The Importance of Proofreading and Editing Your Resume

Your resume is often the first impression a hiring manager has of you. With only seconds to grab their attention, a single typo or grammatical error can immediately disqualify you. Proofreading and editing your resume are critical. Here’s why you must get it right.  

 

You Come Across as Careless

Typos and mistakes signal carelessness to prospective employers. They assume that if you do not care enough to fix errors on your most important document, you likely lack attention to detail in your work. First impressions matter, so don’t sabotage yourself over easily correctable issues.  

 

It Raises Questions About Your Abilities  

Employers associate proper writing and editing with stronger communication abilities. While that may not always correlate, perception matters. Flubs on your resume call your skills and competence into question. Employers need employees with precision and accuracy, especially in written documents. Fix mistakes to reinforce you have those qualities.  

 

It Diminishes Your Brand  

Your brand encompasses your credentials, skills, personality traits, and values. It shapes others’ perceptions of you. Typos or grammatical errors negatively impact your brand by weakening how people view your professionalism, attention to detail, and communication skills. Put your best foot forward with an error-free document.

 

Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid

Typos

Double-check for typos in your name, company name, or contact info. One letter can make searching for you impossible. Carefully proofread names, addresses, and job titles word for word. Recruiters may enter your info into databases that must precisely match for you to surface. Protect against typos sabotaging your discoverability.

 

Grammatical Errors  

Check for correct pronoun usage, run-on sentences, or fragments. Read sections aloud to catch issues. Easy grammatical fixes make you appear polished. Don’t rely only on spell checkers, which miss improperly used homonyms or real words used in the wrong context. Have a second set of eyes proofread as well.

 

Awkward Phrasing

Delete unnecessary words and vary sentence structure. Use clear, concise language that gets directly to the point. Eliminate filler words and tighten sentences to convey information clearly and simply.

 

Template Errors  

Ensure font sizes, margins, and line spacing remain consistent. Avoid odd breaks between categories or overlapping text. Verify no stray formatting marks accidentally made it into the final draft. What looks great on your screen may shift slightly when converted to a PDF. 

 

Lack of Quantification 

Back your accomplishments with numbers and metrics. Quantify achievements with percentages or total dollar amounts whenever possible. Instead of “increased sales,” specify “Increased sales by 30%” or “Generated $500k in new business.”

 

Outdated Contact Info 

Double-check that your phone number, email, and social media handles are current. Update your mailing address if you moved so correspondence reaches you. Outdated info suggests you neglect your digital presence, a liability in the modern workplace.  

 

Irrelevant Content

Delete outdated, irrelevant skills or experience over 10-15 years old. Emphasize transferable skills from past roles that apply to the target job. Older experience tends not to get weighted as heavily as more recent accomplishments. Showcase only timely abilities.  

 

Wordiness

Eliminate excessive wordiness that dilutes your message. Adopt a clear, concise communication style on your resume through tight writing. Every word must add value. Avoid complete sentences in favor of bullet-pointed impact statements quantified with facts and data.  

 

Inconsistent Tense

Verify consistent verb tense within and across resume sections. Generally, past roles utilize past tense while current roles default to present. The exception is for achievements with lasting impact extending into the present. Pay attention to inadvertent tense changes.  

 

Title Inflation

Avoid “title inflation,” which hurts and does not help your credibility. Using the Director or VP title when the role was individual contributor manager misaligns with your background. Inflated, inaccurate titles raise doubt in other areas of your resume.  

 

Template Graphical Elements

If utilizing infographic elements like bar charts or graphs on your resume, double-check that they convey accurate percentages and properly align to scale. Discrepancies undermine the validity of actual content when the visual design fails to match reality.  

 

Elevate Your Professional Image

Invest time to proofread and edit each section of your resume carefully. Run spell checks, but also read carefully for context. Refine awkward language and verify consistency across formatting elements. Proofing removes easily correctable barriers that may otherwise preclude you from landing an interview. Pay attention to detail matters, especially regarding the key document representing your brand. Don’t let small mistakes in an otherwise strong resume derail your job search.

 

Ready to create an excellent resume that leaves a lasting impression? Explore our collection of resume samples on innovaresume.com.