People with a zip code in Indianapolis who are looking for a job have a few things in their favor. The fact that our city is still going strong even in this time of national recession is definitely the most positive thing. While a day spa in Hackensack might find itself short on clients these days and have to downsize as a result, the tourist heavy city we live in still enjoys modest growth across all sectors.

Still, even when hiring times are good, there will be competition for certain jobs. The last thing you want is to be beaten out of your dream job because you weren't really prepared as far as the details went. It would be like being employed as a manager at a Tim Horton's when your goal was to outright own this Ontario franchise. So how can you go about stacking the odds in your favor?

The first piece of information you need to give off a good impression will be your resume. This handy document should dress up your skills nicely for a quick read by any employer, Riverside bankruptcy lawyers or Indianapolis race track manager. But, a resume can't provide them everything they need to know. You also have to include references to past jobs.

That can be a bit of a tricky thing. Many places of employment ask for information about your previous work experience, and include a request for contact numbers of your superiors in those places. While you are not legally required to fill this part out, many people do so anyway fearing that to leave the spot blank will mitigate their chances of being granted an interview. But, your job references are one of the most important parts of the whole process. The last thing you want is for a potential employer to call a current employer, say a business catering in Toronto Ontario, and tipping them off that you are looking for a job in Indianapolis.

So, that information is important to put down on the application form. You should accompany that by brief explanatory statements, and do the same on your resume. The time to disclose your job references will be at the actual interview.

There, you will want to make sure you give names of people most likely to speak well of you when your potential new employer calls. Try to use a reference who has worked very closely with you, your immediate supervisor on the line of basket strainers or someone in a similar capacity. You want a person who knows you, knows your skill set, knows you are looking for different work, and who you can trust to give a fair assessment of your abilities.