5 steps to a better job in 2018

5 steps to a better job in 2018 â€Å"Get a better job† is a very common New Year’s resolution, but it’s also a tough one to get started- especially if winter laziness sets in. It’s not like going to the gym, where you can physically get up and go somewhere and call it a success, even if it’s only one time a week. You need to put in a ton of work beforehand and change the way you approach the world around you. Here are 5 steps to get you started on the path to a new and better job.1. Come up with a plan.Before you start browsing job sites, think about what you’re seeking. Do you want to stay in the same industry? Are you looking for the same kind of job, but for more money? What does the next step up look like for you? Are you ready for a step up? Think about what it is you really want in your new job. If you just kind of jump in without having a set plan or timelines around your job search goals, it will be easy to abandon the whole thing if you don’t get results ri ght away.2. Ask for it.If you’re seeking a promotion, you’re far more likely to get it if you ask for it. Some companies give unasked-for promotions as a matter of course, but you’re much more likely to be successful if you say, â€Å"Hey, I’m here, I’ve accomplished these things, and I’m ready for more.† This is where an elevator pitch comes in handy as you prepare to talk to your boss. You want to be able to clearly and efficiently lay out the reasons why you deserve a better title and more responsibilities.3. Be open to different kinds of opportunities.Online search engines and other traditional job hunt tools are great assets to have- but don’t forget the human assets at your disposal. A lot of hiring is done because someone knows someone else who would be a good fit for that new job opening. And that means there are job opportunities out there that never see the light of day (or the search engine). Make sure your network i s ever growing, and in good working order.4. Rebuild your application package.If you’re thinking about dusting off your old resume, maybe doing some find-and-replace on the dates, and sending it out, think again. If you want a better job you need a stepped-up resume game. That means creating a new resume masterpiece from scratch, with careful consideration about what you should be including, and how it reflects your career now.5. Build your skills. While you’re looking, this is a good chance to build up some of those resume-enhancing skills, like mastering particular kinds of software. This doesn’t mean you have to go back to school, but there are lots of online courses and resources that can help you build professional skills on your own schedule and at your own pace.Getting a better job is a great and attainable goal to have. Putting a plan and energy behind it is the best way to ensure that you won’t be sitting in the same place this time next year, th inking, â€Å"Man, I really need a new job.†

Monopolies and Monopoly Power (Definition)

Monopolies and Monopoly Power (Definition) The Economics Glossary defines monopoly as: If a certain firm is the only one that can produce a certain good, it has a monopoly in the market for that good. To understand what a monopoly is and how a monopoly operates, well have to delve deeper than this. What features do monopolies have, and how do they differ from those in oligopolies, markets with monopolistic competition and perfectly competitive markets? Features of a Monopoly When we discuss a monopoly, or oligopoly, etc. were discussing the market for a particular type of product, such as toasters or DVD players. In the textbook case of a monopoly, there is only one firm producing the good. In a real-world monopoly, such as the operating system monopoly, there is one firm that provides the overwhelming majority of sales (Microsoft), and a handful of small companies that have little or no impact on the dominant firm. Because there is only one firm (or essentially only one firm) in a monopoly, the monopolys firm demand curve is identical to the market demand curve, and the monopoly firm need not consider what its competitors are pricing at. Thus a monopolist will keep selling units so long as the extra amount he receives by selling an extra unit (the marginal revenue) is greater than the additional costs he faces in producing and selling an additional unit (the marginal cost). Thus the monopoly firm will always set their quantity at the level where marginal cost is equal to marginal revenue. Because of this lack of competition, monopoly firms will make an economic profit. This would normally cause other firms to enter the market. For this market to remain a monopolistic one, there must be some barrier to entry. A few common ones are: Legal Barriers to Entry - This is a situation where a law prevents other firms from entering the market to sell a product. In the United States, only the USPS can deliver first class mail, so this would be a legal barrier to entry. In many jurisdictions alcohol can only be sold by the government-run corporation, creating a legal barrier to entry in this market.Patents - Patents are a subclass of legal barriers to entry, but theyre important enough to be given their own section. A patent gives the inventor of a product a monopoly in producing and selling that product for a limited amount of time. Pfizer, inventors of the drug Viagra, have a patent on the drug, thus Pfizer is the only company that can produce and sell Viagra until the patent runs out. Patents are tools that governments use to promote innovation, as companies should be more willing to create new products if they know theyll have monopoly power over those products.Natural Barriers to Entry - In these type of monopolies, other firms cannot enter the market because either the startup costs are too high, or the cost structure of the market gives an advantage to the largest firm. Most public utilities would fall into this category. Economists generally refer to these monopolies as natural monopolies. Theres the need-to-know information on monopolies. Monopolies are unique relative to other market structures, as it only contains one firm, and thus a monopoly firm has far more power to set prices than firms in other market structures.