Help! I Submitted A Resume With A Typo

A person in a green sweater with a hand on their face.

“Crap.”

That is what I said when I realized I submitted a resume with a misspelled word.

How did it happen? I have no idea. Was it there all along, and I missed it? Or was I doing some last-minute editing and introducing the error? Who knows?

At that moment, I felt like it was the end of the world.

But, because I was a recruiter at the time and understood how hiring works, I realized it was not.

You see, while no one wants to submit a document with misspellings, grammatical errors, or punctuation problems, it happens more than you would guess. And it usually is not as bad as you think.

So, let’s talk about what to do when you are in this situation. But first, let’s talk about proofreading.

Yes, Always Proofread Your Resume

Yes, you know you should be doing this. But let’s talk about how to do this effectively. 

• Never, and I repeat, never submit your resume without proofreading it. This sounds like a “duh,” but people do this all the time. Even if you are only making tiny edits, make sure you proofread it. You can introduce an error with just a change in one word.

• If you can, get someone with a good command of grammar and punctuation to read your resume. Did you know that many professional resume writers have people who do a final check of their created resume? When you look at a document for a long time, it is easy to not “see” errors.

• After you write or edit your resume, step away from it for a while and come back with fresh eyes. You will find errors easier this way.

• Use proofreading tools like your word processor’s spellcheck or Grammarly. Just remember, while good, these tools may not pick up everything and, in the case of a resume, may not understand the nuanced structure and will call out errors like missing subjects, which in resumes are implied.

• Check one type of error at a time. Go through it once for spelling, then another time for punctuation. This can make it easier to find specific errors.

• Read your document backward for spelling errors. It shakes up your mind, so you do not auto-correct it in your brain.

You’ve Noticed A Typo. Now, What Should You Do?

You May Opt To Do Nothing

Why? Recruiters may not hold it against you.

I was recently on a forum for recruiters, and this topic came up. The overwhelming majority said they would not hold it against the candidate if they were qualified for the job. Their job is to find the best person to do the job. If you meet all the other criteria and have a missing comma or spelled “achievements,” you would still move forward.

Their rationale is that finding people who meet the job requirements is challenging. Would they prefer you did not have the error? Sure. But we all make them, and it likely does not indicate that you would be unsuccessful in the job.

Now, if the job does require significant attention to detail, such as for a manuscript editor, that would be another story. In that case, it likely will be a knock-out criterion.

Also, some recruiters (and hiring managers) will be sticklers for making your submissions perfect. A few recruiters (though a small minority) were in this camp on the forum I mentioned. If the specific recruiter you would be working with is one of these, then, unfortunately, you may be out of luck.

Update Your Resume On The Employer’s Online Portal

If you notice the typo and the employer allows you to update your resume in the employer’s applicant tracking system, you can correct the error and update the resume in the online portal. That way, the recruiter may not even become aware of the typo. 

If the recruiter has access to both versions of your resume, they could spend the time to identify the differences, but frankly, that is a lot of work, and most recruiters have better things to do.

Email A Corrected Resume

What if you spelled your email address wrong on your resume? Or do the dates you have for a job give an incorrect impression of a short tenure, and there is no way to correct this online? Then, you should address this with the recruiter directly. 

You can send a short note informing the recruiter of the error with the corrected resume attached. Keep it polite and professional, and you can apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. You may impress the recruiter with how you handle this type of situation.

Be Like Elsa in Frozen. Let It Go.

When I submitted the resume with a typo, I had difficulty letting it go. I was so mad at myself for this mistake. But this was unproductive anger. Instead, I should have looked at my process to understand how I made the mistake (perhaps I was rushing) and what I could do to ensure it did not happen again.

Hey, we all make mistakes in the hiring process. We do something or say something that we regret. We are human, after all.

Please don’t beat yourself up about it. Most recruiters are forgiving, and if they are not, then maybe that is not the best place for you to be. 

So What Happened With My Typo Mistake?

You may be asking, did I get that job? No, I did not. I didn’t even get an interview. Could it have been because of the typo? Maybe. But likely, it was because I did not have that industry experience, so there were other, more qualified applicants.

Two weeks later, I came across an opening for a job in my industry that looked like a good fit. I checked my resume for errors (none found) and submitted my application. After three rounds of interviews, I got the job. I happily stayed there for four years.

So, a happy ending.

Shelley Piedmont is a Career Coach who focuses on understanding your unique skills, interests, and aspirations and provides personalized coaching to guide you toward roles where you can truly thrive. Whether you are stuck as to what your next career move should be or need help with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, or interview preparation, Shelley is here to help you. Please set up an exploratory call to find out how she can help you reach your career goals.