By Dilip Saraf

Having now worked with over 6,000 clients from many countries I have seen résumés and cover letters written by clients for my review. This blog is about some common mistakes that I see in such writings that can cause an educated reader to take pause and wonder: Is this person careless or just ignorant? In either case you stand a chance of being seen as a second-rate candidate, despite your stellar accomplishments and a cogent cover letter. So, I am going to provide some examples from résumés or cover letters that I have corrected for my clients. These clients range in their jobs that they hold from an apprentice to a CEO.

1. Apostrophe: I bring 15 years (or year’s) experience. Both are incorrect. The correct way to write this is: I bring 15 years’ experience. If you are confused about where to put the apostrophe just say, 15 years of experience.

   As a software engineer I developed several API’s to help my clients is incorrect. Say, I developed several APIs, instead. To remember this rule think of a plural noun: It is tables and not table’s.

2. Principal/Principle: As Principle Engineer I led a team of 12 is incorrect. The correct way is, As Principal Engineer I led a team of 12.
3. Flaunt/Flout: When customers flaunted our guidelines we charged them for our time. The correct word is flout, which means to disregard.
4. Flush out/Flesh out: After the initial idea was presented we flushed out the details and developed a plan. The correct word is fleshed out.
5. Reputed/Reputable: Even after working with a reputed vendor we got burned. The correct word is reputable; reputed means alleged.
6. Brake/Break: After a five-year brake to take care of my family I went after my MBA. The correct word is break.
7. Defuse/Diffuse: When I saw the customer getting upset about the delayed shipment I was able to diffuse the situation and win him back. The correct verb is to defuse (remove the fuse from an explosive).
8. Story/Storey: Here is the storey the customer brought to the meeting. The correct word is story.
9. Its/It’s: Its true that I was laid-off. The bad test set and it’s lights. Both are incorrect. Correct: It’s (contraction for “it is”) true that I was laid-off. The bad test set and its lights.
10. Bachelor’s/Master’s: I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

These errors are so commonplace that writers do not even care to look them up in the dictionary because they are sure of themselves. Also, the mistakes’ prevalence makes people numb to them. So, check out any good dictionary for misused words and make your résumé and cover letters perfect in every way!

Good luck!