Recent research has revealed that for every graduate role advertised, a whopping 52 applications are received. With a new raft of graduates about to enter the job market, snagging that dream role could be even more challenging.

However, before you screw up that newly printed CV, take heart; there are several ways to increase your application’s chances of making the ‘yes’ pile.

Firstly, bear in mind that most employers dedicate just a few seconds to perusing a CV. With such huge numbers of applications, they can’t afford to commit much more. Therefore you need to make sure your CV grabs their attention immediately,  for the right reasons.

Forget using coloured paper, jazzy fonts or including photos, it’s the information that counts. Tailor your CV and accompanying cover letter to the specific job, emphasising relevant experience and minimising – even omitting – detail that isn’t. Big chunks of solid text are off-putting, so instead break information down into easy-to-digest points. Remember, you can always elaborate at your interview. Oh and double check your spelling.

Another way to increase your chances of landing a job is to get some work experience in your chosen industry. This is a message that you’ve probably heard banded about a lot, but it’s a great way to show that a) you’re serious about your emerging career and b) that you have some knowledge of the sector.  Admittedly, the vast majority of placements are unpaid, but you might receive travel expenses and lunch. It’s a small price to pay if it pushes your application further up the pile.

If unpaid work doesn’t appeal, why not try to side-step the job-hunting pack  by accepting a temporary position through an employment agency? Some agencies have exclusive relationships with employers and get access to new jobs before they reach the wider job market, meaning you hear about them first. What’s more, you might not have to go through an interview. It might mean doing the filing or fetching the tea, but a temp role could give you industry experience and could – as is commonly the case – lead to a permanent position. It’s definitely an option worth exploring.

There you go: make your CV relevant, do some work experience and apply for temp roles. These three measures, combined or separately, can really help your get your application noticed. Get to it and good luck!