The Importance of a Grammatically Correct Resume

Writing a resume from scratch, or updating one, is critical when looking for a job. However, a resume also needs to be free of typos and grammatical errors. You wouldn’t want to submit a paper or essay to a professor with typos or grammar mistakes, so why would you send out a resume with them? The same can be said when submitting a proposal or other project to a supervisor in work.

Grammar errors and typos need to be eliminated, especially from resumes. Here’s how hiring managers view grammar mistakes on resumes and what to do if you spot one on your resume.

Grammar Mistakes and Typos are Deal Breakers

According to a study from a major career search site, 61 percent of recruiters said that typos found on resumes are deal breakers. This means that those recruiters are inclined to throw the resumes in the trash without reading the rest of it or even contacting the candidate for a more in-depth conversation. As you can see, a typo or grammar error will kill your job search more than half of the time, so be sure to edit your resume before hitting the send button.

Common Mistakes

Some common mistakes on resumes that irk hiring managers and recruiters include: writing “incoroporate” instead of incorporate, and not knowing the difference between principal and principle. These mistakes will have your resume thrown in the trash immediately.

Some might be reading this thinking, “Mistakes happen. They are a common part of life.” As much as we agree with this sentiment, and understand that mistakes happen, they cannot happen during a job search if you want to be successful.

One thing you must remember when searching for a job is that your word choice, grammar and diction are all you have to impress hiring managers who are reading your resume or job application paperwork. The people reading your resume or application have only those three things to form an opinion on you, so you need to make them count.

Proofread, Proofread and Proofread Some More

Proofreading a resume prior to submitting it to a potential employer is very important. You need to find even the slightest mistakes in spelling or grammar so you are not skipped over for an interview. Your computer’s spell check program will not be strong enough to find all of the possible mistakes you could have made with your grammar.

Print your resume out and read it aloud. This will help you find mistakes. Email it to trusted friends and relatives for them to look for mistakes. Fix anything they find immediately so you do not forget what was pointed out. If no one is around to proofread your resume, walk away from it for a couple of minutes and let your brain forget about it. Once you return, your brain will be fresh and you might be able to find grammar mistakes or typos you didn’t notice earlier.

A grammar mistake on your resume, no matter how small or insignificant, can ruin your chances at finding a job. Double and triple-check your resume for mistakes prior to submitting with an application to cut down on your chances of being declined.

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