Earlier this week, the online dating website Match.com
released the results of a study on what singles look for
in potential dating partners. The results weren’t
particularly surprising, but the prioritization was.
Number one on the list – nice teeth. Number two –
good grammar. It makes sense. A first date is an
introduction to what could possibly (and for some,
hopefully) be a long-term relationship. And who wants
to spend the next several years of their life with
someone who sounds uneducated…or who has bad teeth?
It’s not hard to make the analogy to a job interview.
Again, we’re talking about an introduction that could
potentially lead to a long-term relationship between an
employer and employee. Granted, nice teeth will
probably not get you the job (though we have
established that appearance does play an important role
in the workplace). Grammar skills, on the other hand,
are essential!

There are a number of reasons why someone may use
poor grammar. Whether it be cultural background,
educational background or simply not knowing the
difference between good or bad grammar, here’s an
important piece of advice when interviewing for a job:
learn the difference between good and bad grammar,
and know when to use it.

Every good performer knows his or her audience, and
plays to it. No matter how talented a pop or hip-hop
artist may be, they know that their music probably
would not be well received by the audience at a Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra concert. When interviewing for
a job, the interview is your stage, and your potential
future employer is your audience. Give them the show
they came to see, and if you do well, you’ll be invited
back for an encore.

Now, I know there are plenty of exceptions to every
rule. If I were interviewing with Citibank, the way I
presented myself would be very different than if I were
interviewing with Wu-Tang Corp., and grammar would
be no exception. But my advice remains the same –
know your audience, and play to it.

Keep in mind that grammar isn’t limited to verbal
communication. Most of the time, a candidate’s resume
is the first contact he or she has with an employer.
Obviously, I shouldn’t have to stress how important
spelling and grammar are on a resume. One of the
most overused descriptors when describing oneself to a
prospective employer is “detail-oriented.” What better
way to disprove that than applying for a job with a
resume full of grammatical errors? I know, some will
say that unless you’re applying for a writing or editing
position, a lack of grammar skills doesn’t inhibit your
ability to do your job. But I beg to differ. EVERY job
requires attention to detail in some aspect. Bad
grammar shows a lack of it. Lack of attention to
detail translates into mistakes, regardless of industry,
and no employer wants to hire an employee who
requires damage control. So before you ask a potential
employer to entrust you with confidential company
information or thousands of dollars of company
equipment, you should prove you know the difference
between “you’re” and “your.”

In addition to screening applicants’ resumes by spelling
and grammar, some employers will go as far as issuing
a grammar test to prospective employees. Online repair
community iFixit and software company Dozuki are
two such companies. According to the companies’ CEO
Kyle Wiens:
"Grammar signifies more than just a person’s ability to
remember high school English. People who make fewer
mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes
when they are doing something completely unrelated to
writing – like stocking shelves or labeling parts. In
the same vein, programmers who pay attention to how
they construct written language also tend to pay a lot
more attention to how they code. All applicants say
they’re detail-oriented; I just make my employees prove
it."

Of course, exceptions can be made for those who are
not native English speakers. But for those who are
speaking their native tongue, consider the learning
curve you’re demonstrating to employers. “You’ve been
speaking the language how long? And you still haven’t
mastered it? Is this the same learning curve we can
expect when taking on a new assignment, or learning
our company’s products?”
Make no mistake, if you aren’t detail-oriented, your
interviewer will be. With all the preparation that goes
into a job interview and all the skills you’ve worked to
acquire that led to your being offered the interview,
don’t eliminate yourself because of something as
fundamental as grammar.

SOURCE: http://www.thebeat99.com/blogs/why-good-grammar-and-teeth-are-important-getting-job-18-07-13