In your job search, a resume and cover letter is often your first contact with a potential employer. When they read them for the first time they learn your name and they get an idea about your qualifications. They will then make a decision about calling you to arrange an interview. That’s a very important fact to consider when you write your resume.

So, making your resume and cover letter the best they can be can mean the difference between getting the call for an interview and your resume going into the recycle bin. The sad thing is you’ll most likely never know why you didn’t get a call.

Have someone your trust review your resume. How do you know if your resume is a keeper? Even if you have your resume and cover letter professionally prepared they still may not stand out. If it looks like every other resume the employer sees, it will be harder to distinguish yourself from the crowd. If you have someone you trust look your resume over, that’s a step in the right direction.

Actually the more people that you can get to give you direct feedback on your resume, the better. If you know people that work in the same industry you should start with them. Listen to their feedback and note any changes they suggest. You don’t have to follow every piece of advice, but don’t argue with the person about their opinion. It is, after all, their opinion and you asked for it.

Once you have a resume that gets good feedback from most, if not all of the people that look at it, you probably have a good resume. You can send it out knowing you have an outstanding resume.