How to Start a Pet Sitting Business

How to Start a Pet Sitting BusinessHow to Start a Pet Sitting BusinessA pet sitting geschftsleben is a great way to enter the animal industry. As the owner of the business, you are free to set your schedule, define your service area, and expand your business to include additional options for clients. gestalt Your Business Many pet sitters are required to register for a business license before accepting clients. Make koranvers to find out what is required by contacting your local city hall or business advisory group. Most pet sitters operate their businesses as either sole proprietorships or limited liability companies (LLCs). Sole proprietorships are businesses formed by one individual whose personal and business assets are not separated the owner is responsible for all business debts. An LLC separates personal and business assets this makes the business owner not personally liable for the debts of the business. It would be advantageous to consult an accountant while setting up y our business if you do not have previous experience with the process. Consider Insurance Insurance is available for pet sitters. A policy will protect you from potential legal action if a pet should cause damage or gets hurt while under your supervision. The cost is only a few hundred dollars and could save you a legal headache down the road. There are many companies offering this service, such as Pet Sitters Associates LLC and Pet Sitter Insurance. Get the Word Out Design a flyer and business card to place on entryway bulletin boards in vet clinics, supermarkets, dog groomers, and pet stores. Leave several business cards or flyers if possible so potential clients will feel free to take one with them for future reference. You can also place ads on Craigslist, in church bulletins, and in neighborhood newsletters. Consider having your contact information and logo made into large magnets to schirm on your vehicle. Create a website with a personalized domain name and detailed in formation about the services you provide. You can also advertise while you work by wearing clothing customized with your business logo and phone number. Word of mouth will generate much of your business. When clients come to you, make a note of where they heard about your service (referral from a friend, website, flyer), so you will know what areas to focus on. Keep Detailed Records For each owner who uses your pet sitting service, maintain a contact sheet that includes their address, phone number, email, and emergency contact numbers. Be sure to record complete information on each pet including breed, color, date of birth, health history (allergies, previous injuries), veterinarians name and clinic contact information. For repeat clients, make sure to ask if there are any updates or changes to what you have on file for the pet. You should also include a daily care sheet for the owners to fill out. It should detail the pets feeding, medication, and exercise schedules. Make sure to leave a space for any special instructions. A basic veterinary release form will allow you to take the pet to the vet with the owner agreeing to pay any resulting bills. It is very important to discuss a veterinary contingency plan with the owners prior to their departure, as they may be unreachable at their vacation destination. Make sure everything is in writing. Pricing and Services Most pet sitters charge for their services based on numberof visits required per day. Additional options such as grooming, obedience training, or pooper scooper service may also be offered for a fee. House sitting services such as watering plants and collecting mail may also be negotiated for a fee or offered free as an extra perk of using your service. The best way to get a feel for pricing is to check out the local competition to see what the going rate is for pet sitting services in your area. You should also call vet clinics and boarding facilities to see what they charge. Owners often pref er to keep their pet in a familiar home environment rather than expose them to the more stressful boarding situation. If your costs are competitive, you should have an edge with in-home service. Obtain a Signed Contract Terms of service agreements spell out in detail the relationship between the client (pet owner) and service versorger (you). It is the place to outline exactly what your service offers, pricing, payment options, cancellation policies, damages, veterinary situations, etc. Make sure you have a signature before you begin work for a new client. Start Working Always remember, word of mouth is your best advertisement. Doing a great job for one client can lead to a dozen referrals.

