Clear, concise and correct English is key to presenting a professional image. A single typo can cost far more than you may understand. It's always easier for an outsider to find your errors. When you write something, it is difficult to spot the mistakes because you know what you meant. If the text of your eBay or Etsy listing is spelled wrong, your items may not show up in search results. Your potential customers will never find you. Spellcheckers will not catch everything. Microsoft Word doesn't know if you meant to type "regards" or "retards". Look at how close the G and the T are on your keyboard. I have edited a document written for work in which the author misspelled the name of their employer. If the client hadn't hired me, that could have ended badly. You don't want to end up on SpellingFails.com. Poor spelling and grammar are not indicators of a lack of intelligence, but when those errors are on your CV or resume, it makes you look careless and lazy. The sign below has at least 24 errors. If you can't spot them all, you should probably hire a proofreader.

Alana Muir © 2010