Resume Blunders

So, I haven't updated in a few days. I've been busy starting a new job! I'm working in the HR department of a 4,500-employee company, so getting acclimated has been exhausting.

Never fear -- not only will I not stop posting, I'll probably be posting more once I get settled. I have a lot of resumes coming across my desk that are filled with errors in grammar, spelling, formatting, word choice, etc.

Of course, I can't post items in their entirety, but I can give snippets that don't identify applicants.

My favorite one this week:

Why did you leave this position (application question)?
Answer: "Took care of my father till he died."

It just cracked me up because 1) the person shortened "until" in a professional document and 2) s/he didn't even shorten it correctly!

Don't Drink & Spell

I went to pick up some friends who had been drinking and needed a ride home last night. When I went inside to tell them I had arrived, this is what I saw:

"$1 Shots. Endoresd by Nurse Goodbody."

Yes, endoresd. Even my intoxicated friend noticed the error!

Sue Gilad on ABC News

Sue Gilad, author of Copyediting and Proofreading for Dummies, was on ABC News this week talking about making money by proofreading books. Check out the clip by going to abcnews.go.com. On the right side, there is a video clip and below it, it says "Get Paid to Read." Click on that and the video will play. Congrats, Sue!

Spelling Pet Peeve

I have to mention that I hate when people spell "whipped cream" as "whip cream." To me, whip cream would be some kind of salve that a dominatrix keeps in her dungeon to soften up her leather whip from time to time, not a sugary treat that perfectly tops a hot fudge sundae!

Spot the Error Tuesday: Can YOU Spot the Error?

Every Tuesday, I'm going to post a piece of text or a photo with an error in it. Some are really obvious and others may take a few minutes to find. Today's is courtesy of a Yahoo! advertiser.

Do you think this was an accidental error, or a deliberate attempt to use a keyword in an advertisement? If it was a keyword, why would they use it in an ad graphic? Don't the search engine robots only see text and links? Either way, I wouldn't hire a company that has an ad with such an obvious error to write something as important as a business plan for me. Am I being too picky?