It's getting increasingly competitive in the job market these days. With current unemployment figures ranging anywhere from 5% to 7.5%, depending on who you believe, the search for a decent, well paying job has become an undertaking which can quickly lead to disappointment. Job hunting is a different and exciting challenge these days. It is a far more specialized process now, than it has ever been before.

Because I have been invited by my employer to pursue our open position for an Industrial Production Manager, I have had an opportunity to get a special view of the hiring process, from both sides. Today's Human Resource Managers are a savvy bunch. They are highly trained and quite sophisticated. They have new tools and a multitude of new information sources. I'd like to share with you a few of the insights this opportunity to compete for position has provided for me.

These days, simply having a sharp resume isn't enough. Although a well prepared resume is essential, presentation alone won't win you an interview. Today's HR Managers are placing less emphasis upon what you have accomplished, while placing more emphasis upon how you'll fit in. In other words, they want to know more about what you can do for them than what you did for your previous employers or in school. Today's resume writers must adopt an in depth strategy of forward thinking. Quality resumes must now present a picture of future success.

Gone are the days when you could expect job hunting success by writing up one good resume and then carpet bombing a host of potential employers.

Black Friday has traditionally been one of the busiest and most frantic shopping days of the year but with Christmas sales down in 2007 and the economy looking like a leftover fruitcake, many people are wondering if Black Friday can live up to past performances.

To better grasp the severity of the situation I enlisted the help of Dan de Grandpre, the current CEO of Dealnews.com. Dan is one of the most qualified individuals I know to assist in this as he has over 12 years of deal hunting experience as well as the ability to keenly identify industry trends. The Dealnews.com CEO backs up his team's experience surrounding retail sales and promotions by boasting that Dealnews.com has saved visitors hundreds of millions of dollars.

Black Friday needs only three things to be successful: retailers with amazing deals, willing consumers and money. Without any one of these items Black Friday ceases to be the spectacle that retailers and shoppers have come to know and love. In order to understand how the economy affects any of these three elements it is important to understand the relationship between retailers and consumers.

When it comes to getting a raise or getting a new job appearance matters. While you can clamor all you want about the usefulness of judging people by their appearance it has been shown time and time again that good looking well dressed people enjoy higher salaries and that many employers place your appearance including your attire above your college transcript when it comes to the hiring process. Personally for guys there isn't anything better than a tailored suit to make a great impression.

Purchasing a suit can be an expensive outing especially if you want one that is stylish and fitted to your measurements. When I went looking for a suit last month my options were to spend $400 and up on a custom tailored suit at a local establishment or shell out for big name stylish two piece at the local department store forgoing the elegance of a custom tailored solution. Thankfully before I purchased a new one I discovered that the handmade suit I picked up in Vietnam a few years back would make due as long as I didn't dish out any bear hugs at the reception. Since this isn't a long term solution and the airfare to fly back to Vietnam to pick up another custom tailored suit for $80 would outpace the savings I have been looking for an affordable tailored suit online.