Job seekers take note: One false stroke at the keyboard could send your resume into the « circular file. »

Fifty-one per cent of executives interviewed said just one or two typos in a resume would remove applicants from consideration for a job; 23% said it takes only one typo to rule candidates out.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, a staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance.

« The resume is an applicant’s first chance to impress the hiring manager, » says Kathryn Bolt, president of Accountemps’ Canadian operations. « Mistakes on one’s application materials may prompt employers to assume there also will be mistakes made on the job. »

Unfortunately, typos and other slipups are easy to make, and spell-check won’t always catch them. Following are some real errors made in resumes, applications and cover letters. (More examples at www.resumania.com.)

* « Hope to hear from you, shorty. »

* « Have a keen eye for derail. »

* « Dear Sir or Madman. »

* « I’m attacking my resume for you to review. »

* « I am a rabid typist. »

* « My work ethics are impeachable. »

* « Following is a grief overview of my skills. »

* « Graphic designer seeking no-profit career. »

Accountemps offers the following tips:

* Get help. Enlist detail-oriented family members, friends or mentors to proofread your resume and provide feedback.

* Take a timeout. Before submitting your resume, take a break and come back to it with fresh eyes. You might catch something you missed at first.

* Print a copy. It’s easy to overlook typos or formatting mistakes when reading a resume on a monitor. Print it out, read it slowly and pay close attention to font styles and sizes, in addition to spelling and grammar.

* Try a new perspective. Readers can inadvertently skip over parts they have read previously. Review your resume backward to help avoid this .

* Read it aloud. Your ears might catch errors your eyes have overlooked.