Today, companies are faced with unprecedented business challenges.  These challenges include global competition, rapid changes in the marketplace, constant pressure on profit margins and meeting the quarterly expectations of the investment community.  Companies have taken measures such as downsizing, restructuring, outsourcing and changing the way talent is managed to maximize the value that they can realize from their assets.  To the employee, these measures have resulted in increased competition for promotions, job openings and for exceptional merit pay increases. 

 

When competition increases, companies have to make their products unique to capture or retain customers and/or increase what customers are willing to pay for their products.  Being unique also applies to individuals as they seek to capture or retain their customers and increase what their customers will pay.  For individuals, customers are current or potential employers.   Capturing customers is landing a new position or promotion.  Retaining is maintaining employment within the company.  Increasing what the customer pays is getting exceptional merit pay increases.

 

This edition of From the Field provides suggestions on how you can make yourself unique in today's employment marketplace.