketing guru.
Add a Page for Products or Services
Give people the opportunity to buy online. If needed, use the templates offered by your web hosting service. Upload good, clear photos of your products, against white backdrops. Write short descriptions that entice the shopper, but also tell what the product does. Keep these very short—one or two lines.
Add a price and a PayPal or credit card payment link. (Set up a Pay Pal account if your don’t already have one. It is a great financial service for both customers and businesses). Pay Pal and your web hosting service has the tools to make the checkout function operate without your input. Just wait for the email that announces a sale.
Send E-coupons with Discounts and a Web Link
Use your customer contact list or guest book entries as a mailing list. Send out emails that invite customers to visit your site. FindItLocal411 sends email blasts with coupons and new business postings regularly. Emails cost nothing to send and should be used as much as possible in an appropriate manner. Include a code that will allow them to take a discount or got through PayPal to discount the prices on certain items for specific time periods. You can even do you own Internet doorbuster sale by announcing a specific time period during which your products will be discounted. Send out emails and place large font banners on your site about the event.
Link Those Social Networking Accounts
Link your Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook accounts. Update the status with specials and info about your products or links to the site. Also, link these sites to your blog with plugins or regularly posted hyperlinks. This way, you will become a curator of news around your site and be able to control the message that you set in front of customers, clients, etc.
Blog About It
Use your blog to offer tips to customers, talk about current events in your industry or to just talk about the business. Use certain key words frequently and mark them as meta tags for the blog entry. First time bloggers should use a service like WordPress, as it is easy to learn on. Wordpress blogs also easily link to your website — study their wealth of plugins for any “link” related ideas you have. Their platform allows for easily customizable layouts and formats.
Update Frequently
Update the website and the blog frequently to keep the content fresh. Ad featured items to the home page that change daily or weekly. Change headings and experiment with fonts. Add pages of info or fun activities. There is no cost but the time you spend, so make the site your own. Also, note any changes in traffic and clickthroughs as you make these changes. These might reflect your readership’s tendencies and inclination to click through on your next post.
Your Personal Town Crier
The Internet is today’s version of the town crier. You can send out a message to hundreds of people with a click of a button. It will take you some time to perfect a message and to gather a strategy. However, in no time you will have access to the largest, most inexpensive marketing machine.
March 16th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
 The unemployment rates for February 2010 show that jobs are still being lost in Michiana. This news comes as U.S. government is in the midst of passing a law to once again extend benefits for workers who have been jobless for more than six months. In the meantime, unemployed Michiana residents like yourself struggle to figure out the next career move.
Free Time? Freelance
One option is freelance work. It is a form of temporary work where you work as an independent contractor, usually on a contract or project-to-project basis. Freelancers enjoy the luxury of making their own schedule and working from home. A freelancer also chooses her own work. These factors make freelancing an attractive option for many workers who find themselves without a job in industries they love.
Disadvantages
However, there are some drawbacks to such a career. A freelancer does not have job security. Furthermore, securing a project or contract takes a tremendous amount of time and motivation, as you are competing against others in your field for the same job. Establishing a freelance business also takes time and money for self-promotion.
Despite it’s somewhat loose expectations, freelancing does require some structure. To be successful, a freelancer must make his schedule and adhere to it, as it is easy to procrastinate until the job goes undone. The income is taxable, so record keeping is in order. Records are also important for invoicing and tracking client payments. Another point to consider is payment, different clients have different payment schedules. You must be able to support your business until the check or wire transfer arrives. Sometimes this is as fast as same day payment or it could take months.
Consider Your Industry
Not every industry lends itself well to freelance work. Service industry workers and those in manufacturing on the labor side will not find work. Freelancing is better suited for jobs in art, writing, technology, and business (especially customer service). Specific freelance jobs include:
- Website development
- Advertising
- Copywriting
- Web content creation
- Data entry
- Even receptionist tasks
Professionals like lawyers, engineers, and professors are also creating freelance work for themselves as consultant experts.
Is it for you?
