I'm a programmer who sometimes receives interviews for a few interesting companies but usually receive only offers that are below market average, and from small companies lacking a good budget. Whether or not the types of offers I get is an accurate metric for determining my skill as a programmer or not, I don't know for sure.<p>A lot of people know you have to demonstrate your knowledge of programming fundamentals well. It's easy to find resources on how to study for and increase your chances of passing <i>the interview</i>, but I'll cross the bridge when I get there. I cannot pass the interview if I can't get a shot at interviewing in the first place. I get ignored in a lot of places I'm seeking to work at. So how do I make my resume more outstanding when I am applying cold, and using no referrals?<p>For the typical experienced programmer applying to a large tech company, what is "cracking the pre-interview" -beating the application screening- like? Anyone care to share their experience getting into a job interview for such a company?