Over-reliance on spell-check software for cover letters can spell job search trouble says online recruiter WallStJobs.comWednesday, April 25, 2007 |
"Enrage my superiors in all decision making"
"Six years of forest trading experience"
"Expert in institutional inequities financing"
"Outstanding issues were god-fathered into the new firm"
New York, NY, April 25, 2007 - Just because you don't see any red lines after you let your computer review your cover letter, don't push the 'send' button quite yet advises WallStJobs.com founder, Robert Graber. "There has been a tendency to equate perfect spelling with perfect grammar and it can create some amusing, but self-destructive correspondence," he notes.
"While we have noticed an improvement in the overall accuracy of resume content," Graber said, "it is the cover letter, with its more conversational format, that has been the document where we find the most gaffes."
Graber has some suggestions to help avoid embarrassing cover-letter-calamities, "Try reading the letter backwards. Many mistakes occur because we tend to get into a reading rhythm when we proof read. By reversing the words, we break the flow of the wording and errors tend to stand out more. When you re-read the letter again, stop after each word to alter your normal pacing. Again, this helps to highlight individual words and can help you focus on unusual spelling and syntax."
With cover letters becoming increasingly important as a way to focus on skills and accomplishments that might not be evident in a resume, it is essential that all job seekers take the time to be certain that all their career correspondence is error-free.
"A second set of eyes always helps," advises Graber. "Have at least one other person review your material before you submit it. This is that rare case where the more people who are involved, the better the final project will likely be."
About WallStJobs.com
WallStJobs.com is the premier recruiting source exclusively for financial service professionals and is a member of the Jobosaurus family of uniquely specialized recruiting sites.
