A​pplying for a new job is a very stressful situation for most people to be in. Especially with the current state of the economy, having to prepare applications, resumes, respond to ads and interview with potential employers takes a toll on even the most confident of people. There are a number of ways to improve your chances of finding a great job quickly, the most successful of which is making that job application really shine. Being able to tell the story of your skills, education and experience in the least amount of space is the key to communicating a true picture of yourself as an employee on a pre-printed form.

A​lthough most companies require a resume during the screening process, many also require you to fill out their company-specific application form. In many occasions, this form will require answers to the questions that the company uses to filter out those who will not be considered for the position. For this reason, it is especially important to know what your potential employer is looking for and be able to show those qualities in the provided spaces. You can usually turn to the advertisement for the position to find the keywords that the human resources department will be looking for. For instance, if the position in question will have direct reports, be sure to include the word “managed” in the description of your relevant experience. If the job opening requires knowledge of a specific software application, that, too, will need to be noted on both your employment history and related skills sections.

W​hile most people will simply use the phrase “references available upon request” on their resumes, applications for employment typically do request those references. For this reason, you should arrive prepared to provide the names, positions and phone numbers of people for whom you can count on to provide good references for you. You should always make sure to ask your references beforehand so that they, too, will be prepared to answer any potential employer’s questions.