by Resume Digest on 18 Jul 2011
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Employers assume the care with which you write about yourself is akin to the care you will have for their business.
Proof reading #1 Print a hard copy
Details are easier to spot on a piece of paper than on the screen.
Proof reading #2 Read it aloud
Never mind your flatmates or the neighbours. Pretend it's the TV. No joke you MUST hear it out and get a feel for how it actually flows...
Proof reading #3 Mark it
As soon as you spot something that's not quite right - annotate on your piece of paper. Refrain from going to the keyboard to make the correction straight away. Stand up and hear the whole thing out.
Proof reading #4 Read it backward
This is a writer's trick to force you to look at each word in isolation. Mask the page with a postcard to reveal each last word in turn.
Proof reading #5 Enter all your changes
Now you're not treating each correction in isolation but you may have spotted a misspelt word occurring several times.
Proof reading #6 Repeat until happy
Remember this is your sales brochure. How can anyone hire you if you're not satisfied yourself?
Proof reading #7 Sleep on it
The next morning you may have a spark of inspiration.
