3-Step Plan to Beat the Competition as Jobs Return

July 05, 2010 (10:00AM) by Ron Thomas

This is a copy of my guest post at Pongo resume



The economy isn't as bad as it was a year or two ago. Unemployment has fallen to less than 10% and hiring is up over the last six months. These recent headlines may be leading to a light at the end of the tunnel.

But if you're out of a job and looking for work, this upbeat chatter is just that. You've been sending resumes, responding to job postings, following up leads and (hopefully) networking. But finding work today is nothing like it used to be.

What's different? For one thing, the competition is much tougher, and is likely to become even more so as the economy continues to improve. A Forbes article last year warned of a resume tsunami heading toward human resources departments, as employees leave the jobs they've been stuck in throughout the recession, and unemployed workers renew their efforts to land something.

So how do you increase your chance at landing a job? You have to have a plan. You'd be amazed how many people don't have a plan or strategy for their job search. They just check the job boards and click the "send" button with their resume attached.

If that's been your plan thus far, it's time to step it up. Beyond your resume and cover letter, develop a plan centered around the following three areas, and work it:

Networking: The Old Fashion Way

One of the advantages of living or working in New York is the availability or exposure to so many events. I thought about this on last week as I attended the launch party for Caribbean One magazine. What made this special is that I took my daughter, Lauren as my guest. Over the years I have always taken my son Sean, but she just graduated from college on last month and is now back home so she will be my permanent guest for a while.

Over the years, specifically since high school, I have always stressed to importance of meeting people, getting connected and the importance of being known in whatever industry you choose. They have for the most part followed this model and are constantly working on getting their careers in shape.

We met earlier in the day, had a glass of wine and she brought me up to date on her job search, 4 upcoming interviews that she got on her own. We discussed her research on the companies. We reviewed industry knowledge, we discussed their current marketing strategy and we reviewed her "2 minute pitch". She brought me up to date of the bio's (LinkedIn) that she had read on each person that she would be interviewing.

With that done we headed to the event. As we rode over in the cab, I gave her background on the event and who the key players were and the key points of her pitch to people she would be meeting. My role has always been to get them acquainted with the tools of career management at an early age. The first step is on this path is networking

What can HR learn from the new General Motors

I recently came across an interesting article that highlighted how some companies develop various strategies in a vacuum called the conference room.

This article highlighted how GM has now started a program that their top engineers now drive various newly designed vehicles for a period of time and complete a thorough assessment  based on their driving experience.  Fair enough you might say.

What I found mind-boggling was that this is a new methodology that came in with the new regime that is now in control.  In GM’s storied past, this type assessment was never done.  Their cars were basically designed in a conference room.  Here is a major manufacturing company that made and sold millions of cars and from all indication, never thought about trying their own product. There was never a process to drive and structurally assessed the cars.

It makes you wonder how GM never thought of that. Their foreign competitors thought of it and focused on quality and in the end they won out.

From Human Resources to Human Capital

I was recently named to the Expert Advisory Panel at the Human Capital Institute located in Washington, DC.  This is my first post on that site.


Human Resources is a relative modern term coined from all indication in the 60’s. It was previously known, possibly since its inception, as “Personnel.” During this transformation, HR was basically an administrative function charged with a range of worker-related processes. This same model is still in existence in some companies today if you can believe it. They have plodded along feeling very comfortable in that space and some would stay there if circumstances had not changed. Because of the economic turmoil, the ground has shifted.

With the economic fallout there is a distinct need for a more strategic approach. Meanwhile we have all heard and read about our profession wanting that seat at the table. We wanted a brand as strong as marketing and finance. Because of this “perfect storm,” for all that wanted that new place on the corporate totem pole, your wishes have been answered.

Human Capital Institute Announcement

I was recently named to the prestigious Expert Advisory Panel on Talent Management Strategy at the Human Capital Institute.  My recent post: "From Human Resources to Human Capital" discusses the transformation from Human Resources to a strategic focus of Human Capital Management.

The Brand of You!

 Like a lot of you, I have followed the Toyota story and all of its accompanying fallout. It reminds me of a situation that occurred back in the early 80's and this time it was Audi. They were trying to rectify a similar type problem. Lot of bad press. The story stayed alive for months. 60 minutes did a piece on it. It was as much in the news as the Toyota issue is today.

Wow did Audi survive! Today Audi is one of the hottest cars on the market today and nary a tweet of their past troubles. What does that have to do with Toyota? If you have a strong brand going into a crisis, there is a strong possibility that you will survive it. Both of these examples show the importance of a strong brand image. On the other hand, GM went into a storm with a badly damaged brand and even though their cars can now compete on quality, the stench of the past is still there.

If you have read this far, you are probably wondering about all this auto stuff and are probably wondering; what does it have to do with me? It is always about the brand. A brand is a set of perceptions and images that represent a company, product, service and yes even you. While many people refer to a brand as a logo, tag line or audio jingle, a brand is actually much larger. A brand is the essence or promise of what will be delivered or experienced.

Guest editor at 5'O Clock News

I was a guest editor for 5'O Clock News April issue.  My article is titled "HR, Trying to Put 2009 Behind Us- and Make the Most of 2010.  Click on the link HR Strategy for the future.  The Five O' Clock Club is a premier Career Management and Outplacement firm located in NYC

Undercover Boss and a Lesson in Leadership

Like a lot of you on Super Bowl Sunday, the game was the show to watch. My normal routine is no pregame, just enjoy the game. I do not want to sit through all the hype, recycled stories and the endless commercials. In previous years once the game was decided, I would turn off the TV and call it a day.

This year was different, because I did buy into the hype, but it was not football. The previous week I saw commercials about a new reality show called “Undercover Boss”. I have to admit that I have never watched a reality show. I have always found them to be contrived and just too much BS.

Make the Lessons of 2009 Pay Off in 2010

This week I was a guest blogger at PongoResume.  The article titled "Make the Lessons of 2009 Pay Off in 2010", takes a look at how to reflect of your job search of 2009 and tips for making 2010 the year of your comeback.

You’ve gone through one of the toughest years ever for finding employment and you hope 2010 will be better. When the calendar changes each January, everyone reflects on how far they went and where they want to go. For instance, a company reviews its performance, people make new year’s resolutions, and project team leaders review their progress.

As a job seeker, you should also assess your progress—or lack thereof. Have you gotten interviews? How many times were you in the actual running for a job? What kind of feedback did you receive from employers who interviewed you but didn’t hire you? How many phone interviews turned into face-to-face interviews? Think back and collect that data to determine where you need to try something different to get hired in 2010.