Poor grammar - could it cost you the job?

If you know me, you will know that I am somewhat of a grammar and spelling stickler, and I will not deny it. Over the years I have learned to control my urge to correct my family and friends, but when I started recruiting I found myself making corrections to applicants' cover letters and resumes before I could even review them properly because the spelling and grammar mistakes made it difficult to concentrate on the content of the CV. I have learned to stop this habit as well, but it is very important for job seekers to know that the more spelling and grammar mistakes there are on your resume the more likely the hiring manager or recruiter is to move on. 

I stumbled on an article this morning on the Harvard Business Review blog, written by the CEO of iFixit, discussing his intolerance for grammar mistakes. Kyle Weins explains that "Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a mandatory grammar test. Extenuating circumstances aside (dyslexia, English language learners, etc.), if job hopefuls can't distinguish between "to" and "too," their applications go into the bin." 

Some may think that Kyle's zero tolerance for poor grammar is slightly unfair, but is it really? 

Sure, grammar and spelling aren't exactly part of most job descriptions (unless you're a writer) and even though there might be room for improvement when it comes to someone's writing skills, they might be brilliant workers who are highly competent and skilled. 


However, what about attention to detail? This is a skill that is highly coveted by many employers, and this would include one's ability to adhere to grammar and spelling rules. 

I don't think that we should necessarily discount any and all applicants who have a couple of grammar mistakes on their resume, but I do want to stress the importance of this when writing your CV and applying for jobs. You should always spell-check, double-check, and triple-check your resume before submitting it, and it doesn't hurt to have someone else take a look as well for a fresh pair of eyes. 

To read Kyle's article, click here.