Common Grammar Mistakes In Resumes, Cover Letters, And Communications

Did you know that spelling and grammatical errors in your resume or cover letters can cost you a job offer? Yes, this is true, because it shows that you are unprofessional or maybe that you are not very interested in looking for a job. In short, you may miss an interview opportunity for your dream job. Now, I am not implying that your grammar or language is bad, but there are some common grammatical errors that many people make. Take a look at these common mistakes that people make not only in their resumes and cover letters, but also in any other written communications with potential employers and recruiters.

Common Grammatical Errors in Resumes

That/Which: A common mistake that is seen in resumes and other means of written communication is the use of that/which, which many people find confusing. Though there are cases when you can easily substitute one with the other, it is not always so. 'That' is usually used for essential clauses, i.e., clauses which are important part of the sentence. On the other hand, 'which' is used for non-essential clauses, i.e., clauses which are not very important part of the sentence and can be done away with.

Your/You're: A very common mistake that many people make is the use of your and you’re. One of the reasons for this error is that people think that both these are the same. Well, they are not! 'Your' indicates belonging, i.e., it says that something belongs to you. On the other hand, 'you’re' is the short form of you are.

Its/It's: Another mistake that people make very commonly is that of it's and its. Just like the above examples, 'its' indicates ownership or belonging to and 'it's' is used as a short form for it is or it has. 

Their/There/They're: These three words seem to be the same for many and hence, are quite commonly substituted for each other. However, this is not the case and each of them has a different usage. 'Their' refers to something belonging to them (someone). 'There' is used for indicating a place and ‘they're' is the short version of they are.

Loose/Lose: People often confuse between loose and lose, mostly because they sound the same. However, both are different. Loose means opposite to tight, while the antonym of lose is to win. So you can say that my clothes are loose and not lose, while you have to say I hate to lose rather than loose.

These are some of the common grammar mistakes in resumes, cover letters, and communications. Keep them in mind while drafting your resume or while building your resumewebsite, so that your resume is error free and you create the right impression on the employers.