Top Tips for Proofreading and Editing
You drafted the perfect resume and cover letter. Now, you need to review for dreaded typos or errors.
The following tips will result in an improved and impressive resume – and you can also apply this method to other important communications!
1. Print a hard copy to review
We’re going analog! I know not everyone has access to a printer, but if you do, print a hard copy of your document.
You know the feeling when you’ve been staring at a screen for too long and your eyes get slippery, glazing over words without absorbing information.
Holding a document in your hands with your words on the printed page allows you to focus without the distraction of other tabs and apps.
2. Get a pen and mark your changes
Get out a pen! As you go through the following steps, mark the changes you want to make on your hard copy. (If you have no printer, and therefore no hard copy, please disregard this tip.)
3. Check your formatting
In this step, you take a big picture view before getting into the nitty gritty. How does your overall document look?
o Are all the headings the same size, font and boldness?
o Are you capitalizing all (sub)headings the same way?
o Are you using the same body font throughout?
o If you use bullet points, are they all equally indented?
o Are you punctuating all bullet points in a consistent way?
o If this is a resume, are you consistently using past tense to describe your previous experience?
o Is the font size large enough to comfortably read?
If your formatting is in disarray, don’t edit one bullet point at a time. Cut and paste an unformatted version into a new document for a fresh start. Then, reprint your reformatted resume or document to use for the following steps.
4. Read it aloud
Strange? Perhaps. Effective? For sure!
Reading aloud slows you down and forces you to focus on what is actually on the page.
Reading your text aloud helps you catch run-on sentences – if you are breathless by the time you finish a sentence, considering breaking it down into more concise chunks.
You may also notice repetitive language. If you are using the same word multiple times, dig out that thesaurus and find another way to express your point.
Lastly, do you sound overly formal? Some degree of formality is appropriate in business communications. While you don’t want your resume to read like a text exchange with your best friend (no emojis!) you also don’t want to sound like a Victorian novel. In your reading aloud, pay attention for antiquated or stuffy phrases and try to replace it with contemporary but professional language.
5. Read it backward
Ok, don’t literally read the whole document backward. That would be unintelligible.
You will read each sentence start to finish, but you will begin at the end of your document.
Read the final sentence in your document. Once you confirm it is free of typos, errors and confusing language, then you proceed to the second-last sentence, then the third-last, and so on.
This tip is especially useful for writing that you have already re-read and reviewed multiple times. When we know what to expect, our brain can go into auto-pilot. For example, we may “read” a word because we know it should be there when, in fact, we are glazing over a typo.
When we read a document in a new order, we bring a fresh outlook to the end of the document, instead of consistently reading that section once our attention is dwindling and our brain is on auto-pilot.
6. Look for filler words
Filler words might include “can”; “some”; “just”; “like”; “things”; “general”; “etc.” – these words can indicate vague and weak communication. When you see them, check to make sure you are strengthening your message and providing sufficient detail.
Also search for “had”; “was”; “did”; “will”; “would” – these may indicate redundant or passive language.
7. Highlight your changes as you update your digital file
Now that you have your hard copy with all your desired changes marked up, it is time to update your digital file.
I learned this specific tip from a colleague in my first ever job. At the time, it seemed tedious to me, but I must admit, it is a great way to ensure that your hard editing work is rewarded.
Grab a marker or highlighter, and as you make a change on your digital document, highlight the mark up on your hard copy page. Then carry on to the next mark-up and highlight it once you have made the corresponding change on your digital version. And so on for each mark-up!
This method ensures that you don’t forget to make all the necessary changes to your digital document.
Tedious? Maybe. But once you are done you can see at a glance that all the edits have been highlighted and therefore made. Or perhaps you will notice a few that are not highlighted and catch the error, which is our goal, after all.
8. Submit your beautifully edited document
Now your elegant and error-free document is ready to be submitted. If you follow these steps, you can submit in confidence, knowing that your writing is professional and easy to understand.
