The pocket resumé is a business card-sized resumé that highlights your past work experience and essential skills so that employers and recruiters can identify your area of expertise in an instant.

Although it’s usually not expected or required for applicants to include a reference list in an application, including short references on the resumé can add value to your work and volunteer experiences.

I wasn’t going to discuss cover letters because I don’t enjoy writing them. However, last week, I attended my fourth interview in two weeks and my potential employer told me something I had never been told before: “I’m impressed by your cover letter.”

I recently went to the Partnerships for Employment job fair at RIM Park in Waterloo, Ont., to ask 20 recruiters and HR professionals if they read cover letters and, if so, what they are looking for.

Are you trying to land your dream job? I am. I want to be a magazine editor and, in the past four months, I’ve made a huge leap in progress. This series will help you get your foot in the door.

Unsure about what to include in your cover letter? In today’s Ask Antz segment, Antonio talks about writing, attaching and emailing your cover letter to an employer. He also does a little dance.

You can use your CV as a means to organize all of your work and volunteer experience since all of your accomplishments are in one place – it makes it easier for you to make new resumés that way (gotta love copy and paste).

A long list of your job duties will not set you apart. What will help you stand out is information about how well you performed your responsibilities, or in other words – what were your accomplishments?

Although some employers may not take the time to read cover letters – “a lot say they don’t read them at all” – recent grads should always include a cover letter, unless otherwise specified, says Stacey Campbell, a career consultant at Wilfrid Laurier University.

When dozens, hundreds or thousands of job applications are sent via email, it can be tough to stand out. Here are some tips and tricks from veterans in their respective industries on how to ensure your email application is read.