Why Hire a Proofreader?

English is a very complicated language. There are rules upon rules for the English language -- and then we break them all. Don't get me started on the whole "I before E"-except-for-the-bajillion-words-out-there-that-are-exceptions-to-that-rule fiasco. Don't believe me? To check out a list of words that break the "I before E except after C" rule, click here.

But I digress. Given that English can be such a tricky language, most of us (and by "most" I mean "all") need to have a second set of eyes look over our written work. When it comes to writing well we tend to spend a lot of time on the content. We look at it over and over again to see what we're missing in terms of composition, spelling and/or grammar. However, when it comes to writing I like to say that we "can't see the forest through the trees." We get too close to it. We've looked at it too many times to continue to see our errors. 

This is why it is important to hire a proofreader. A proofreader will look through your written content -- be it a résumé, an article, a job proposal, a report, a mailer, an email, etc. -- and find those little (or big) errors in spelling, spacing, grammar, or consistency, that you've missed.

Presenting yourself well in your written work matters. I've had colleagues in positions to hire people who have told me that they automatically toss aside résumés and cover letters that have errors in spelling and grammar. Personally, I always have someone else look over my written work when it is important that I get it right -- yes, including this newsletter. I consider having someone proofread my work a small but vital investment in my public reputation.

Do yourself a favor; choose to make sure that your written self is the best it can be. The rewards of well-written work come back to you time after time.