Write a Business Plan

Whether you are an employee, a candidate for an employee spot, or an employer, this applies to you. Do you have a business plan? Well that can make sense for a business, but does it make sense for an employee to have a business plan? You bet.


What do you think would happen if you were interviewing for a job and you went in for your final interview with a business plan? Let’s look at the main components in a business plan? There are usually these main components:


1. Objectives


2. Resources


3. SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats


4. Financials


5. Expected Results


Suppose you are a candidate interviewing and you go in with an idea of how you would handle the proposed job. You review the job’s OBJECTIVES. Then you confirm with the hiring manager the RESOURCES that would be at your disposal. You discuss your own STRENGTHS, your admitted WEAKER areas, the OPPORTUNITIES you can see that you will seek to tackle, and the THREATS to your success that you will need to mitigate. Then you discuss what your proposed success could be, i.e. FINANCIALLY what would it be worth in terms of a return to the company if you sold what you expected? The EXPECTED RESULTS – you probably impressed the hiring manager that, either you got that job, or you’ll be invited back for another position. Why? Because most other applicants did not take the time to build a plan!

Suppose you are the employer. What would you think if either one of your existing employees or one that you are interviewing came to you with a plan? Wouldn’t you be listening? Certainly it needs to be a well thought out or researched plan, but most any plan shows strong initiative and a serious interest in the job. A plan that shows good realistic financial returns will be getting to the real heart of the purpose of most jobs. Think about it. This is business. We’re in business to make a return on investment. The employees or prospective employees that can make the best return on investment are the ones that are going to get or retain the job and maybe more.

So you say that your job does not involve a return on investment? To borrow a slogan, then have a plan to be the best you can be. Getting or keeping your job is not simply being able to qualify for the minimum. It is about being the best choice from among all of the applicants. Put your plan together and you will most certainly improve your odds.