The sticklers among us may take comfort from a recent Canadian study that reveals that correct spelling does still count for something in the world.
Though I try to avoid particularly egregious spelling and grammatical mistakes in my own writing, I find myself less troubled than some seem to be by errors in the world around me. Now, don't get me wrong. I may notice them-- even mock them-- occasionally publicly chastise and reduce the offender to tears (ok, not really that last bit)-- but I don't get a nervous tick when I encounter a sign employing quotation marks to indicate emphasis ("Thank" You for Not Feeding the Animals... We "Appreciate" Our Customers...). (I'm more likely to laugh and wish I had the camera with me.)
However, I think most of us can agree that when you're typing up your resumé, you can afford the extra time and trouble of making sure you get things right. Well, rest assured that (in Canada, at least) we're not alone. The world as a whole may sometimes seem to be losing footing on the slippery slope down to you-know-where, but thank goodness we still have some standards!
Here's the story (from Reuters):
"A survey of 100 Canadian executives showed that more than a fifth of executives said a single typo on a resume or cover letter could cost a potential employee a job, while 28% said two mistakes would kill their chances.
"But 19% of the executives said they would still consider an applicant with four or more typos on their resume.
"Common mistakes include: ‘Dear Sir or Madman’, ‘I’m attacking my resume for you to review’, ‘Following is a grief overview of my skills’ and ‘Have a keen eye for derail.’"
(Hm... Well, we still have some standards, except for about 19% of the Canadian executives among us.)
Anyway, now to the real issue-- "Dear Sir or Madman"!!
...I might be tempted to hire that person as a writer just for the chance to do the proofreading!
