{"id":70126,"date":"2017-07-20T15:51:06","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T14:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/insight\/devil-detail-accuracy-counts\/"},"modified":"2025-03-07T17:18:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T17:18:43","slug":"devil-detail-accuracy-counts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/devil-detail-accuracy-counts\/","title":{"rendered":"The devil is in the detail – Why accuracy counts"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nWhen a small mistake has big consequences\u2026<\/strong>
\nImagine your dream job had become available at the company you had longed to work for. You submitted an application full of relevant experience so you were fairly confident you\u2019d get an interview at least. However, weeks went by and not one call or email. Puzzled, you check back over your application and upon closer inspection, you spot the big fat typo in the first paragraph of your covering letter, oops!! Turns out \u2018you\u2019re experience at a top advertising agency\u2019 wasn\u2019t quite as compelling as \u2018your experience\u2019 would have been! And unfortunately for you, 50% of hiring managers will toss a job application straight in the bin if they spot an error in the writing, no matter the level of relevant experience.[1]<\/a>
\nOnce you do land your dream job (thanks to a perfectly crafted, error-free application), you still need to be careful when sending emails to your new colleagues. Considering 2.4 million emails are sent every second around the world[2]<\/a>, many are bashed out in haste and sloppy mistakes are the result. And I\u2019m not just referring to spelling and grammar errors<\/a>; other missed details can also leave you red-faced, such as forgetting attachments, leaving out the subject line or sending it to Julie from HR instead of Julie from the netball team *gasp*. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, but one too many and you risk being seen as lazy or even worse, contradictory, especially if you listed \u2018attention to detail\u2019 as one of your attributes in your CV!
\nAccuracy, like charity, begins at home\u2026<\/strong>
\nEven outside the workplace, it\u2019s always worth checking your messages before hitting the send button. Although predictive text is designed to make our lives easier, in some circumstances it can act as a hindrance if you do not have your eyes peeled for typos. You only have to look on Pinterest to find pages of \u2018auto-correct fails\u2019. Here are a couple of my favourites:
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\nThe long-term impact<\/strong>
\nAlthough one or two spelling mistakes are easily forgiven, the long-term consequences can be considerably more detrimental than you realise. A study by Grammarly examined the LinkedIn profiles of 100 native English-speakers in the consumer packaged goods industry across different levels of seniority. They found that those who failed to progress to a director-level position within the first 10 years of their careers made more than twice as many grammar mistakes than their director-level colleagues, proving good grammar pays off![3]<\/a>
\nTypos \u2013 a brand\u2019s weapon of self-destruction <\/strong>
\nBut don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not just individuals who are guilty of forgetting the devil is in the detail; in fact, it\u2019s remarkable how many big brands go to print with copy that wouldn\u2019t pass a simple spellcheck. As a result, first impressions can be ruined, credibility reduced and reputations tarnished. Remember, nobody wants to be the star of a viral internet meme!
\nHere\u2019s a handful of the most cringe-worthy: [4]<\/a>
\nIf there were an award for the most ironic spelling mistake it would have to go to H&M <\/strong>for its use of the word \u2018Genious\u2019.
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And nothing says sloppy like following up a mistake with a mistake. We\u2019re looking at you, LUSH Cosmetics!<\/strong>
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\nI don\u2019t know about you but I won\u2019t be jumping out of \u2018ded\u2019 to take these capsules from\u00a0Target Pharmacy.<\/strong>
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And my personal favourite has to be this Homeware store that truly paid the price for a spelling mistake. Even the sign seems to scream, “Yes, we KNOW!”
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\nCheck, check and check again!<\/strong>
\nAlthough I\u2019ve had a little giggle whilst researching these examples, it has also opened my eyes to the importance of accuracy. Needless to say, I\u2019ve read through this blog several times with my eyes peeled to make sure I haven\u2019t included any myself (talk about pot calling the kettle black) as I know how easy it is to do.
\nWith this in mind, I\u2019ll finish by sharing my top tips to avoid the dreaded typos:<\/p>\n