Proofreading Your CV
Too many people rely on Microsoft Word’s built-in spell check system. Each day, we view CVs with errors which could have been prevented by proofreading. Common errors we see in CVs include:
- martial instead of marital
- Manger instead of Manager
- liased instead of liaised
In addition, we often see CVs where the spell check has been set as US English rather than UK English. This results in words such as: “recognized” instead of “recognised” and “color” instead of “colour”.
Other areas to watch out for:
- Confusion in the use of “their” and “there”
- Not using a capital letter for “I”
- Putting “i” and “e” the wrong way round, e.g.: “freind”, rather than “friend”
- Missing out letters (often in the middle of words)
Many people find it hard to spot spelling mistakes on their CV when reading text on a computer screen, so it’s a good idea to proofread your CV after printing it out on paper. Also, consider asking someone else to check over your CV for errors.
Proofreading tips:
- Be methodical and check one line at a time
- Cultivate a healthy sense of doubt – if you know you make certain mistakes, keep an eye out for them
- Don’t start proofreading your CV straight after writing it
- Concentrate on one word at a time
- Read what is ON the page, not what you THINK is on there (maybe the hardest part of proofreading)
- Try reading your CV aloud – this often helps spot errors
- Proofread your CV in a quiet environment, away from any distractions
- Spend as much time as possible proofreading your CV
