Controlling your outward appearance is easy. Neat hair, clean fingernails, pressed clothes—these all signify that you take good care of yourself, but what about those instances when you aren’t sure whether what you are presenting is as professional as you hoped it would be? Yes, we’re talking about the presentation of an important document.
  • People who receive the document you wrote for them will judge you on several things. Any grammatical errors, typos, or spelling mistakes, and you will have lost a certain amount of esteem they had for you before they began reading. This is of even more significance when the reader is a lecturer or potential employer.
  • What is the best way to ensure this scenario doesn’t happen to you? Carry on reading for tips on how to get your document looking professional and polished.


Don’t Trust Microsoft Word

Everyone uses Microsoft Word on their computers. It is one of the most downloaded programs in the world. Students and professionals use it every day to guide them towards the correct word choice and avoid grammatical errors. However, it doesn’t work all the time, in fact, sometimes it can be downright annoying.
  • Programs and algorithms can never take the place of old-fashioned read-throughs and editing. Microsoft Word can’t indicate to you when you’ve accidentally typed ‘form’ instead of ‘from.’ It cannot differentiate between ‘the’ and ‘they.’ If you want to be perfectly sure that your document is flawless, why not hire professional proofreading services to check it for you?
  • Only when your manuscript or essay has been read through by a qualified human will it be submission-ready.

Choose Your Font Wisely

If you are unsure as to which font to use, print some out before you make your selection. It’s not the end of the world if you choose the wrong one, but swipe changing the font on 20 pages of script is not the easiest thing to do.
  • If you are writing something according to someone’s instructions, check their specifications carefully to see if they have stipulated what font should be used. If there is still time, approach the person who has set the task, and asks them if they have a favourite font or size the font should be. If someone is reading 40 admission papers or essays, they might prefer it to be in a font size 12 or 14.

Edit and Proofread in the Morning

If you are tempted by an amazing job advertisement or vacancy to dash off a cover letter immediately after you have read it online at night, this could be the one job that got away. It is because our brains are programmed to shut down in the early evening. Your editing and proofreading skills will be greatly diminished.
  • Instead, wait for the first thing in the morning. Sit down after a hearty breakfast and a cup of coffee and start writing your cover letter then. You will be alert enough to spot any mistakes and typos, and your brain will be eager to pour forth any number of words to help you write.
  • These are the best ways to give your document a professional look.