You Found Errors in Your Resume After Sending it to an Employer. Now What?
By Karen Hofferber, Senior Resume Writer, ResumePower.com
Mark Bradford was ecstatic when he found a position announcement describing his “dream job” on a Fortune 500 company website. His background and qualifications were a perfect match to the job description, and it seemed the answer to his career search. He wasted no time in responding, since the cutoff date for resumes was imminent. But after hastily emailing his cover letter and resume, his high hopes were dashed when he discovered errors in both documents.
Perhaps this has happened to you or someone you know.
What should you do if you find errors in your resume or cover letter after you’ve already sent the documents to an employer? Do you resend the resume and explain your mistake, or do you hope that the employer won’t notice and do nothing?
Discovering a mistake after you’ve already pushed the “send” button is disheartening, but it’s not the end of the world. If the error is relatively minor (e.g., a misplaced comma or a missing period), it’s probably not necessary to resend your document (but do save a corrected version for the next time).
But if you have found multiple errors, major typos, factual misrepresentations, or a glaring mistake, then resending your resume is a better choice than hoping the employer won’t notice. Simply include a brief cover letter explaining that you’ve recently updated your resume, and due to your strong interest in the company’s opportunity, you want to make available the most current version of your materials. Most companies use automated technology to store resumes, and when they receive a new file the older version is simply deleted. So, there’s a good chance that your errors won’t be seen.
By keeping your resume updated regularly, you can avoid this problem in the future. Even when you’re not anticipating a career move, take the time to update your resume at least once a year. The next time an unexpected opportunity or unanticipated circumstances compel you to seek a new position, you won’t be rushing frantically to meet an application deadline. Instead, you’ll be prepared with a current and thoroughly proofread resume.
This article was written by Karen Hofferber, Senior Resume Writer for ResumePower.com and co-author of The Career Change Resume book. Visit ResumePower.com to learn more about resume services to jump-start your career.