Diverse experience

As companies look to make their workforce more cost-effective they will eliminate certain jobs and redistribute the duties under those job descriptions to those of jobs that they do not eliminate.  Some who is not only diverse in his experience, but willing to take on a job with a broader scope is more valuable to a company.

Sharp skills

Sharpen your skills and keep them sharp.  These are just a few of the most valuable skills:

- Communication

- Solid work ethic

- Initiative

- Adaptability

- Problem solving

Highly Productive

Highly productive people have a competitive edge in a struggling job market.  A highly productive person has good work habits:

- They are punctual and reliable.

- Ready to work when they arrive.

- Don’t watch the clock for breaks or end of shift.

- Push themselves to complete tasks on time or before a deadline.

Quality Producer

A quality producer is also a valuable asset, because the amount of time and therefore money spent on producing goods and services is more cost-effective.  A quality producer has certain qualities, including:

- Never satisfied with less than their best work.

- Always trying to improve the quality of their work.

- Always looking for more efficient ways of producing quality results.

Perseverance

Solid, long-term employees are a greater asset in difficult economic times, because they can be called upon to produce more with a lower increase in cost.  Therefore, perseverance is a highly competitive asset to help get or maintain a position in a struggling job market.  Here are several reasons why:

- The cost of paperwork, background checks, human resources activities and training are a huge expense.

- Long-term employees know the company and are able to do more than one job.

- Quality of product can be maintained at a lower cost for production.

All of these character traits or skills can help you maintain a competitive edge in the struggling 2009 job market.