Photo by BarneyF

In an economy that’s bursting at the seams with qualified graduates, job seekers are finding themselves muddled in with an enormous quantity of well-rounded candidates. Standing out from the general masses requires creative ways to “one up” yourself from the other candidates. In some cases, a few additions to the resume can push you from merely “qualified” to “ideal”. Here are three ways to stand out and give yourself the competitive edge.

1. Learn Specialized Applications
Many employers nowadays are looking for employees that have a wealth of knowledge in computer applications – not just Word and Excel, but Dreamweaver, Filemaker Pro, InDesign and Acrobat. You catch my drift. An ideal employee is an employee with marketable skills. The more you can do, the more attractive and useful you are to a potential employer. Taking a two week university class to learn Quickbooks could very well give you the needed leverage to outshine another applicant. Another great way to broaden your skill set is to check out The New York Public Library classes and lectures. They offer free workshops on everything from basic computer applications to Internet marketing and accounting.

2. Polish Your Writing Skills
Maybe you’re applying for a job that consists of punching numbers all day, and there’s no absolutely no writing involved at all. That still doesn’t mean that it’s not equally as important as your education and experience. You should never discount the amount of pull that a well written cover letter can generate. The writing in your cover letter and your resume is your voice and should exemplify your background and personality to a potential employer. When someone has average writing skills and a general tone, it’s obvious. Sifting through hundreds of resumes can be a brutally time consuming chore for most people, and coming across a letter that is well read, tailored to the job description and has thoughtful wording can be a saving grace and can many times make up for a lack of experience on a resume. Good writing skills exude intelligence and maturity. Spend time honing your writing skills and it will pay off.

3. Boost your Educational Qualifications
Most young adults today have a Bachelors Degree as a base standard. What used to be something that signified higher education is now as commonplace as a high school diploma. Adding additional educational components to your resume can show that you have the ability and desire to learn new things and tackle new ideas and concepts. But sometimes money and time do not permit a person to drop everything and head back to campus. Taking online classes is a great alternative and a huge time saver when it comes to balancing work and school. MIT offers Open Course Ware, which lets anyone download semester long lessons as mp3′s for free. They offer everything from Business Administration courses to Biological Engineering to Statistical Physics. Although you’re not getting a degree or a certificate, it’s absolutely worth adding onto a resume. They also allow you to give online donations to the professors, which will generate a receipt for proof that you’re participating in their courses.

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