The US economy is booming, statistically speaking. The economy has grown more than 13 percent in real terms since its low point in June 2009 and the stock market is at record highs. Obama summed it up in the State of the Union address saying, “At this moment – with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production – we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth”.

As motivating and progressive this all seems, there is another side to the economy – the declining job market and the millions of people out of work. It’s a fact that the US economy employs fewer people now than before the recession, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of full-time employees still hasn’t caught up with 2008 levels, despite the fact that the adult population has grown by 14 million people since then.

Generally speaking, it’s clear that when the economy is doing well, then businesses are doing well and that results more people gaining employment. However the business world has been badly burnt through the recession with even corporate giants like Pfizer slashing 30,000 jobs or General Motors declaring bankruptcy. “In an economic downturn companies take measures to reduce costs and risks. One of the first cost blocks to go is personnel, as it can bring quick if not immediate relief to a company’s bottom line”, says Career & Business Strategist Christy Frank. “Whilst they are quick with the reduction measures, the business world is often slow to regain the confidence to ramp up and expand again even in the most promising upturn”, she adds.

For those companies that survived and rode out the recession, they have become savvier too. Gone are the cumbersome and resource intensive hierarchies left over from the industrial age. In are the lean and agile structures, that advances in technology have made possible. The business world has learnt how to leverage technology and can now do more with less. The result is fewer jobs offered because less people are needed. Employers then have a much bigger pool to select from, able to pick and choose as they please. With their lean structures and streamlined processes, employers are no longer content to hire the average, qualified worker.

The commonly understood progression of studying hard, getting qualified and then getting a good job – is yesterday’s certainty. “Today, being qualified is no longer enough”, Frank says. “The ability to differentiate yourself from the rest and show how you are a fit for the organisation is what gets you noticed and hired”.

“There has been a shift from quantity to quality of workers in business models and human resource strategies alike. What employers want and are desperate to find – are those workers who can do the job, will excel in the job and are a fit with the company culture. They are searching for the cream of the crop, the elusive – persons of talent”, explains the former Strategic Management Consultant for Fortune 500 companies.

Sir Richard Branson echoes Frank’s statements on the importance of fit over qualifications today. “The first thing to look for when searching for a great employee is somebody with a personality that fits with your company culture. Some managers get hung up on qualifications. I only look at them after everything else”, explains Branson.

When qualifications are not the answer to landing that ideal job, the average person needs to know how to stand out in a crowded marketplace and figure out which companies they would be a fit for. According to Frank, “Landing your ideal job or promotion has little to do with selling yourself but has everything to do with knowing your value and positioning yourself in the market”.

Frank shows professionals how to take their career to the next level and recession proof it too. With the release of her new book ‘Stand Out & Succeed’ and online courses, Frank teaches professionals and freelancers who want to take their career to the next level, how to discover their passion, short cut the job search process, negotiate more money and become recession proof.

The strategies and step-by-step plans covered in the book and courses are not just theory, as Frank has been delivering these to both professionals and graduates for years. Her ability to turn a client into the top candidate in their niche is simply remarkable

“I’d applied for more jobs than I could count but hadn’t gotten even one interview. After working with Christy, from seven applications I got six interviews and four job offers, all within a month. I got my ideal job at an amazing company and doubled my salary”, said Christin.

For more information on Christy Frank visit www.christyfrank.com