Professional Help: Why Your Resume is Getting Ignored (Part 4)

13 Feb Professional Help: Why Your Resume is Getting Ignored (Part 4)

English is a difficult language to master and no one  (myself included) is perfect at it. However, perfection is not the same thing as proficiency. If your resume doesn’t demonstrate that you are a proficient communicator, then you shouldn’t bother applying.

Here is another way applicants shoot themselves in the foot:

4 – Ignoring the basis rules of writing

This is one of the fastest ways to get your resume tossed. Hiring managers don’t have time to decipher poor writing. Proper grammar (i.e. punctuation and capitalization) is not optional. Spelling mistakes are not forgivable.  A resume and cover letter serves two purposes. The first is to demonstrate your work history. The second is to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively. If your documents do not show that you can write clearly and concisely than you won’t be contacted.

There is no excuse for not having your resume spell checked and proofread. Take the initiative and have a third party (someone that is proficient at resume editing) review your documents. This will help catch any errors you might have missed. Also, investing in a grammar book is a good idea especially, if you need to brush up on your writing skills or English is not your native language. A highly rated and affordable book is The Elements of Style by E.B White and William Strunk.

One grammatical error may not get your resume deleted.  But, it will make the hiring manager second guess bringing you in for an interview. Don’t take the chance.

What are some of the resume writing errors you’ve made or come across?

-À bientôt