Assignment 23A

1. Organizational skills
1. Value: This is crucial for entrepreneurs as businesses have a lot of moving parts that need to be monitored at all times.
2. Rare: This is not a relatively rare skill, but not everyone has it.
3. Inimitable: Organizational skills can be developed, but some struggle with it more than others
4. Non-substitutable: It is very difficult to replace. An unorganized business will usually fail.
2. Knowledge of Customers' Wants
1. Value: I understand what college students are looking for in their future career and I think I have an advantage in providing that.
2. Rare: There are millions of college students, but they may not think about the solutions like I have.
3. Inimitable: It could be imitated by other college student, but I believe that few would be pursuing this business concept and more focused on their own business career.
4. Non-substitutable: This has been attempted by career resource centers at universities, but I believe this business concept could be more successful because I believe I see the needs  and mindset of undergraduates better.
3. Recruiting Industry Knowledge
1. Value: For my business concept to be properly executed, I must have knowledge about the recruiting industry and its practices.
2. Rare: There are currently recruiters employed, but very few are recruiting in at the entry level for recent graduates.
3. Inimitable: This would be difficult for a recruiter to imitate, because they would most likely be out of touch with the needs of recent undergrads.
4. Non-substitutable: It could possibly be substituted with sales knowledge, but it would likely be less effective.
4. Small Business Knowledge
1. Value: The value of this skill is understanding the needs of my recruiting company's future clients. Their needs vary from the hiring needs of a Fortune 500 company and this knowledge is necessary to effectively execute this business model.
2. Rare: Most people with small business knowledge are small business owners and would not have the recruiting knowledge necessary to succeed.
3. Inimitable: This knowledge can be learned by spending time working for a small business.
4. Non-substitutable: This is difficult to substitute because a lack of understanding of small business hiring processes will result in a failed business model.
5. Communication Skills
1. Value: This is essential for any business owner but specifically for this concept because I will have to be able to effectively communicate to university students, recruiters, and small business owners alike.
2. Rare: Good communication skills are not uncommon, but being able to articulate oneself to all three parties above is no easy feat.
3. Inimitable: This is difficult to imitate because few people lack the specific background I have gathered.
4. Non-substitutable: It is nearly impossible to succeed with this idea without effective communication skills.
6. Passion
1. Value: This is important for this business concept because this concept has not been done before. It is a long road ahead and passion is crucial to get this idea off the ground.
2. Rare: Passion itself is not uncommon, but there are not many university students familiar with recruiting firms that would be able to find passion for this business concept.
3. Inimitable: I believe it would be easy for one to develop passion for this project.
4. Non-substitutable: Passion for the solution could be substituted with passion for financial success, but I believe the owner would lose touch with student needs and business owner needs if this were the case.
7. Approachability/Availability
1. Value: This is extremely important for this business concept because the business owner has to be able to "win over" its clients and employees. This also very important for the recruiting process of my business.
2. Rare: This is an obtainable skill, but it comes easier to some than others.
3. Inimitable: This is inimitable, but some clients and employees can be difficult to "win over"
4. Non-substitutable: If the firm is not enticing to clients and students, it will fail.
8. Commitment
1. Value: For this business concept to be successful, one must be committed to finding ideal jobs for recent grads and meeting the needs of the small businesses in its catalog.
2. Rare: This is a coveted skill that few truly possess.
3. Inimitable: It can be imitated by someone very committed but it is difficult to fake.
4. Non-substitutable: Commitment is absolutely essential to this business concept.
9. Leadership
1. Value: This skill is important for creating and directing a recruiting team.
2. Rare: This is an uncommon skill to thrive at.
3. Inimitable: A good leader could run this company, but they need industry expertise.
4. Non-substitutable: A group of very autonomous recruiters could potentially run a firm like this, but it would be difficult without effective leadership and direction.
10. Work Ethic
1. Value: Without work ethic, it would be impossible to effectively place recent grads at work and build a catalog of small businesses.
2. Rare: This is a rare trait that is highly sought after.
3. Inimitable: This can be imitated by very driven individuals.
4. Non-substitutable: Recruiting requires diligence and attention to detail, especially for placing recent grads. This simply cannot be done without hard work.

After this analysis, I would say my approachability and availability is my most valuable resource. I believe this skill will allow me to collaborate with high level recruiters on this project as well as win over small business employers for their hiring needs.