Friday, December 27, 2019

8 Things You Need To Know About Applicant Tracking Systems

8 Things You Need To Know About Applicant Tracking Systems8 Things You Need To Know About Applicant Tracking SystemsWhat do you know about applicant tracking systems?If you think the first obstacle to getting a job interview is a recruiters judgment, youre not seeing the whole picture. 98% of Fortune 500 companies and a growing number of small and mid-sized businesses filter resumes through an applicant tracking system (ATS) before someone takes a look if they ever do.Learn how ATS work, what they do to your resume, and how to beat ATS so that your resume gets seen by the human decision makers who schedule job interviews.1. What are applicant tracking systems?Applicant tracking system software provides recruiting and hiring tools for companies. Among other functions, unterstellung systems collect and sort thousands of resumes.Read full article What is an applicant tracking system?When you apply for a job online, your resume isnt typically going directly to a recruiter or hiring manag er. Its first being processed by an ATS. Whether that human recruiter ever sees your resume could depend on how well your resume is optimized for ATS algorithms.2. Why employers use applicant tracking systemsTop employers hire for several jobs at a time and receive hundreds of resumes for any given opening. Because applying for a job online is easier than ever, many of these applicants are unqualified and figured it was worth a try.Applicant tracking systems keep all these resumes in one place, helping recruiters and hiring managers stay organized as well as EEOC compliant. In theory, these systems also save time by automatically surfacing and highlighting top candidates. In reality, ATS do help hiring professionals narrow their applicant pool, but top candidates slip through the cracks.CATSone ATS applicants3. Applicant tracking systems are everywhereMost large corporations utilize applicant tracking systems. Jobscan research found that 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATSwhile aKe lly OCG survey estimated 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on recruitment software.There are dozens of different ATS, each with their own features, strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. Here are just a few of the top ATSTaleoWorkdaySuccessFactorsGreenhouseBrassringiCIMSJobviteLeverSmartRecruitersJazzHRCATSBambooHRIf youre applying to a large organization, chances are youll face an ATS. If youre applying through any online form, youre applying through an ATS. Even job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn have their own built in ATS.4. How applicant tracking systems workApplicant tracking systems collect and store resumes in a database for hiring professionals to access. Resumes may also be stored long after the original job you applied for is filled.Corporate recruiters or hiring managers can then search and sort through the resumes in a number of ways, depending on the system theyre using.Viewing ApplicationsSome recruiters still choose to glance at every job applica tion that comes through their applicant tracking system. In this case, most take a quick glance at the applicants past highlights, job titles, and companies. They can make a determination about whether they want to learn mora in about 6 seconds. Its important to make sure your top skills and qualifications are easily identifiable.Automatic RankingsSome applicant tracking systems can automatically compare your resume to the job description. For example, Taleo calls this feature Req Rank, which ranks each applicant based on how well their resume scores based on the job description.Candidates ranked based on job requisition match in Taleo.Instead of reviewing each and every application, the recruiter can focus squarely on candidates the ATS has identified as a great match.With Jobscan, you can see how well your resume skills match up with the job description. Get your match report.Keyword SearchesA common way recruiters filter resumes in an applicant tracking system is by searching for key skills and titles.For example, if a recruiter is hiring for an Administrative Assistant position out of 400 resumes, their first step will probably be a search for Administrative Assistant. This will isolate candidates that have done the exact job before. Anyone that doesnt have that exact term in their resume is out of luck.A search can contain multiple terms. For example, they might perform a complex search that contains a combination of titles and skills important for the jobAdministrative Assistant AND data entry AND payroll Candidates who can predict the correct resume keywords will have the greatest chance of being included in recruiter search results. The best way figure out which skills and keywords to include is by analyzing the job description.Jobscanautomates this process by analyzing your resume against the job description to show the top skills and keywords missing from your resume.Hard skills comparison in Jobscan. Click to see full example.5. Resume formatting ma tters in applicant tracking systemsWhen you upload your resume into an applicant tracking system, the recruiter wont necessarily view the file. Some ATS parse the document into a digital profile to make things uniform and searchable.This causes big problems for job seekers.Many ATS parsing algorithms are outdated and unintelligent, causing your resume information to get distorted or lost. This means vital keywords or details might not be imported. Imagine your most important qualification slipping through the cracksModern ATS are starting to get away from this practice, but some popular systems like iCIMS (used by Amazon, General Mills, Comcast) still do it. In order to create an ATS-friendly resume that is parsable by these outdated systems, be sure to keep section headings simple, use consistent formatting for your work history and dates, avoid tables, and use a .docx or .pdf file format.6. How to beat applicant tracking systemsThere is no universal trick to beating applicant trac king systems. Getting past an ATS and landing a job interview requires a well-written resume that is mindful of ATS algorithms as well as the people pushing the buttons.Heres our simplest advice for how to beat ATSCarefully tailor your resume to the job description every single time you apply. Optimize for ATS search and ranking algorithms by matching your resume keywords to the job descriptionUse both the long-form and acronym version of keywords (e.g. Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Search Engine Optimization (SEO)) for maximum searchabilityUse a chronological or kreuzung resume format (avoid the functional resume format)Dont use tables or columns as they often cause major parsing errorsUse a traditional resume font like Helvetica, Garamond, or GeorgiaDont use headers or footers as the information might get lost or cause a parsing errorUse standard resume section headings like Work Experience rather than being cute or clever (Where Ive Been)Save your file as a .docx if possible7. Dont cheat or over-optimize for applicant tracking systemsOptimizing your keywords and formatting for applicant tracking systems is not the same as cheating the system.In theory, you can trick ATS algorithms by stuffing your resume with keywords. Some do this by secretly adding additional keywords to their resumes using invisible white text or by unnaturally overusing keywords.Full article Are You Guilty of Resume Keyword Stuffing?These tricks might help you get a better initial score in the ATS, but theyre unlikely to fool recruiters. Instead of getting yourself blacklisted from the company,focus on crafting the best resume possible based on your actual skillset.8. Applicant tracking systems are here to stayDuring the Great Recession, employers were flooded with applications and wanted features that discouraged and filtered out unqualified candidates. This resulted in many of the bloated application processes and indiscriminate filters found in ATS today. Unfortunately, improving unemployment rates wont mark the end of ATS.While outdated systems are still in use at some large companies, we are seeing new ATS being developed for the modern age. As employers fight for the best talent, candidate experience is becoming more of a priority. Automation and ranking systems arent going away theyre just becoming more technical as recruiting software begins leveraging AI.An ATS-optimized resume is the first step to getting past the bots and face to face with an actual person.Jobscan tests and researches common ATS to help job seekers avoid the traps of these systems, from the outdated to the cutting edge.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

