Fewer jobs and increased competition means simply emailing a standard resume probably won't get you a job interview.

What gives your resume an edge is style and personality. All things considered, soft skills are as important as your degree, experience, and skill set. You're more likely to get job interviews when people think they can work with you and you fit in with the company.

Strategies To Get Your Resume Read:

Make Your Job Search Personal

Decide what kind of job you want, desired salary, distance you'll commute, and if you'll move.

Use the internet, trade papers, newspapers, job bulletin boards, relatives, friends, and past co-workers to help you find companies and organizations you're interested in.

But don't just shoot off your resume to them. Find the names and addresses of individual department heads and HR directors and send them your information.

Create a Personalized Cover Letter

Think of your cover letter as a sales and marketing tool. Don't view it as an after-thought to your resume; it may be the difference between getting an interview or landing on the bottom of the stack.

Make your cover letter short (one or two paragraphs) flawless and every word used correctly. Be positive and personalized, and make sure it shows your style. Include information to show that you know something about the company. The more you know about what a company does, the more you can personalize the letter and sell yourself. Your cover letter should tell a very short story which makes the data and information on the resume come to life.

And always state why you'd be a great addition to the company.

Leave detailed experience, history, details, and data to your attached resume.

Don't take the risk that your resume won't be seen, spam blockers are used by many to block scattershot job hunters and unwanted and impersonal junk emails. Job communications should be both electronic and followed up with a paper resume and cover letter.

Be sure you're relevant and easy to identify but don't be afraid to be different. Have fun, and show your personality to get people interested in you and what you can do for them.

Happy job hunting!

Brian J. Bieler is an author, sales trainer and consultant offering unique and innovative sales, marketing and business solutions drawing from thirty plus years experience as a marketing director, sales manager, President of Viacom Radio and General Manager of seven major broadcast companies. Reach Brian at http://www.brianbieler.com