I have two kids who are now young adults entering the work force.  Some people see this as a very difficult time to start a career because of the economy.  I think it is certainly more challenging, but it creates opportunities as well, if you can differentiate yourself from others.  Finding a job, the right job, is a selling situation.  You need to sell yourself and you do that through differentiation.  But it’s not about you.  I share with my kids that it is not about them, it’s about what they can do for their company.  That starts with research about the company you want to work for.  What are they trying to accomplish?  The easy surface answer is grow sales.  Usually there is more.

If you want to find out what a company is trying accomplish research their strategic initiatives in the 10k report (if they are publicly held).  Whether they are public or private search for articles through Google or search Hoovers for information.  Review their website.  Look for what they are trying to do.  Then, figure out the strengths that you have that will help them accomplish their goals.

Help the company see that you are different.  Show them that you have the skills to help them meet their goals by using PAR in your cover letter, your messages, and your interview.  PAR stands for Problem, Action, and Results.  Your letter can be formatted to fit PAR, by stating that in your research you determined that this is an initiative that the company is working toward.  State that you have addressed a similar problem and describe it.  Show the action you took to overcome it, and the results you earned.

While this is not a silver bullet that guarentees you will get the job, or even an interview, it does dramatically improve your chances.  It differentiates you from the other resumes that they receive.