Forming an Opportunity Belief

1. The application/hiring process is difficult and takes a long time.

2. The need for employers is to hire employees in a fast and efficient manner. The need for employees is to get hired quickly to be able to begin making money. This need has always existed. Technology definitely moves this process along, but the process can still take weeks to months, even. I am 90% sure that this opportunity exists.

3a. My friend Kate, who has a job now.

4a. Kate agrees that this need is mostly unmet, as the hiring process can take so long. She recently received an opportunity to work in a restaurant, but it took over three months from the time she applied to the time she was officially employed. She experienced this need last semester when searching for a job because she needed an income to be able to pay her bills. She says that she doesn't experience this need often, but when it is experienced it is relatively urgent. Kate first became aware of this need when she was searching for her first job in her hometown. It took her about a month from the time she applied to the time she got hired, which she said she wishes it would've been a faster process. She says she tried addressing this need by calling the managers of companies she was applying for to make sure they know she's interested, hopefully urging them to get the hiring process started. She says that she isn't satisfied with this solution, as it often doesn't produce any results and can get tiring.

3b. My manager John, who hired me.

4b. John also agrees with me that the application and hiring process could be easier and faster. He says that he sees a lack of employees and posts job listings wherever he can, in hopes of getting as many applications in as possible. He says, though, that looking through and keeping track of these applications and deciding on who the best fit is for the position can be difficult, which results in the process taking longer. He has so many other duties as a manager that taking the time to sift through applications and deciding who the best fit is is not always a priority. John says that it takes a toll on the business because this makes the need for more employees go unmet for an even longer period of time. He does what he can and has help from other managers to hire employees, but he says he doesn't really have a great solution to his problem. He says that he has this need almost constantly.

3c. My roommate Sophia, who is currently searching for a job.

4c. Sophia also agrees that this need exists. She is currently experiencing this need, as she needs an income for her rent, but it is taking a long time for her to get hired anywhere, even though she has a lot of work experience. As of right now, Sophia says she experiences this need constantly because of how bad she needs a job. She's had the need for about a month now, which is how long she has been job-searching. She says that many companies have scheduled interviews, but they will schedule them sometimes a week in advance and then it takes even longer to receive a call informing her whether or not she is being offered the job. She is addressing this need the same way Kate did, by calling the companies to ask if they were interested in her and to make sure they have checked out her application. She's not satisfied with this solution either, because she still doesn't have a job.

5. I think that I learned the most from my interview with John, as I have never been on that side of this problem. I have been a potential employee needing to be hired, but I have never been an employer needing to hire employees. I didn't realize how hard the process is for him and how much it affects the business. I learned that almost everyone has probably experienced this need whether they need a job or need to find someone to fill a position at a business.

7. I believe that my opportunity is very much still there; I learned that all three of the people I interviewed have experienced this need. I think that the potential for meeting this need more is there, as well. I also believe that my opportunity is more accurate than when I started, because now I know why exactly this need exists in the first place. Entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on their customers' feedback. After all, we are solving their problems and providing them with a solution, so we should include them in adapting the opportunity.