If you want to rank highly for a given keyword (and who doesn't?), then you will want to check this out:

http://backlinkwatch.com/

It's a 4-step process:

1. Go to google and type in the keyword you want to check
2. Open the link above, type in the URL of the top sites from Step #1 that you want to check backlinks for
3. Study the list
4. Go get some backlinks!

I suggest you go to the links found in the results from #2 and use only the “do follow” links (“do follow” is a misnomer — choose any of the links that don't say “do not follow”).

If you get some of the backlinks that your competition already has, in addition to using the strategies found at Traffic-Building 101: Backlinks, you will build up some quality backlinks in no time.