What I Wish I Knew When I Graduated College

What I Wish I Knew When I Graduated CollegeWhat I Wish I Knew When I Graduated CollegeThis spring, colleges around the country are holding commencement ceremonies- the official process of pushing young adults out of the educational nest and into the real world.I remember this stage of life vividly, and cant think of a more startlingly disruptive rite of passage. When I transitioned from a full-time student to a full-time employee, I felt my entire identity morph into something new. From the clothes I bought to my bedtime, everything changed, and it welchesnt always pretty.Like they say, hindsights 20/20, and its easy to reflect back on what I couldve done differently that would have made this change less stressful. And while I cant time travel back to being 22, I can share what I learned with you. Heres a list of a few things I wish Id known when I graduated college and first started working.1. You Have to Grow UpWhen I started my first job, I had a lot of friends who were mucksmusch enstill in school, and I struggled to balance my work persona with my former student identity. I wanted the best of both worlds to stay up late and party, and to still be able to wake up and perform at the office.After a few months I realized, begrudgingly, that this wasnt going to work. Being prepared, attentive, and engaged at 8 AM, five days a week is simply not possible with a hangover (or even without a good breakfast).So, amid chiding from my still-in-school peers, I started taking small steps toward more adult behaviors- like getting enough sleep and eating food other than pizza- which made it much easier to be on my game at work.The biggest lesson here was that I didnt have to totally change who I was overnight when I started working, but I did need to prioritize a little more. Gradual changes made this totally manageable, and within a few months I felt much more comfortable juggling my personal and professional obligations.2. There are No Gold StarsWhen I was in college, my grades every semester told me exactly how I was doing in different areas. I liked getting regular feedback and knowing exactly what I had to do to be successful.But this all changed when I started working. No longer was I recognized for every achievement, nor was I evaluated by a simple, consistent system like letter grades. Extra credit? Forget about it. When I entered the workforce, I was working on all kinds of projects and tasks, at different paces, for various bosses. There was no clear path to success, and I realized that I was now responsible for paving my own way.This was a bit of a rude awakening, but one that pushed me to grow dramatically. It also made me realize how important it is to have professional mentors. No, they didnt give me a grade every semester, but they did provide advice, guidance, and feedback when things got especially challenging.3. Friends in Low PlacesIn college, I spent 99% of my time with my friends, roommates, and sorority sisters. I could choose w ho I wanted to hang out with, eat meals with, and socialize with almost all the time.But when I started working, I was spending 40-50 hours per week with a lot of new people- and shockingly, I didnt connect with, or even like, all of them.This was tough. But I soon learned that just because the people I worked with werent exactly like my typical friends, they could still be awesome to hang around- and I could learn a lot from them. I started accepting the occasional offer to attend a happy hour or birthday lunch, and over time, I started to fit in with my surroundings.Just as with family, we dont generally get to pick who we end up with as co-workers. But, with a little work and an open mind, youll be surprised at how easy can be to build meaningful relationships at work.4. When the Going Gets Tough, Life Still Goes OnSimply put, life gets a lot harder after college, and at the risk of sounding melodramatic, things never seems quite as carefree as you grow older. But no matter how r ough things seem at first, a lot of cool stuff comes along with being forced to grow up (and not just cheaper car insurance).In addition to greater financial independence, the opportunity to be pushed and exposed to all new things is exciting. Youll meet new people, try new things, enjoy life outside your comfort zone, and change and grow as a person.Looking back, if I had known how much my life would change and all the obstacles Id face after college, I probably wouldve packed up and moved to a remote island to avoid it all. Fortunately, I lacked a crystal ball, so I entered the workforce with rose-colored glasses and fancy new suits.But despite all the ways I could have prepared and planned for my future, I think that the youthful optimism I had as a new grad was really all I needed.New grads, remember Its not going to be easy, but its going to be awesome. And one day, youll look back on all of the craziness, and youll yearn to do it all over again.Photo courtesy of Steven Depolo.

