Your real competition isn't some job hunter off the street. It's the candidate who was coached by The Headhunter. From The Archive 49. Live like an exception.
Most people depend on the ads to find a job.
Some develop personal contacts to get close to the company they want to work for. They're the exception. Most job hunters get turned down at the resume stage of the hiring process. Their resume goes into the circular file. Others skip the resume altogether and find ways to demonstrate their abilities rather than explain their past.