Most companies are looking for candidates who can get a job done well. If you can’t even get your resume to look perfect, how are they going to be able to trust you to care for their important affairs?
For this reason, you need to be meticulous with your resume. Here, we are going to list down some of the steps that you should take to ensure that your resume is proof checked and error free.
Step 1: Check for Spelling and Grammar
As you write out your resume, you’re likely to make some typos. This is natural, especially if you aren’t applying for an editing job! We all make mistakes at times and that’s why it’s important to use a spell check and grammar check program to look over your document and ensure it has no mistakes.
Whatever program you use to write out your resume will have a spell check program enabled. Don’t rely solely on this checker. Sure, fix what they point out but take it one step further.
You can use a program like Grammarly to not only check for spelling but also for grammar, word usage, and more. It can help you with flow, consistency, and more.
Step 2: Check What a Spell Checker Can’t
Next you will want to go through your resume thoroughly and see if there are any words that haven’t been caught. Check the spelling of names and places, especially if they are related to the company you are applying for. You won’t get a job when you can’t spell the company name right.
You will also want to ensure that word usage is on point. Sometimes the spelling of a word will be correct, but it doesn’t fit into the sentence. Grammarly will catch this sometimes but you will want to double check.
Step 3: Check Your Dates
Putting the wrong date on positions held or education can be a big oopsie if you get caught. Even if you didn’t mean to lie intentionally, if you had a date typo for a past job and extended your experience by a couple of years, that could be considered being dishonest, even if you did it by accident.
Step 4: Have a Friend Read It
Sometimes we can read a sentence how we meant to write it instead of what we actually wrote. Our brains are telling us what we already think we know.
That’s why it’s smart to have an outside source read through your resume. This is just another layer of proofreading for your resume before you send it to your potential employer.
Step 5: Proofread Your Email, Too
Now that your resume is passing the proofread test with flying colors, you are ready to send it to the employer.
You must write a quick email to deliver it. You need to proofread this email as well. If your application email is full of typos, you are making the same mistake as you would if your resume had typos.
Sure, it takes longer to proofread and double check your work, but it goes a long way to prove that you are a meticulous worker and have an eye for detail. Employers will only assume that you will take this type of approach to the job and will be more willing to hire you.