You guys have no idea how long I’ve waited for someone to ask this:
Dear Andrew,
I recently re-entered the ranks of the unemployed, though it’s been a while since I’ve had to look for a job. What is the biggest mistake that someone can make on their resume?
Short answer: Not proofreading.
Longer answer: The biggest mistake that someone can make on their resume (or cover letter, or any other part of the job application) is to not use spell check, or to check spelling and grammar without proofreading.
With the lax allowances of the Internet, like a lack of capitalizations, punctuation, sentence structure and abbreviations, more people than ever are submitting job applications that would get a “C-” in a fifth-grade writing class. The simple action of running a spell checker can save potential embarrassment and ensure that your application is clean and polished.
But spell check doesn’t catch everything.
Some of the most common errors can be found in similar words, like they’re and their and there, or affect and effect, or its and it’s. And because they count as words, a computer can gloss over them. Adding or subtracting an apostrophe (like its and it’s) can change something from a plural (no apostrophe) to ownership (with apostrophe), and vice-versa.
If the spell check doesn’t give you any alternative spelling suggestions but still says the word is wrong, unless it’s a last name, look it up in the dictionary. Or at dictionary.com. Afraid you’re using one word too much? Try a thesaurus.
The easiest way to find errors is to read something aloud. If it doesn’t sound right when you say it, then it isn’t right. What may read fine may not sound fine. And since everyone interprets what they read differently, make sure it makes sense when spoken aloud.
So spend a little extra time going over your job application to check for content, not just spelling and grammar errors. It could be the difference between getting the job and having to repeat your sixth grade English class.
