Grammar In Your CV: How (and Why) To Get It Right

Introduction

Getting your dream job can be difficult, as many job hunters are aiming for the same job. Nonetheless, you can improve your chances and stand out from the crowd by making the right moves and giving close attention to the minutest detail.

A popular saying goes thus, “the little things matter.” This applies powerfully to resume or CV writing. Most times, job seekers solely focus on writing a well-detailed CV that emphasizes their skills and expertise, neglecting the little things that matter like spelling and grammar.

One or two grammatical errors in your CV might not look like a big deal. However, in the eyes of hiring managers in different industries, every grammar slip up you make counts.

In fact, it could be the difference between your CV landing your dream job or landing in the trash can.

These days, most qualified and experienced candidates miss out on jobs because of typographical mistakes, weak or incorrect vocabulary, and poor grammar.

If this is your first time writing a resume or CV and you would love to get off on the right foot, you should pay attention to your grammar usage.

On the other hand, if you have experienced rejections in your job hunting and you wish to put an end to it, you should probably check your grammar.

Truth be told, many job seekers have issues with grammar. Sometimes, they don’t know if or when they have made typos, spelling, or grammatical errors — and this puts them at a disadvantage.

So, if you are struggling with getting right when it comes to spelling and grammar, you are not alone.

You are probably wondering if you will ever write a grammatically flawless CV that grabs the attention of your potential employers?

Yes, you will.

Because we have got you covered.

In this article, we will show you the importance of good grammar in your CV and what you can do to get it right.

Let’s get started.

The Importance of Good Grammar in Your CV

Proves Your Credibility

The way you write speaks volumes about you, your personality, professionalism, and your ability to deliver. This is why you should ensure that you use good grammar in your CV.

Indeed, good grammar makes it easier for you to win the trust of your potential employers, as it shows your willingness to pay attention to details and execute your duties professionally.

As they say, “first impression matters.” Hence, if you want to make a great first impression on any hiring manager, you should make sure you edit and proofread your CV before submitting it.

Conversely, using improper grammar puts you at a disadvantage — even if you possess adequate skills or experience.

In a nutshell, if you want to impress your potential employer and prove your credibility, you should use good grammar in your CV.

Makes It Easy To Read

Good grammar makes your CV attractive and easy to read. A CV without typos, spelling, or grammatical errors is hard to ignore.

For this reason, it improves your chances of getting the job you desire. As a matter of fact, it could be a game-changer for you in your job hunt.

How To Cut Out Grammatical Errors From Your CV

If you desire to write a polished CV, here is what you can do to avoid grammatical errors:

1. Use a resume builder
2. Pay attention to your sentence structure
3. Don’t use capital letters excessively
4. Use first-person pronouns
5. Use the right tenses
6. Explain your abbreviations

Use a resume builder

If you need help with your resume or CV, you should consider using an online resume builder. Resume builders like resumebuilderpro.com help you cut out possible grammatical slip-ups in your CV or resume, boosting your chances of getting a job in any industry.

Here, you get to access a wide variety of effective CV and job resume templates created by the best resume professionals for free.

You can use these templates to create an error-free and irresistible resume that portrays you as smart and perfect for the job.

All you have to do is follow the simple steps you will find on the site and you are good to go.

Pay attention to your sentence structure

If you want to give meaning to your CV, your sentence structure must be spot on. Every sentence you use in your CV must be focused and short. Don’t go overboard with the structure.

You can make your sentence meaningful by using only one clause and adding transitional phrases that easily connect to the other sentences.

Here are other things you should do to get the right sentence structure:

•         Avoid unnecessary repetition of words
•         Use quotation marks for every quote
•         Use apostrophe whenever you want to signify ownership
•         Always use colons when introducing a list
•         Ensure that every sentence has at least an adverb or adjective
•         Be concise

Don’t use capital letters excessively

Some job seekers believe that capitalizing every word for the sake of emphasis, while some assume it makes their CV clearer.

But that’s wrong.

You should only capitalize words when there’s a need to; not because you want to.

Research has shown that it is easier to read words in lower cases than those in upper cases. Therefore, using capital letters in your CV excessively will only give hiring managers a genuine reason to ignore your CV.

Use first-person pronouns

Your CV is one of the best opportunities you have to sell yourself and show what you bring to the table. This is why it is highly recommended that you use first-person pronouns like I, me, and my.

However, if you wish to write your CV in the third person, stay consistent. Do not use both the first-person and third-person pronouns in your CV. It turns off hiring managers.

Use the right tenses

This is a high possibility that you will want to impress your potential employers by talking about your achievements in your present or previous jobs.

If you decide to go down this road, it’s only right that you use the right tenses. Stick to present tense for your present jobs and past tense for your previous jobs. This makes it easier for hiring managers to recognize your influence and consistency.

Explain your abbreviations

Abbreviations without interpretation can be confusing. And the last thing any hiring manager wants is trying to figure out the meaning of an abbreviation in your CV, as they have a lot of CVs to go through.

So, ensure you explain every abbreviation. You can use this format for your abbreviations — National Career Services (NCS).

Indeed, there are some abbreviations that everyone knows, such as GCSE. In this case, you shouldn’t waste time or space writing ‘General Certificate of Secondary Education.’

Additionally, employers in the website development industry know the meaning of HTML and CSS, you don’t need to spell it out.

Final Words

So far, we have been able to show you the importance of good grammar in your CV and what you need to do to get it right.

If you apply this CV and resume best practice we have shared in this post, it will boost your chances of getting your desired job.

Cheers to success in your job search!