Set Yourself Apart from Other Job Applicants

Have you heard the phrase that says, "The cream rises to the top?" Do you love root beer floats, or drinks that are composed of ice cream on top of root beer? You can be "the cream that rises to the top" in your job search by doing things that will set you apart from others who are looking for work.

The first thing you must do before you have an interview scheduled is display professionalism. Fill out a job application neatly and completely. Follow all the instructions of an ad you are replying to. If you are replying by mail, use resume paper and a resume envelope. Do not provide an E-mail address on your cover letter or resume that is silly or weird. Your answering machine message must not be too long or sound crazy. If your name is John Doe, your message should say, "You have reached the home of John Doe. Please leave your name and number and I will call you back as soon as possible."

Make your cover letter shine. To make your letter easy to read, use a font size of at least twelve points. The top left corner should reveal your full address, E-mail address, telephone number and the current date. After you type in this information, hit 'Enter' four times and type in the name and address of the company you are sending your letter to.

Do not say "I" in your cover letter. A good way to avoid using "I" is to start the body of your cover letter with a header that says, "Subject: Response to your ad for the Sales Clerk position you posted on Sunday."

Put great care into how you address the reader. It is not a good idea to write, "To whom it may concern." If you know the name of the person who will read your letter, address the person by his or her name. If the person's name is Jane Doe, address her as "Ms. Doe". If you do not know the contact's name, you should write, "Dear Sir or Madam."

The next part of your cover letter should include a bulleted list of your accomplishments, background and skills. Do not supply a long list. I recommend you list up to five good skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the position you are applying for.