How to break a negative thought loop

How to break a negative thought loopHow to break a negative thought loopSometimes a small thing disturbs me. Somebody might say something that rubs me the wrong way. I might get a minor injury that prevents me from working out. Something at work might go wrong.Do you know that feeling? Before you know it, youre questioning everything about your life, career, health, or relationship.You do everything to resist the situation. You try to fix it. You feel compelled to address the disturbance. But heres the thing, you dont control the disturbance.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThat frustrates you even more. Now, youre getting sucked in by negative thoughts. At this point, something that started as a small annoyance became a big life problem.You feel like quitting your job or relationship. You feel like everything works against you. And that nothing is worth it.Thats a negative thoug ht loop. Ive experienced that very often. And I bet you have too. Why do we experience this?Its about control. We think life should be a certain way. In other words, we want everything to happen the way we want. And if it doesnt, we flip out. Negative thought loops often start when something comes to an end. Have you noticed that?Filling the voidLook,everythingin life comes to an end. Your job, business, career, relationships, friendships, and so forth. And every time something comes to an end in our life, its like a little death. Something dies and leaves a void inside us.This event by itself is neither good or bad.Its the nature of life. We can turn endings into bad things by trying to replace the thing that left our life. For example, when a relationship ends, a lot of people try to fill the void by taking on more work.Ive done that as well. All the time and energy you spent on the relationship becomes free when it ends. And because you dont want to feel alone, you try to fill th e void by working more. You want to set higher goals and do a better job.But thats only you escaping reality. The truth is that endings suck. But its also a natural part of life. We should not resist change. Some things, we cant replace in life.If you lose your job, you cant simply replace working by spending more time with your spouse. And yet, thats exactly what many of us do. We either lose our job or fail at work and we think, Now I can at least spend more time with my family.Youre trying to fill the void.But that takes too much energy.And when some minor thing disturbs you, it causes your foundation to shake. Why? Because your foundation welches weak all this time.Everything has its placeYou cant fill a relationship void with work or exercise. You cant fill a health void with alcohol or drugs. You cant fill a work void with spirituality.You need to catch yourself when youre trying to escape reality. And thats one of the hardest things in life. Too often, people live their entir e life in denial. We cant let that happen. We need to look inward.I can tell you from personal experience thats very hard. I always struggle when something in my life ends. My first response is always to find a replacement. But Ive learned that everything has its place.You cant replace your friends with your boyfriend or girlfriend. You cant replace exercise with working more. You need to allocate the right amount of time and energy to all aspects of life.Thousands of years of evolution has shown us that human beings havesimilar needs. We need safety, support, relationships, joy, perspective, and something useful to do with our time. Thats true for every person.When you recognize that simple fact about life, it forces you to take a helicopter view. You need to elevate your perspective on your life. When youre stuck in a negative thought cycle, you have zero perspective. Youre consumed by your thoughts.You need to force yourself to look at life in general. Not just your current situa tion. Look at lifes nature- its about motion.Letting goMichael A. Singer, an entrepreneur who once ran a large software company, and the author ofThe Untethered Soul, summarized the concept of letting go wellIts pretty black-and-white. You either let go or you dont.He speaks from experience. Singer was prosecuted by the Department of Justice for securities fraud. During that time, he risked losing it all.Eventually, all charges against him were dropped and his name was cleared, but he let go of it way before that. In fact, he wrote The Untethered Soulwhilehe was being prosecuted.If a person whos facing the risk of losing it all can let go, you and I also can. People often come up with all kinds of excuses. They say its easier said than done and that letting go is not easy.No one said its easy. We all have our own challenges and obstacles. Sometimes people try to convince others that they arereallyhaving a hard time. Honestly, no one cares. You let go foryourself.So if youre stuck in side a negative thought loop, know that you only have two optionsYou continue and let it destroy youYou let go and move onThe choice is yours. And yes, its that simple. Decide between those two options and see for yourself.This article originally appeared on Darius Foroux.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Video Kid Presidents Pep Talk for Your Job Search

