Only 6% of CVs contain no spelling or grammatical mistakes, which means for every job advertised, only a handful of applicants will make it past the first hurdle. Now, more than ever, it’s so important to get your spelling and grammar right when you make a job application if you want a chance of getting your foot in the door.

Are you highly adept at ‘multi-tasting’? Perhaps you are a ‘prooficient typist’? Or does your role involve ‘coaching and mentioning’? It’s hard to imagine, but these are just a few of the mistakes that Corinne Mills, MD of Personal Career Management and author of “You’re Hired!  How to write a brilliant CV!”, has come across in her 12 years as a career coach.

In fact, Corinne was so appalled at the standard of spelling and grammar in the applications that she saw that her company carried out a survey, looking at 450 CVs in detail. Out of these, 94% had errors in spelling, grammar, poor visual presentation or content.

You may be thinking, what does it matter if I can’t spell properly, when I have all the relevant qualifications to do the job advertised? Well, think again. “CVs that have errors on them are far less likely to get shortlisted,” says Corinne. “In a competitive job market, where employers are spoilt for choice, rejecting CVs with errors provides an easy way to whittle down applications. Why should employers hire someone whose CV shows carelessness or poor attention to detail, when these are precisely the qualities that most employers look for in their staff?”

Regardless of how suited you are to the job, a CV that contains errors will be viewed as unprofessional. Employers want to hire staff who show pride in their work and who can work accurately to quality standards. If your CV shows that you are unable to do this, then they are likely to judge that you will adopt the same slapdash approach if you’re working for them.

Phillip Hodson, MD of Kensington Consulting, a recruitment agency for the engineering and manufacturing industry,  agrees. “Your CV is the number one document that can open a door into a business, and so first impressions count. If your CV or application letter has mistakes, it’s very telling to an employer. If you haven’t taken the time to proofread your application, a prospective employer might well question the standard of work you’re going to produce.”

Of course, not everyone has a degree in English language, but that’s not really the issue here – it’s all about attitude – taking the time and effort to proofread and double-check your applications. Even if English is not your first language or if you suffer from dyslexia, there’s no excuse – you can always find someone to help with your applications.

“If you have genuine problems with spelling or grammar then it makes sense to apply for roles where this is less likely to be an issue,” advises Corinne. “If your dyslexia is a disability, then you can also disclose this to an employer who may make allowances, depending on the role. Even if English isn’t your first language, your CV should be thoroughly checked for errors before sending it off.  Ask someone you know with excellent written English to check it for you.”

Even more worrying are candidates who misspell industry-specific terms. A regular mistake seen at Kensington Consulting is the word kaizen spelt wrongly. “Kaizen is a recognised term in manufacture engineering,” says Phillip. “It’s a Japanese word that means continuous improvement and it’s quite an achievement for candidates to adopt the kaisen methodology. And yet so many of our candidates spell it wrongly. This gives them a real disadvantage because employers will then question the validity of their achievement.”

Another problem area is where candidates don’t fully understand their computer software. Phillip has received a number of application letters and CVs that have been written and rewritten in Microsoft Word, but the candidate has not saved the final version correctly and the document is unfinished. If this went straight to an employer, the candidate would be instantly dismissed, and yet just five minutes spent double-checking would make all the difference.

The interesting thing is that these mistakes are not creeping in just at junior level. There are CEOs and other highly professional candidates who are spoiling their chances of recruitment because they haven’t proofread their applications. If you lack confidence in your English language, a career coach, or a recruitment agency can help make sure your application is properly written so that not only is the language and grammar correct, but that the content presents the professional image that you want to convey.

For more career coaching advice, you can contact Corinne Mills at www.personalcareermanagement.com or to have your CV checked professionally for free visit Jobsite’s CV partner CV Checker.

For jobs in the engineering and manufacturing industries, contact Kensington Consulting at www.kensingtonconsulting.co.uk or visit jobsite at www.jobsite.co.uk.

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