We’ve talked briefly about how to stand out at job fairs, the importance of claiming your online persona and given you tips about preparing for interviews, but it seems we might have left out one of the most important things: putting together a well written application packet.

A while back, behiring.com put together an infographic about what recruiters are thinking as they review applicants. The numbers might have changed, but the basic ideas still remain.

The issue that brings us here today: spelling/grammar mistakes on employment packets (resume, cover letter, writing sample, etc). If you’re still in academia or not yet a professional, chances are you’re swimming in the informality of emails, social media posts and text messages. We shorten words, misuse punctuation and throw grammar out the window. Professionally though, nothing is a bigger indication of a poor candidate than someone who doesn’t take the time to proof application documents. The bottom line: if you’re able to compose a grammatically correct and thoughtful document, you’ll stand out as a candidate who pays attention to detail and is able to think critically.

Before you press submit, take a step back. Grab a mug of tea and read through your documents one more time. Maybe pass them to a friend to proof. You wouldn’t want a few typos to keep you from your next big gig.