Video Kid Presidents Pep Talk for Your Job SearchVideo Kid Presidents Pep Talk for Your Job Search40Job searching can be frustrating, boring, annoying, maddening, and many other words that well hold off from using. This Sunday morning, with a new week in front of us, heres a pick-me-up for your job search. Every now and then, its nice to have something to remind us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again. This little, powerful guy is sure to get your heart pumping and ready to rededicate yourself to your job search?

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Great Flexible Jobs in New York City, Hiring Now!

Great Flexible Jobs in New York City, Hiring NowGreat Flexible Jobs in New York City, Hiring NowThis week we are highlighting flexible jobs in New York City that are hiring nowNew York City is the countrys most populous city and the heart of the New York metropolitan area. Located in the southern most part of New York state, New York Cityencompasses nearly 470 square miles and is home to more than 8.5 million people.Known both as the Big Apple and the City That Never Sleeps, New York City is a bustling place where restaurants stay open 24 hours, nightlife continues to the wee hours of the morning and beyond, and the subway system never closes. The well-known phrase a New York minute references the hectic pace of NewYork life.As a in aller welt power city, New York City has a significant influence on the worlds finance, art, research, education, commerce, media, fashion, technology, and entertainment. This city has been referred to as the cultural and financial capital of the world. A s the home of the United Nations headquarters, New York City is also an important area for international diplomacy.Many of the worlds largest corporations base their companies in the New York metropolitan area including more Fortune 500 companies than any other state.The top fiveFortune 500 companies in New York City are Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, MetLife, Citi, and AIG.**The jobs on this post are now expired, but you can search newest flexible job listings here** 1. Financial Technology Business Consultantfont TelecommuteFull-time opportunity with some telecommuting. Will create sales strategies, gather business requirements, and be responsible for providing subject-matter expertise. Must have business consulting experience and the ability to travel.2. Court ReporterType Telecommute, Part-Time ScheduleFreelance position available with full- or part-time option in a remote role. Incumbent will provide exacting record of court happenings as well as final transcript if needed. Ideal can didate will have prior experience andlicense where applicable.3. Assistant for Corporate and Special EventsType Short-Term, FreelanceTemporary position, ending Dec. 22. Candidate will work on a freelance basis to maintain calendars, provide phone support, file important documents, and process shipments. Must have a four-year degree and one year of related experience.4. Business Development ManagerType TelecommuteBusiness development manager needed for a full-time remote opportunity with frequent travel. Will develop strategies and grow market. Bachelors degree and 10years experience required. Must have negotiation skills. Masters degree preferred.5.Production AssistantType FreelanceContract position. Candidates need a bachelors degree and one to two years work related experience. Communicate with other departments to obtain samples, check in and track samples, attend development meetings and oversee new color samples.6. MS SQL Database AdministratorType TemporaryLong-term, full-time job. Pays $70 per hour. Needs three years experience using MS SQL server and has data center migration experience. Manage a large number of database instances, provide daily support such as troubleshooting and code releases.7. Provider Field RepresentativeType TelecommuteResidence within primary territory, one to two yearsrelated experience, current drivers license, and ability to travel required for a position with telecommute option serving as liaison between provider associations, community, and department.8. Videographer/EditorType FreelanceFreelance videographer/editor will be responsible for shooting and editing videos, leading video production for various clients, and speaking to and teaching methodology for video production. Must be knowledgeable of Adobe Premier Pro andIllustrator.9. Staff Nurse Registered Nurse, Ambulatory CareType Occasional ScheduleOccasional staff nurse RN, ambulatory care must have at least one year of acute-care registered nurse experience, bachelo rs degree in nursing, and a current New York State registered nurse license or willingness to obtain required.10. Spatial Data Management SpecialistType TelecommuteProvide assistance with all special data management needs, evaluate spatial data, and consult staff in this full-time position. Remote work option. Must be a U.S. citizen or national, with specialized experience. Occasional travel is required.Check out the complete job description for each of these jobs for more information. Find a full list of telecommuting and professional flexible jobs in New York City here.Readers, are you searching for flexible jobs in New York City? Which of these jobs are you interested in? Let us know in the comments box below

