Data from the United States Census Bureau shows that 85% of Americans speak English in their homes.
With English being the first language for around 230 million in the US, you would think grammar is not a problem. The truth is grammar is not as easy for most people because it is not something many people pay attention to in everyday communication.
While you can do just fine with everyday English in your everyday life, things might be different when seeking a job. But worry not, as this guide will help you understand the impact your grammar can have on your prospects of landing a job.
Good Grammar Can Affect Your Prospects of Getting a Job
The simple answer to whether grammar can affect your prospects of getting a job is yes. But good grammar is not a factor in all types of jobs.
Fields, where good grammar may not be a big factor, include physical labor jobs such as construction and manufacturing. These fields also happen to be among the least paying.
Good grammar will be critical when looking for a high-end job such as a managerial position.
So you have to ensure that you get it right on your resume and every correspondence with your potential employer.
You do not have to be an expert to nail your grammar in your correspondence with your potential employer. You could use a grammar checker to detect and correct mistakes in your writing to make your writing sound professional and increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Ways Grammar Can Affect Your Chances of Landing a Job
It Demonstrates Attention to Detail
When selecting candidates for hiring, most HR managers look for more than academic qualifications to qualify a candidate. One of the extra things most hiring managers will look at is attention to detail.
The presence of grammar mistakes can imply that the writer rushed over their writing and never took time to go through it to pick out mistakes which is a sign of inattention to detail. If a job applicant can’t take the time to pay attention to detail, it will be highly unlikely that they will pay attention to detail when they get the Job, something many employers would want to avoid.
It Enhances Credibility
First impressions are critical while looking for a job, and good grammar may be the thing you need to impress. While grammar may not be the best measure of qualification for a post, it can help imply credibility.
Perceived credibility is crucial because it affects how others perceive the validity and reliability of a person. Remember that your potential employer has never met you and will rely on the information you provide to gauge your credibility.
Given a choice between a candidate whose resume is free of grammatical mistakes and another with many grammatical mistakes, most employers will likely look at the candidate with an error-free resume as having more credibility and more suitable for the Job.
It’s Easy to Scan
Every public job posting attracts hundreds of applicants. Traditionally the hiring team needed to go through all applications to pick out the best candidates for shortlisting. But things have since changed.
Most employers now rely on bots in the shortlisting process. Unlike human readers, bots may not be good at making sense of what an applicant wants to say when there’s a grammatical error.
As a result, you can have a highly qualified candidate having their resume thrown out by the software.
So besides writing a great resume that appeals to the human eye, ensure that it does not have glaring grammatical errors that can result in them getting kicked out by the bots.
It Helps Show Off Your Communication Skills
Communication skills are among the most sought-after soft skills in the job market. While you could be an excellent communicator in person, grammar errors in your resume and emails can imply poor communication skills, thus lowering your chances of getting a job.
Communication skills are critical when seeking a job that involves being in contact with people or where handling written communication is a big part of getting the Job done.
Common Grammar Mistakes
All grammar mistakes have no place on your resume. But some errors can do more damage than others. Some of the most damaging grammar mistakes include homophones, possessives and contractions, poor use of punctuation marks, inconsistent tense, and subject-verb agreement.
The easiest way to eliminate grammar mistakes when looking for a job is to proofread your writing before submitting it. Unfortunately, it is still possible to have some errors escape your notice, so the next best thing is using AI grammar checkers. While good grammar alone may not get you the Job, it works great when matched with other qualifications.