How the human cloud could shape the future of the staffing industry

How the philanthropisch datenwolke could shape the future of the staffing industryHow the philanthropisch cloud could shape the future of the staffing industryHow the human cloud could shape the future of the staffing industryIn case you havent heard, zugreifbar staffing models, aka the human cloud, have begun to permeate the staffing industry. In fact, talk of this tech trend was a recurring theme at the Staffing Industry Associations SIA Executive Forum in February 2019.So do staffing professionals have a real worry on their hands? Industry leaders dont seem to think so at least for the time being but its not a topic that can be ignored.As we look at thinktank research on occupations that will be disrupted by technology, recruiters are pretty far down on the list, says Richard Wahlquist, president and CEO of the American Staffing Association (ASA).This core value add that our industry brings to clients screening talent, sourcing talent and deploying talent that makes the match i n a way that generates high degrees of fit, productivity, and engagement takes the human touch.Still, as human cloud platforms continue to develop, they could become an attractive, less expensive means to purchase labor. Thats why its more important than ever that staffing professionals upgrade their skills and find ways to stay competitive.What exactly is the human cloud?The human cloud refers to all of the angeschlossen platforms that help workers find work, typically with very limited human intervention, explains Barry Asin, president of Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA).The most relevant parte of the human cloud in the staffing world is the online staffing platforms, including companies like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer, he says, most of which are connecting individual workers with project-based work.Another area of the human cloud (the biggest one) is online work services, most notably companies like Uber and Lyft.Those are the biggest players, but there are a whole range of o thers such as translation services, outsourced customer service, and legal services, says Asin.The final and smallest category is crowdsourcing in which a company puts out microtasks that it needs to be done and people bid or compete for the project.In total, about $80 billion is spent annually on human cloud technologies, with online staffing accounting for about $5 billion of that, says Asin.For the most part, online platforms align best with work that can be done remotely, such as knowledge work (IT, marketing and creative). But were also beginning to see platforms emerge that focus on local work (like hospitality shift work or industrial, assembly-line type jobs). Where it hasnt made much headway, however, is in placing highly skilled workers into full-time roles.But if the human cloud continues to evolve, and large corporations begin to explore them as viable options to help source candidates, what impact might that have on traditional staffing firms? Lets break it down by expl oring some of the potential advantages and limitations of the human cloudThe ProsSpeed. The process is tech-driven so algorithms and business rules decide which jobs get shown to which workers, and that can happen instantly, says Asin.Cost savings. In some ways, the platform can be less expensive since theres just the tech in between the candidate and the hiring manager, says Asin.The ConsIt can be a free for all. If you need someone for full-time, on-site work, platforms right now cant do the proper vetting to find that fit, in the way human conversation can. One of the things recruiters and staffing firms do is convince imperfect candidates to take imperfect jobs, says Asin. Its a sales role it takes a person to convince people to try things that are not just a slam dunk.There could be legal issues. Platforms have been mostly geared toward the gig economy essentially, 1099 independent contractors versus W-2 employees. But the Uberization of work has brought into question the lega l definition of independent contractor. Uber is the target of the most scrutiny from drivers who allege that they should be treated as employees and have access to benefits that traditional employees have, says Wahlquist. Hence, the California Supreme Courtslandmark rulingthat has changed the test for independent contractor status in the state.Asin agrees Its true that online platforms tend to use an independent contractor model, and thats problematic for large enterprise companies concerned about making sure hires are classified properly.Its not conducive for full-time work (yet). On the candidate side, staffing platforms thus far are really about picking up short-term projects here and there but ultimately, most job seekers would prefer to find full-time jobs. Individuals that have been attracted to the pure online platform companies are getting relatively short, defined engagements, says Wahlquist.Staffing Firms are Leveraging TechnologyThe good news is that many top staffing co mpanies are already staying ahead of the curve, incorporating bots and AI to do lower-level screening as people are making inquiries, says Wahlquist.And companies across different sectors are giving talent the opportunity to go online and bid for jobs and allowing clients access into the database to make matches as quickly and efficiently as possible. Technology is creating tremendous flexibility at a time where were looking for growth drivers and are facing talent shortages, says Wahlquist.For Hire Dynamics a staffing firm that has been matching talent with employers needing to fill roles in call center, admin, and warehouse and distribution jobs for over 18 years the decision to launch its Work4HD app last year was a no-brainer.We have them download the app, and do their whole application through it, says Larry Feinstein, CEO, but then we bring them in and vet them, drug test them, do a background, and an interview so we can get the right cultural fit.Combining the best of tech with the face-to-face human connection is what Feinstein says will separate a staffing company from a human cloud model.So far, app adoption has exceeded expectations, says Feinstein, with about half of applicants using it.In a competitive market, the app helps the jobs get filled pretty quickly. If someone calls us on a Saturday that needs workers on Monday, we can put it out on our app and its filled by Monday, he says.Thats because the app is built to target and push out notifications to not only people with the right skill set (for instance, a forklift operator certification), but also those in the right geographic area. But even more so, the data and insights shared via the app is helping the staffing associates better understand and engage the candidates so they can provide a better, streamlined experience, he says.Next up, Hire Dynamics is working on technology to support the client side as well. However, at the heart of all these technology upgrades, relationships and emotio nal connections will remain a top priority, says Feinstein. Its about solidifying our relationship with our talent so we can be better career advocates for them.And make no mistake thats what candidates want. As the ASA Workforce Monitor survey found, while 83% of individuals believe that tech has made finding a job easier, 7 in 10 believe the job search has become too impersonal.Our message is that high touch remains critically important and that organizations that rely too much on high tech are doing themselves a disservice and probably wont be able to make a connection, says Wahlquist.Looking Ahead The Convergence of Traditional Staffing and Technology While online staffing models have some potential to cause a shakeup, Wahlquist says its nothing that staffing firms havent faced before. Staffing has been on a tech continuum for the past 20 years. And as tech has advanced, it has enabled the world of staffing, he says. However, he points out, it can be a disruptive force for those who fail to embrace technology.Asin thinks the most likely outcome will be a convergence between traditional pure service providers like staffing firms, and the platforms like Upwork.Like it or not, he says, staffing professionals will have to get more and more tech savvy, but youll always need people to understand the nuances of organizational culture and the career aspirations of the workers.Technology simply offers an opportunity for staffing firms to do what theyve been talking about becoming more of a consultant to the buyers, and more of a career coach to the candidate, says Asin.Or, put another way, todays staffing professionals are seeing online staffing as another arrow in their quiver, says Wahlquist. Its another tool in their toolkit to source and match candidates with clients even faster than had been done before, he says.But as we know, speed is hardly the only measure of success. If they become over-reliant on tech, they are going to lose a big piece of what makes th eir companies successful and that is an engaged workforce. Talent is a differentiator, says Wahlquist. You cant afford to risk your companys reputation with talent that is unqualified or not engaged.Thats also why Asin predicts that if platforms like Upwork want to successfully support the hiring needs of enterprise organizations, they, too, will have to take a more hybrid approach by adding a human layer to their platform offerings.The bottom line The staffing industry cant ignore trends and must stay current with would-be disruptors, but not at the expense of what it does best. Says Feinstein The companies that match the best experience with the best technology will prevail.