How to find a job in the crowded field of the unemployed

With twenty percent unemployment (never follow government reports) if you follow  everyone else in terms of obtaining employment, what's your likelihood of success? Probably slim to none right?

So why wouldn't  you pursue the road less traveled, the road most people see as harder or more challenging?  Think about whom you would hire.  The top three things the top recruits have done that were unemployed:

• Focus – They focus on targeted employers.  Whatever their field is, whether it’s investment banking, hedge funds or health care, they would target certain employers. The one percent understand that by focusing their energy on certain employers they are more likely to develop a greater return on their investment.

• Research – they do tremendous due diligence on their targets, the firms’ competition, so they understand their products, market, overall business and problems.

• Solution - They develop a one or two page business plan that provides solutions for their targets based on their due diligence.  They have included a thorough WOTS analysis, their solutions are cutting edge, expansive, and address the area of expertise the individual brings to the orgnanization whether it be marketing, sales, human resources, etc.  Who wouldn’t want to hire a problem solver?

All employer’s have problems, so figure out how to solve one of their problems.  Most people won’t take the time or energy to figure out how to solve some else's problems.  Imagine the value you bring to an organization if you demonstrated the initiative, foresight, and business acumen to develop a well thought out solution to their problem?

If you want to move from the ranks of the unemployed to the employed then solve someone’s problem.  In order to stand out in the crowded unemployed field who would you hire?  A problem solver or someone that sends resumes?