It’s a tough job market, ya’ll. I recently interviewed for a job that had over 100 applicants. A friend of mine interviewed for a job with over 800 applicants. With that much competition in the job market, how do you make sure your résumé ends up on the top of the stack, and not in the shredder?

I decided to talk to a Human Resources expert to get the scoop. Maria Larsen is an HR generalist from Phoenix, Arizona who reviews 20-30 résumés a week. Maria told me that she generally interviews five applicants a week. Here are her tips for making your résumé stand out.

1. Appearance
“Make sure that your résumé is nice and neat, and that the margins are properly aligned,” explains Maria. “I know it sounds like simple advice, but I see a lot of messy résumés. You should also make sure that you spell check and edit the résumé so that there are no mistakes.”

2. Be Detailed
“If you’re applying for an entry-level position, include a 1-2 sentence summary of your experience at the top of the résumé. For management-level positions, you should have a two-page resume and include the details of your experience for each job that you have held. But there should still be a clear job summary at the top.”

3. Too Much Information
“There is a fine line between providing enough information and too much information,” says Larsen. “Your résumé shouldn’t be longer than two pages.”

4. Be Accurate
“Make sure the contact information that you have listed for your previous employers and your references is accurate and up to date. There’s nothing worse than getting through the interview process only to get turned down because your references weren’t accurate.”

5. Fill Out the Application
Larsen also reminds people to fill out the actual application for a position. “Sending in a résumé isn’t the same thing as applying for a position. By law, the company must have you fill out an application. You can either download this from the company’s website, or you can fill out the application in person, and you should enclose your résumé with the application.”

6. Letters of Recommendation?
“Letters of recommendation aren’t necessary for an entry-level job, but you may want to consider including one for a management-level position. However, you should only include a letter of recommendation if you are dropping off an application and résumé in person. Don’t do this if you are faxing or e-mailing in your résumé.”

Larsen had two final pieces of advice for job applicants. “Let your references know ahead of time that they should be expecting a phone call from a prospective employer.” She also says that it is acceptable to wait 48 hours after you submit an application before you follow up to check on the status of your application. “But don’t call the same days,” says Larsen. “This makes you seem desperate.

Tomorrow I’ll share Laren’s advice for acing the job interview. For more information about crafting your résumé, CNN and Career Builder have 5 tips for making your résumé stand out, so check it out.