J.T.: Every month or so, we bring you the newest and best information about careers. This time we’ll review a survey done by the folks at Accountemps, a staffing firm specializing in accounting and finance. In a survey with executives, they asked this: “How many typos in the resume does it take for you to decide not to consider at job candidate for a position with your company?”
Dale: In 40 percent of the cases, it’s one strike and you’re out. Plus, another 36 percent said that while they might overlook one mistake, two typos qualified for a free trip to the Reject pile.
J.T.: Part of the problem is that the computer spell-check feature lulls you into thinking that your mistakes have been covered. However, the research offered examples of mistakes that slip through spell check, including:
“Hope to hear from you, Shorty.”
“Dear Sir or Madman”
“GPA: 34.0″
Dale: The best solution is to get a perfectionist friend to review your resume and cover letter. Short of that, reading the resume aloud usually uncovers errors. The folks at Accountemps offered one unusual suggestion: to read the resume backward. That’s one way to appreciate the advice J.T. often gives — to keep your resume to just a single page.
Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a professional development specialist and founder of CAREEREALISM.com. Dale Dauten’s latest book is “(Great) Employees Only: How Gifted Bosses Hire and De-Hire Their Way to Success” (John Wiley & Sons). Please visit them at www.jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via e-mail, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.
© 2009 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
