Last week, I wrote a blog post asking you to voice any questions that stump you in your job search. The questions are great (and yes, I still have several to answer... don't worry, I'm on it!), but I noticed one seemed to be on repeat: How do I make my resume stand out?

You're worried about the job applicant-to-job posting ratio—i.e. 500 applicants to every one job. And you have every right to be concerned. As if looking for a job weren't stressful enough, now you have an insane amount of competition.

But I'm here to ease your concerns and tell you not to worry so much about the competition. Just pay close attention to what I'm going to tell you next: Target your resume. You'll automatically put yourself miles ahead of most other candidates.

Here's why: Most of your competitors will use the shotgun approach. They'll write one resume and send it to every single job opening that's even remotely related to their field of interest.

By targeting your resume to fit every job you're interested in (think: qualifications, certifications, requirements), you'll avoid the initial trash-bin toss and at least get a shot at being called for an interview. (Add a well-written, targeted cover letter, and you'll be one of maybe 10, rather than 500!)

That, my friends, is how you make your resume stand out.

Here are some links to help you write targeted resumes:

• Super-Easy Method for Writing a Targeted Resume: Includes a printable worksheet you can fill out for each job you apply to. Bonus!
• Build a Long Master Resume, Then Cut, Cut, Cut: You can have a long one-size-fits-all kind of resume, but this post shows you how to make it work for each job opening.

Does this help? Do you think there are other methods that help resumes stand out in this job market? Share them in a comment below!