So, you have written your resume and spent hours pouring over the details, making sure you get it just right. Run it through spell check, and you're good to go, right? Well, not necessarily. Spell checking programs are great, but don't trust them to do all of the heavy lifting for you. No matter what program you are using, you still need to proofread your resume yourself. The best way to do it is to put it away for a couple of hours, or even a day or two, then go back to it and re-read it with fresh eyes.
I am always hesitant to talk about spelling errors, because it seems to me that anytime I mention the importance of good spelling, I always make an error myself. None of us are perfect, hence the reason that proofreading is so important. (by the way, feel free to correct any spelling errors I make in the comment section)
There are many words that are commonly misspelled and spell checking programs typically won't catch them. Here are a few words to look out for.
- You, your and you're- You should already know the difference between these words. Unless you're new to the English language and have left your dictionary at home. If you don't, please look them up.
- Manager v. manger- The tricky thing here is that a simple typo can make it seem that you worked as a feeding trough for animals for many years. Spell check won't catch this mistake and it is very easy to make.
- Stationery v. stationary- If it is spelled with an “A” it means high quality paper. With an “E”, it doesn't move.
- desperate v. disparate- Desperate is an easy word to misspell and often in the suggestions that spell check gives, disparate comes up first. Don't be fooled. Disparate means fundamentally different, and is typically used to compare things.
- Loose v. lose- With the double “O” it means loose, as in the opposite of tight. Lose means that you lost.
- Accept v. expect v. except- These sound alike and look alike. Be very careful with these words because it is easy to just overlook them when you are in a hurry.
- Fro v. for- Transposing letters is a very common mistake, and unfortunately, with these words, spell check won't pick them up and small words like these are easy for your eyes to just blow past them.
- Could of v. could have- This is not really a spelling error. Could have is always correct. Could of is always wrong. What you are looking for here is could've.
- Then v. than- If you make less spelling errors after you read this than you did before, then I will be impressed.
- Insure v. ensure- Preventing spelling mistakes on your resume will ensure that you will make a good impression. You can insure your car, your boat and even your own life.
- From v. form- When you make this mistake, it is typically just because you were in a hurry. These words are tricky because they look so similar that it is easy to skip over them when you are proofreading or using a spell check program.
Hopefully these tips will help you make your resume error free. If you have any suggestions of other word errors that are commonly missed when using spell check, let me know in the comments.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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