We were all taught some important skills in our school days when it comes to writing, not the least of which is proofreading your work. Unfortunately, those middle and high school lessons tend to go out the door when we reach adulthood and no longer need a good grade on a term paper to get into college or pass a class. However, poor writing and failing to check one’s work can actually have a BIG impact on your adult life when it comes to landing the job you’ve been hoping for. Why?
First, poor writing, meaning writing that is full of spelling and/or grammatical errors, can make you appear uneducated even if that is far from the truth. A well-written person comes across as a well-spoken person, and since many employers and HR staff will see your written presentation before they get a chance to talk with you, or meet you in person, you need to make sure that first impression is a good one. Employers, when polled, have said that at least 60% of the errors they find in resumes and applications are grammatical, and they typically find at least one punctuation error in these documents as well.
Mistakes in your resume and/or application can also hinder your hiring process since they can portray unwanted characteristics to a potential boss. For example, a company that is hiring a new office administrator and requests that applicants are meticulous, attentive to detail, and have a good phone presence would probably be off-put by a resume that is full of mistakes in grammar and sentence structure, contains misspelled words, and has a lack of proper punctuation. While the applicant who turned in this resume could be well-educated, and actually a great potential fit for the job, he or she would likely end up passed over during application phase solely because of a poorly written application and resume.
Finally, employers in today’s digital age look at poorly written resumes as lazy. When there is such a wide variety of proofreading programs available at little or no cost, no one has an excuse to turn in a resume with mistakes. It’s important to note though that we are not talking about spellchecking programs built into your computer. We mean software that is specifically designed to help you perfect your written pieces, and is programmed to pick up on spelling and grammar issues that typical spellcheck would miss. Software isn’t the only option though. Have friends and family take turns reading through your paperwork and looking for mistakes. The more eyes, the better. Additionally, you can hire resume writing services that will help you put your documents together and tailor them to the job you want, so you KNOW you’re putting your best foot forward.
Are you still unconfident in your ability to write a resume that stands out? Why not let someone else make you look good, and let you enjoy the results? At PHR Staffing Solutions, that’s exactly what we do. We work with you and match you with only the best potential openings, and then walk you through the application process from start to finish, to make sure you get a job you love and are successful in your new endeavor. Give us a call or apply for one of our current openings online!