Ah, the empty suit. We all know at least one. Many of you are working with one right now.

Why do they proliferate?

Why do they get the promotion - or the job offer - leaving more qualified people behind in the dust?

Has it happened to you? Have you watched (incredulously) as some empty suit snatched the job away from you?

It happens every day.

But why? What IS IT about these people?

Sales. Marketing. Promotion.

Whatever you want to call it - they know how to do it. They've perfected the packaging and the presentation, and they deliver it masterfully. Empty suits have the ability to transfix. To charm. They can get folks to believe just about anything they say.

Now, sometimes people wise up fairly quickly (though never, it seems, until after the "suit" gets the job). Truly masterful suits, however, can keep the illusion going seemingly endlessly - at least with the people who count. Like the boss. Or the industry big wigs he regularly interacts with.

Repellent? Frustrating? Unfair? Yes, yes and yes. But it can be fascinating to watch people like this in action at the same time.

You can learn something from the empty suit.

First, hard work in and of itself isn't going to propel your career forward. Your office isn't a meritocracy (at least in the private sector it isn't). If you haven't already, you need to recognize this fact of life.

Second, you need to know how to promote yourself. Nobody else is going to do it for you. And if you don't master this skill, you're going to lose to the guy or gal who does know how to do it - even when you're eminently more qualified.

Take heart. If you're a hard working, dependable employee and you know how to promote yourself, you're going to be in a pretty advantageous position. You'll be much more likely to hold your own when you have to compete with the empty suit.

Rebecca Metschke helps professionals seeking a competitive advantage in today's global economy. Her book The Interview Edge is available online in downloadable format. You can find free info on career strategies and other helpful tips and advice at The Interview Edge blog http://blog.theinterviewedge.com/.