Should resumes be perfect?

[Thom Remington <remingtf -at- ENGG-MAIL -dot- LVS -dot- DUPONT -dot- COM>]

Here's an analogous situation. When I sold radio advertising, I had a client
who ran a brake and muffler shop. One day when I went to see him, he was
struggling to control his laughter. He'd posted an ad for a mechanic; the
first applicant drove up in a car that was falling apart and barely running.
That mechanic had a few "typos" in his "resume," didn't he?

In our field, our written work represents us the way that mechanic's car
represented him. He was claiming to be a professional, and his car belied
that claim. If I submit a resume and cover letter, they had better be
<I>perfect</I> or really close to it, if I'm claiming to be a professional
writer.

OK, in all fairness, a prospective employer might lose a gem by pitching an
error-filled resume; however, as a professional writer, I can't justify
sending a resume or cover letter with errors in it.

(Disclaimer: I haven't had an editor read this e-mail note. Any errors in it
are due to the e-mail program, the keyboard, or your e-mail program. This
note was perfect in my mind when I wrote it.) ;->
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thom Remington    thomas -dot- f -dot- remingon -at- usa -dot- dupont -dot- com
DuPont External Affairs
Information Design & Development
http://www.dupont.com
Speaking for myself, not for DuPont.

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