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Up in Arms About References Resume?

Up in Arms About References Resume? When you document the application you will discover a willpower. Listing your skills is a way to swiftly communicate your capacity to be successful in the position. Making your request in writing is generally the very best approach thus a reluctant individual may decline more comfortably. Resume examples at no cost can help you in a step-by-step course of on advice on how to compose your resume. What Everybody Dislikes About References Resume and Why Keep in mind that virtually all employers right now will select candidates for a work vacancy based on what is on their resumes. Working with a skilled recruiter will make it possible for companies to come across the fruchtwein suitable person for their open positions. Undoubtedly recruitment is a rewarding career but to be really powerful in your work you are going to have to get appropriate training. The Characteristics of References Resume You cant mention the reference from every indiv idual. Bear in mind there are circumstances as well when you may want to submit a character or private reference (rather than an expert reference) who might be better able to consult with your abilities to do the job that youre applying to. Keep your referred person updated while youre applying for work. Also mention the facts of how you know the man and for how long. The Importance of References Resume Ideally, 1 page is sufficient. Below youll discover a sample reference list. Youll also discover a sample reference list. On searching it online, you will secure the list of templates for the particular position. Where to Find References Resume It is a fact that many job seekers will willingly select the possibility a prospective employer wont bother to examine references. You might have recently seen a note in a job posting an applicant should offer professional references together with a resume or as an element of a work application. If you are able to, select references that are ready to talk specifically about your qualifications for the job for which youre applying. You should begin with your private info. An inordinate quantity of information gets confusing. If it is not clear from your resume, you might also want to include info about your relationship with the reference. Be certain to include complete contact information for every one of your references. New Ideas Into References Resume Never Before Revealed Letters of support often make a difference for applicants regardless of what theyre applying for. Recruitment is a superb career option. Resumes have to be spectacular enough to find the interest of the recruiters. Civil Design Training Institute has to be chosen when you consider these points. The Hidden Truth About References Resume There are particular kinds of recommendations. A bad reference can cause a company rescinding or canceling the work offer they extended. Then all youve got to do is send off your resume, comple te an application, and await the call. In some instances, you could be better off using the help of an expert or one other really helpful program. Sometimes prospective employers will say how many and what kind of references they want. There is an assortment of selections of letters. Hence, references cant be provided by any person. In case you havent already, ask permission from every one of your references. The Downside Risk of References Resume From that point the actual work begins. You need to be ready for your interview A superb reference will enhance your odds of getting hired. The expert reference doesnt need to be a buddy or somebody you are friends with. A former employer can supply the ideal insight in your work ethic. In any case, factual, your resume also should be attractive. Resume references will assist the employer to understand your efficiency and your behavioral attitude at work environment. Professional References When youre applying for any posi tion, employer might ask you for skilled reference. Think about the qualifications for your intended job when youre choosing people to act as your references. Remember that your resume is your very first field of protection regarding landing your supreme job. For instance, if youre going into the work market for the very first time, you may just should list three references.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

