As I watched the annual parade of glam last night, it dawned on me that each and every one of the movie stars is an extreme brand manager. In any economy, job holders and job seekers should take notice of how these folks manage their personal brands because, like in Hollywood, it really is all you have to offer.

Top 5 tips from Hollywood's Extreme Brand Managers:

1. Dress. "Who are you wearing" may not be something that you hear in interviews or after a particularly rousing corporate presentation but it IS noticed by people, some who count and some who don't. Presentation is one key to Personal Branding.

2. Pride. Being proud can be a slippery slope. It can escalate you to the front of the pack or relegate you to forever bringing up the rear. The key in Hollywood is that actors are proud of the "work" not of themselves (for the most part). Speaking proudly of the work your teams have accomplished in the past is a great way to stand out in a crowd.

3. Humility. The balance to #2 is humility. Being humble is a parallel slope to Pride. If you are to humble and never speak of YOUR accomplishments you may come off as a coat tail rider. Be sure to speak proudly of your team's accomplishments and also of your unique contribution to the organization's success.

4. Grace. I'm always impressed with the Red Carpet ride these stars take and that they are willing to speak to people like Ryan Seacrest and Joan Rivers. At each interview stop they smile, answer truly inane questions and always thank the microphone monkey as if it was a fantastic experience. Leaving everyone feeling positive about your interactions with them is one of the fastest ways to get or stay employed.

5. Gratitude. Ok, so thanking a handwritten list of everyone who's ever been part of your career (like some did last night) can come off as contrived, being grateful for those who have made an impact on you and letting them know regularly is crucial. Read "regularly" because being grateful only when you get laid off (and start re-connecting with everyone in your network because you need them) is the antithesis of gratitude.

I think the greatest job seeker lesson from the Academy Awards last night lies in Slumdog Millionaire taking the night with 8 Oscars. Why? Because there were no Brad Pitts, no Meryl Streeps and no Batman special effects. It was a medium budget foreign film with children and teenagers as stars.

Proof that success lies, not in what you see and expect, but in what you can imagine and create.