Week 4 - Capstone

The 3 Cs

• Customer– As an employee, your

customer is your employer

– As a business, your customer is the person (group) that pays you for your product or service.

The 3 Cs

• Company– What is your

competitive advantage?

– What sets you apart from others? Is it your passion, your talent, your experience, or something else?

The 3 Cs• Competitors– Who is your competition? • Job seekers – who else is applying to the jobs you are

seeking?• Businesses – What other companies are offering

similar products and services?

The 4 Ps

• Product (or service)– Employee: Your “product” is the skills and talents you

provide for your employer to help them achieve their company mission. For example, as a web designer, you help the company communicate its vision to the public in an appealing manner.

– Remember that items like “10 years of experience” are not skills or talents• They can demonstrate credibility, skills and talent, but do not

in themselves present value for an employer.• Clear communication with the employer will help define your

role and their expectations.

The 4 Ps

• Product (or service)– Business: Your “product” is the benefit you sell to

your customers. For example, as a massage therapist, you provide relaxation and physical healing.

– Remember that the massage itself is not necessarily the benefit – if it does not provide what the customer is looking for, they may be disappointed.• A patient rehabilitating from an injury will likely seek a

different benefit than someone looking for relaxation.• Make sure you communicate with the customer to

recognize what they need.

The 4 Ps

• Place– Employee: Where will you work? Is work from

home an option? Will travel be required? – Business: How will you distribute your products

and services? • Bricks and mortar store?• Online distribution?

The 4 Ps

• Price– Employee: What is the wage/salary you expect for

your skills and talents? What benefits will you require? • Salary.com, Monster, the Bureau for Labor Statistics,

and other job sites are useful sources to identify what a fair wage may be.

– Business: What price will you charge for your product/services? How does this compare to your competitors?

The 4 Ps

• Promotion– Employee: How will you market yourself to

prospective employers? • Personal Website• Networking• Job Applications (both in person and online)

– Business: How will you advertise your products and services so that your customers will make a buying decision in your favor?