Typos in resumes

["M. David Orr" <whitears -at- INTERACCESS -dot- COM>]

Using proofreading to correct writing errors is no different than using
QA inspectors on a manufacturing line to inspect for product defects.
Correcting a defect is typically much more expensive than doing
something right the first time. This insight is not my opinion alone,
but is at the very heart of the Quality Movement.

The real question is "How do we eliminate defects in our writing from
the very beginning?" Some quality-oriented answers I might suggest are:

* Screen prospective employees carefully to eliminate sloppy writers
* Train existing writers in quality principles
* Train existing writers in writing skills
* Use automated standards by means of templates that do virtually all
formatting through macros, toolbars, wizards, and AutoText
* Develop in-house stylesheets and train everybody in their use
* Create the expectation that copy will be perfect when submitted

We tried the old copyediting-everything route years ago. If writers know
there will be a copyedit, many tend to let things ride that they would
normally fix. We found the quality of first drafts seriously declining
and costs rising.

Now we try to hit drafts right on the mark the first time. I'm not
saying we don't proof, but we expect not to find much when we do.

--
M. David Orr
Orr & Associates/Usability Management
7366 N. Lincoln Ave. Suite 101
Lincolnwood, Illinois 60646, USA
Phone: 847-677-1920
Fax:   847-677-7878
Email: whitears -at- orrnet -dot- com
Web:   http://www.orrnet.com

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