Why Proofreading Your Resume Is Vital

One of the most vital steps to creating an effective resume is thoroughly proofreading the material. This action, which seems so simple and straightforward, is often done incorrectly or overlooked entirely. The effect can be devastating if you send your resume to a potential employer and it contains a spelling or grammatical error that you missed.

Why is proofreading so hard?

Proofreading a document is much harder than it looks, especially if you have been working on it for any length of time. Your brain can play tricks on you as you read, making you think that a word is spelled correctly when it really is not. And if your own spelling skills are not as strong as you would like them to be, you may not even know a word is spelled incorrectly when you read it.

Looking for grammatical errors is even harder because most of us do not have perfect grammar skills. In fact, most people struggle with grammar today even more so than 20 or 30 years ago because of the growth in e-mail communications, which are inherently more casual.

The dangers of proofreading software

Your word processing program most likely came with spell check and grammar check software, which you should use diligently. However, do not depend totally on software to catch all mistakes because it will not. The best strategy is to use software on the first pass, then turn to a human proofreader to look for any other mistakes.

What happens if you do not proofread accurately?

What is the worst that could happen if you do not proofread your resume accurately? It is screened out. Immediately. Without further consideration.

This may seem harsh, but from a potential employer's perspective, it makes a lot of sense. When faced with a pile of resumes to be screened, the reader is looking for reasons to eliminate your resume, not reasons to keep your resume. A spelling mistake or grammatical error gives him or her an easy reason to exclude you, because sending out a resume that is not correct suggests sloppiness and inattention to detail.

Even if you do somehow make it past the first screening and even the second screening, you can be sure that the subject of a mistake in your resume will come up during an interview. Most employers will ask about it deliberately to gauge your reaction and listen to your explanation. You have no choice but to be honest and say that you made a mistake in your proofreading. The good news, though, is that you also have an opportunity to also talk about what you should have done differently and how you will learn from that mistake moving forward. If the rest of the interview has gone well then the interviewer may give you credit for honesty and a willingness to learn.

 

 

 

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