Many that are unemployed have shifted their focus away from job applications and into self-generated income. Those thinking of freelance work must consider factors like personal schedules, available work locations, and work habits. Be truthful with yourself. Can you motivate yourself to work, stick to a schedule and stay organized? Do you have the drive to get buzz around your business while building your client list? All while between jobs when there is no pay? Before you say yes, realize that freelancing is a job that requires work, albeit part-time. Are you ready for this? If so, here are a few places to sign up and get started:
March 11th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
 Let’s face it, the business goes on despite the slowdown. Your office furniture and equipment remains functional as well. These business necessities don’t heed the slow economy. However, your equipment budget does. Many small business owners are finding themselves in need of new office furniture and equipment and without the funds to buy new. The ones who have the budget are hesitant to make the expenditures because no one knows what turn the economy may make next. Fortunately, there’s a solution.
Furnishing A Business the Unconventional Way
As past generations have learned, in an economic downturn, one must get creative. Here are five ways to find furniture and equipment for your business at a fraction of the original price.
1 – Government Surplus
The U.S. Government Surplus Agency or GSA will become your best-kept secret. This is the agency that takes all of the seized property (equipment, vehicles, real estate, etc.), overstock, and leftover items (from an upgrade or renovation of a government office) to sell to the public. The GSA holds auctions similar to eBay. You must register, but anyone can buy from the GSA auctions—from private citizens to corporations.
One thing to remember, however, is that you may have to pick up the larger items after the auction, so try to bid only on local items and read the fine print. The GSA sells everything from large lots of desk chairs to a gross of printers. The auction all start at fraction of the cost. See www.gsa.gov for more information.
2 – Craigslist
We all know that you get just about anything on Craigslist. Very few think to look to the site for business equipment. You must look at the items carefully, but one can find office furnishings here and eclectic pieces that would work well in an office setting.
3 – Wholesale Furniture Dealers
Wholesalers buy equipment and furniture straight from the manufacturer in order to sell to the public. Their prices are much lower on new items because the distributor and retailer are out of the purchase process. However, an inspection of the items is necessary before buying as wholesalers often buy “irregular” items to sell at a discount. Look for wholesalers who sell items leftover from hotel and restaurant renovations. They may call themselves liquidators.
4 – Bankruptcy Auctions
Another option is the bankruptcy auction. Businesses sell of their assets at auction in order to liquidate per court order. This is an opportunity for you to find a bargain. You’ll find most auctions in the legal section of your newspaper.
5 – eBay
 Yes, eBay!
It is the best place to find a bargain. Look for wholesale lots, furniture, and equipment that are pickup only. These often sell at lower price and have the least bidders because online buyers rarely want to pickup anything.
As you would any item purchased for the business, check for signs of extreme wear and test the item before you take it to your business. Only eBay offers safeguards against buying items that do not work according to the ad. The others usually have a no return policy.
Your search may take some time, but it will be well worth the savings when you get a replacement desk that cost your pennies on the retail dollar.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Not all businesses require a brick-and-mortar office to become successful. As the masses of entrepreneurs grow, there are several types of companies that would work well as an Internet Business for both product and service industries. If prospective business owners begin by understanding how to market this type of business as well as how to most successfully compete with companies that actually have office space, you can learn how to start an internet business.
Step 1 – Get Official
It’s a huge misinterpretation that an Internet Business doesn’t have to jump through the same legal loops and a brick-and-mortar company. There is a very real requirement for any type of business to file with the state for both tax and employment purposes. Just because no one sees your business on Main Street doesn’t mean that you don’t have to exist to both the federal and state government. Your local small business association will help you find and complete the paperwork you need to make your business official.
Step 2 – Put a Face on Your Business
It seems a little redundant to say that an Internet Business needs a website. However, because your website IS your business, you need to be very careful to consider the following points when creating it:
- Use a reputable web designer Be cautious in who you choose to design your site. Have an Intellectual Property attorney look over the contract before you sign to ensure that the site you pay for belongs to your company and includes all the aspects you want for your business.
- Keep SEO in mind in your layout and site building. If your web designer doesn’t know how to include these points, see about finding a web marketing expert to help get your site off the ground the right way.
 Step 3 – Build your Brand
Use Social Media Marketing tools to build your online brand to your target market. Sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn offer powerful tools to business owners looking to connect with their consumer base. Targeted, inexpensive and traceable, they are a vital part of any business marketing plan.
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