How to Hire the Best Finance Pros - Spark Hire

How to Hire the Best Finance Pros - Spark HireIn order for your business to enjoy success, you need to hire a financial pro who is more than just a stereotypical bean counter. Ideally, the financial pro whos parte of your kollektiv can help create an overarching vision for your business that pushes you toward success. Here are some of the other traits you should look for in your next financial pro The ability to solve problems.When interviewing sales reps, its important to ask to most effective questions possible to get a clear sense of what they can bring to the company. Whether its issues with a budget or a slow sales month, the best people in the financial business are able to step in and solve problems. They dont just crunch numbers, they help figure out how to make your business better. The ideal financial professional should be able to work with various team members to create realistic solutions to issues in a timely manner.Strong communication skills.The partie you hire will p robably be a math whiz, but this doesnt mean that the people theyre working with are on the same page. There are actually a few surprising skills you need every salesperson to have. The right financial pro for your business will be able to communicate well with various types of people, including those who dont consider math to be their strong suit. They have to take what they know about your businesss financials and communicate these details in a way thats easy for all members of your team to understand.A sense of professionalism.It can become stressful dealing with numbers, particularly if budgets arent being met. However, your financial professional needs to conduct themselves with decorum at all times. If theyre constantly flying off the handle or refusing to pay vendors when times are tough for your business, everyone suffers.The ability to work individually and as part of a team.The role of a financial professional requires both individual work and collaborative work, so this p erson must be comfortable in both settings. Those who thrive working on their own but struggle when it comes to cooperating with others will have a tough time. On the other hand, someone who is dependent on a team setting to accomplish tasks will find that their job is difficult as well. The ability to work well in both types of environments is a must.Lastly, the right financial professional is able to work well with all types of employees, from the most entry level professional to the companys CEO and upper management. They treat everyone with respect, and communicate clearly with all staff members that they encounter.What do you look for when youre hiring a financial professional? Let us know in the comments

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Too Sick to Job Hunt How to Make the Most of Downtime

Too Sick to Job Hunt How to Make the Most of DowntimeToo Sick to Job Hunt How to Make the Most of DowntimeCold and flu season is in full swing, which can hamper job seekers efforts to put their best foot forward in the market. While much of the groundwork in seeking professional opportunities can be done online, when youre flat on your back or too run down to work on your laptop, you can start to feel demoralized.If you find yourself down for the count for a few days, a week, or longer, unable to get resumes out there or go on job interviews due to illness, theres no need to despair.Here are some tips on actions you can take to make the most of downtime that arises when you feel too sick to look for workBuild your network- from bed.You may feel too crummy for in-person meetings or even work-related phone calls, but unless you are completely incapacitated by your bug, you can use the time that youre laid up to do some social media networking. Its not often that you have a real excuse to surf social, but when youre sick and unable to do much else, its the perfect opportunity to do so guilt-free.The key here, though, is to be thoughtful about your approach. If you have the energy to click Like on your high school friends posts about their weekend, perhaps you can funnel that focus instead toward industry-specific networking.For example, check out what professionals in companies or positions of interest to you are doing on Twitter, or read their posts on LinkedIn. Find an angle to comment on, and youll have created a connection where it counts in your job search. You might also research who in your current network already has contacts in organizations that youd like to explore and ask them for an introduction.Catch up on industry news.Podcasts, websites, journal articles, geschftsleben books- all of these media and more can inform you while you are recovering near the tissue box. If you feel good enough to watch Netflix, then youre well enough to press play on a po dcast or TED Talk and get up to date on issues and trends that can make you a more well-informed candidate on the job market.If you dont feel mentally up to the task of beefing up on industry specifics, consider digging into a new general business book that youve been wanting to read but havent had time. Theres no time like the present to learn about broader strategies and ideas that can give you a leg up on your competition once youre back at full strength.Just rest.One reason that we get sick is that we dont give ourselves enough recovery time from work-related pressures throughout the year. A job search can be seriously stressful, and should be treated as a full-time job in the sense that you do need to schedule breaks and respite from the grind of constantly trying to land employment.Sickness may feel inconvenient, but its your bodys way of forcing you to slow down. If you heed its message and truly unplug from your job search until you start to feel like yourself again, then yo u can resume your search feeling strong and rested. So on sick days when even the ideas above feel like too much, consider the option of doing nothing but letting your body heal, and youll be making yourself a better candidate over the long-term.Its not easy to be forced to stop job hunting against your will when you get sick. But using the time off of your feet for strategic activities that take less energy can be a smart investment- even if that means totally stopping for a while.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Steps to Take to Start a Pet Taxi Service

