I always recommend very specific resumes and cover-letters written against the job description.<p>Imagine being a hiring manager, getting 20 resumes that all look &quot;good&quot; and one that is obviously specifically for this job.<p>For the resume, keep the design of it super-simple and modular (so you can swap in pieces as necessary).  Make sure to use every keyword you see in the job-description (you could be being auto-filtered by software or recruiter that doesn&#x27;t really understand your resume -- both use keywords) I personally also bold them and repeat them in every place it would be relevant to do so.<p>The cover letter is a writing sample where you are making an argument for why they should interview you.  You know the part where they say &quot;Excellent communication skills&quot; -- this is the part where you show that.  It should be impossible for you to send this letter to anyone else and have it make sense.<p>If you do this, you probably can&#x27;t apply to many jobs -- instead be choosy about where you apply -- pick the places where the letter and resume you send can be a bingo for the job.<p>If you get in touch, I can give more specific pointers. Show me a job description that you thought was ideal for you and the resume&#x2F;letter you sent.  I can give you an example of mine.