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Subject:Typo on your resume? From:Jim McAward <jimmc -at- CHYRON -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 28 Feb 1997 11:46:40 -0500
I've always followed the rule that someone who lets a typo slip by on their
resume is automatically disqualified from working for me.
As Technical Writers, we are charged with presenting complicated ideas
clearly and carefully. What document should be created with greater care
than one's own resume?
In case this makes me appear rigid, my actual hiring criteria are not. I
look for people who can both a) spell, and b) use a screwdriver.
Spelling ability is the marker for what I term the "grammar gene". The
person who bothers to spell probably also bothers to read, and has a good
grasp of language's strengths and shortcomings.
Mechanical ability (the screwdriver thing...) is the marker for what I term
the "tool gene". The person who can use a screwdriver tends to have the
ability to take things apart - be they physical or theoretical. Our
business is video graphics equipment - very little strictly mechanical
aptitude is required. But the "tool gene" is an absolute must!
Most of the people who've worked for me had some prior writing experience.
However, my staff also includes a former professional musician, who arrived
with no experience whatsoever. In her resume, and on her interview, she
demonstrated that she had both "genes"... and she was a success from the start.
Back to the typo-on-resume issue... I once hired a guy who used "and" on
his resume in place of "an". This was in the stone age, before PCs and
spell-checkers, when actual humans did all proofreading. He had otherwise
terrific qualifications, and rave reviews from every supervisor. I looked
past the typo. He turned out to be an absolute dud.
I learned. You might, too...
Best regards,
Jim.
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James G. McAward Chyron Corporation
Manager, Melville, NY 11747
Technical Publications http://www.chyron.com
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"So many facts, so little time!"
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