Steps to Take to Start a Pet Taxi ServiceSteps to Take to Start a Pet Taxi ServicePet fhrmann hol ver services transport pets to veterinary or grooming appointments on behalf of their owners. Busy professionals with full-time jobs find this type of service particularly valuable because their pets make it to weekday appointments without disrupting their work schedules. A pet taxi geschftsleben has a relatively low startup cost and can be a profitable way to enter the pet service industry. Here are the steps to take to start your pet taxi geschftliches miteinander. Form Your Business The first step is deciding whether to form your business as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation. There are various tax and liability advantages to each type of business. Consult with an attorney or tax accountant who will be able to provide advice on which type of business will be best for your situation. You will also need to look into acquiring any nece ssary licenses or permits, becoming bonded and insured as a service provider, and complying with any additional requirements from county, city,and state regulatory agencies. Define a Service Area Pet taxi services can choose to operate within a specific region, city, or town. Many pet taxi services operate in large metropolitan areas where residents are not likely to own cars, and they may even limit their service to a particular section of the city. Purchase Equipment Buying a vehicle will be your biggest startup expenseunless you already own one that is suitable as a pet taxi. Vans or sport utility vehicles are ideal for carrying large crates, but cars can work just as well for transporting smaller animals. Regardless of what type of vehicle you choose to use, it should be air-conditioned, well maintained, and clean. You should also have several crates of various sizes to accommodate pets being transported- unless you are only transporting one breed size (i.e., toys). Whil e travel by crate is the most common option for pet taxis, you should also keep some dog harness seatbelts on-hand, just in case some owners specify that their animals are not to ride in crates. Create a Contract You will need to draft a standard contract that the pet owner will sign before service is provided. This contract should specifically spell out the terms of service, including cost, pickup point, destination,and drop-off times. The contract should also address any liability issues regarding responsibility for potential injuries while animals are in your custody. List all pertinent details of a pets history, such as his age, breed, medical issues including allergies, veterinarians name and contact information, and owners emergency contact information. Price Your Services The best way to determine your rate for services is to investigate what other pet taxi businesses are charging in your area or in cities of a similar size. The rate may be based on time spent in tran sit, total mileage, the number of pets being transported, or a combination of all these factors. An additional surcharge might be included to defray expenses for fuel, insurance,and incidentals such as cleaning products to maintain a professional-lookingvehicle. Pricing options may also include a drop-off rate, whereby the meter stops at the time when the pet is left at the location and restarts when it is picked up at a later time. You should also consider a stay-and-wait rate, whereby the driver stays to supervise the pet during its appointment. Advertise Launching a basic website with your services is one way to ensure your business is discovered by customers who need your services. To cover expenses, instead of hiring a professional, you can set up your own website with platforms like Wordpress. You can also advertiseon the vehicle that you are using. Permanent lettering can be applied directly to the vehicle, or customized magnets can be used for a non-permanent option. The vehicle will act as a moving advertisement for your services and will be visible to target customers when it is parked at pet service locations. It is also advisable to create a business card or flyer that you can leave at various pet service locations such as veterinary clinics, dog grooming facilities, boarding kennels, and doggie daycare businesses. Anywhere that pets might need to be dropped off is an ideal location for you to advertise. You should also consider placing print ads in inexpensive local publications or posting on job boards like Craigslist. Manage Appointments You will definitely need to create a schedule that you can easily access and update. This can be in the form of a spreadsheet, an app for your smartphone, or an old-school paper appointment book. It is also smart to use a cell phone as your primary contact number because you will be in-transit most of the time. A hands-free device (e.g., wireless earbuds) is ideal for managing calls that may come in whil e you are driving from one location to the next.