In a tight job market, employers can be very choosy about whom they hire. In addition, the volatile economy adds to the anxiety about spending on that additional headcount. Finally, the uptick of job seekers onto the market makes it hard for each job seeker to stand out. But in a down economy, some luxury products still do well, despite cheaper alternatives, despite choosier customers, and despite special offers and deals flooding the market. The way that successful luxury products differentiate themselves and navigate a tough market holds lessons for job seekers during these competitive times:

Know what your customers Want

Alice Chen is President of Alice Alan Footwear and capitalizes on the made local/ domestic movement:  Our tagline “Crafted in NYC” is extremely powerful in conveying the quality of workmanship and materials that goes into each and every pair of Alice Alan footwear.  Each pair of Alice Alan is crafted by hand in New York City by skilled artisans who spend hours, and well over 100 meticulous steps, in the fabrication of a shoe. 

Job seekers, how well do you know your customers (i.e., prospective employers)? Where are they looking for candidates? What types of candidates are they hiring?

Read the rest of this post with insights from Angela Jia Kim of Om Aroma and Grace Kang of Pink Olive in my latest Work In Progress blog for Forbes.com:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/06/27/what-six-figure-job-seekers-can-learn-from-luxury-sales/

Caroline Ceniza-Levine helps people build fulfilling and financially-rewarding careers, as the co-founder of SixFigureStart®.   She is the co-author of “Six Steps To Job-Search Success” 2011, Flat World Knowledge and “How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times” 2010, Two Harbors Press.  She is also a stand-up comic with Comic Diversity.