Ask HN: What would “cracking the pre-interview” be for certain tech companies?

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.

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 the interview, 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?

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?