Lost your Job? – Have you thought about a Franchise?

Many people use a job loss as a time to reevaluate their entire career. Some change industries, job functions or relocate. There are quite a few people who use the unplanned break to start a company, some choosing to buy a franchise. Owning a franchise can be an expensive endeavor and requires a big commitment in terms of your time (and money). That being said, owning a franchise can be rewarding and for many people, a great alternative to working for someone else. There are a number of resources to help with this decision.

• Top Franchise Opportunities for 2009 – A good place to start in your search for a franchise is a list of the top opportunities. This website, by Franchise Business Review, reviews the top 50 franchises by size (large, medium and under 50 units). Click on any of the franchises to link to a page that offers background and key statistics. The main page also has a list of franchises by category and investment size.
• Can’t Find A Job? Buy A Business! – This article, by azfranchises.com, provides some basic information on how to approach the process of buying a business. There are a few good links in the article and the left hand side of the page has a very long list of popular franchise categories with links. The main page for this site lists a featured franchises for sale.
• TCBY Franchise – This is the franchise site for TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt). I’ve posted this link as an example of a franchise site. The site offers tabs at the top about the company, FAQ and Getting Started. There is a web form on the right hand side of the page if you want to get more information and a place where you can apply online. Clicking the FAQ tab provides a number of common questions with answers.
• Best Franchises & Best Business Opportunities – This site, provided by USAToday, provides a number of tools and lists opportunities. The main part of the page has links to quite a few franchise sites (most are well known). The left hand side of the page has a Franchise Finder Tool which allow search based on industry and available capital. There are a number of popular searches as well as Franchises by industry. Clicking on any of the franchises provides a page with information on that particular franchise including cash requirements (which is the “cash down” portion, not the cost). At the bottom of the main page at the bottom are a number of links for information and advise.
• How to Own a Franchise – Getting in on the action – This is a link to a short video provided by BusinessWeek.com. It is a generic video in that it covers a the concept regardless of your interests (in terms of Franchise type) and stresses that “there is a franchise opportunity out there for you”.

Good luck in your search.

Article  By: CareerAlley

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.