Caught a Typo on Your Resume? What to Do After Submitting an Application

That sinking feeling is all too familiar to job seekers. You click submit on an application, perhaps even breathe a sigh of relief, and then notice something that makes your stomach drop: a typo, a grammatical error, a wrong date, or an embarrassing mistake staring back at you from your own resume.

Panic sets in. Will this single error cost you the job? Should you send a correction? Will drawing attention to the mistake make things worse? How could you have missed something so obvious?

Take a breath. While resume errors are never ideal, they’re also rarely the catastrophic career-enders that anxiety suggests. What matters now is how you respond—and in many cases, the best response is more measured than you might expect.

This comprehensive guide helps you navigate the aftermath of resume errors, from assessing the severity of your mistake to deciding whether and how to send corrections, to preventing future errors.

Assessing the Severity of Your Error

Not all resume mistakes are created equal. Your response should match the severity of the error.

Minor Errors

What they include:

• Small typos in non-critical words (“managment” instead of “management”)
• Minor formatting inconsistencies
• Slight spacing issues
• A missing period at the end of a bullet point
• Small grammatical hiccups that don’t change meaning

Impact assessment: These errors, while not ideal, rarely determine hiring outcomes. Many recruiters expect minor imperfections—they’re reviewing documents created by humans under time pressure. A single small typo in an otherwise strong resume typically won’t disqualify you.

Moderate Errors

What they include:

• Typos in important words (company names, job titles, technical terms)
• Grammatical errors that might affect understanding
• Inconsistent formatting that looks careless
• Minor factual errors (off-by-one-year date mistakes)

Impact assessment: These errors are more noticeable and might create negative impressions, especially for detail-oriented roles. However, strong qualifications usually outweigh moderate errors. The candidate who’s clearly right for the job rarely loses opportunities over single moderate mistakes.

Major Errors

What they include:

• Wrong company name in resume or cover letter
• Incorrect contact information (wrong phone number, misspelled email)
• Significant factual errors (wrong job title, wrong dates by years)
• Missing critical sections
• Errors that change the meaning of your qualifications

Impact assessment: Major errors can seriously impact your candidacy. Wrong contact information means employers can’t reach you. Incorrect factual information might appear dishonest when verified. Major errors in cover letters (especially wrong company names) suggest lack of attention and interest.

Error Location Matters

Where the error appears affects its impact:

High-impact locations:

• Contact information (critical for employers to reach you)
• Company names (especially in cover letters)
• Job titles and employer names
• Key accomplishments and numbers
• Technical terms specific to your field

Lower-impact locations:

• Deep within bullet point descriptions
• Education section details (for experienced professionals)
• Auxiliary sections (interests, volunteer work)
• Generic phrases common across many resumes

Decision Framework: Should You Send a Correction?

The decision to send a correction involves weighing several factors.

Arguments for Sending Corrections

When correction makes sense:

• Error is in contact information (they literally can’t reach you)
• Error is major and might affect your candidacy’s credibility
• You have an existing relationship or contact at the company
• The error might be misinterpreted as dishonesty
• Application system allows easy updates
• Error appears in cover letter with wrong company name

Arguments Against Sending Corrections

When leaving it alone may be wiser:

• Error is minor and unlikely to be noticed
• Drawing attention to the error might be worse than the error itself
• You have no direct contact and correction would require cold outreach
• The application system doesn’t allow updates
• Correction would appear anxious or overly apologetic

The General Rule

For most minor errors, do nothing. The correction email often draws more attention to the mistake than the mistake itself would have received. Recruiters reviewing dozens of applications rarely scrutinize each word—they’re looking for qualifications and fit.

For major errors affecting your contact information or involving factual misrepresentation, take action. Being unreachable or appearing dishonest creates genuine problems worth addressing.

For moderate errors, use judgment based on:

• Your relationship with the company
• How competitive the position is
• Whether the error is in a high-visibility location
• Whether correction is easy through existing channels

How to Send Professional Corrections

If you’ve decided correction is necessary, execute it professionally.

Tone and Approach

Do:

• Be brief and professional
• Acknowledge the error without excessive apologizing
• Provide the corrected information clearly
• Express continued interest in the position

Don’t:

• Over-apologize or catastrophize
• Provide lengthy explanations for how the error occurred
• Question your own qualifications because of the error
• Send multiple follow-up messages

Correction Email Templates

For contact information errors:

Subject: Updated Contact Information - [Your Name] - [Position Title]

Dear [Recruiter/Hiring Manager],

I recently submitted my application for the [Position Title] role and noticed my contact information contained an error. Please use this corrected information:

Phone: [Correct number] Email: [Correct email]

Thank you for your understanding. I remain very interested in the opportunity and look forward to speaking with you.

Best regards, [Your Name]

For moderate errors with attached corrected resume:

Subject: Updated Application Materials - [Your Name] - [Position Title]

Dear [Recruiter/Hiring Manager],

I’m writing to provide an updated version of my resume for the [Position Title] position. The attached document corrects an error in my original submission.

I remain enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to [Company Name] and appreciate your consideration.

Best regards, [Your Name]

For cover letter with wrong company name:

Subject: Correction to Application - [Your Name] - [Position Title]

Dear [Hiring Manager],

I apologize for an error in my cover letter submission for the [Position Title] role. I incorrectly referenced another company’s name in my letter. Please accept my sincere apologies for this oversight.

I am genuinely excited about the opportunity at [Correct Company Name] because [brief genuine reason]. I hope this error doesn’t overshadow my strong interest in and qualifications for the position.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Correction Channels

Application portal: If the system allows updates, upload corrected documents directly. This is the cleanest approach when available.

Email to recruiter: If you have a recruiter contact, email them directly with corrections.

General HR email: If you only have a general application address, use it—but recognize your message may not reach the right person.

LinkedIn message: If you’re connected with someone at the company, a brief message might be appropriate—but use judgment about whether this seems desperate.

Timing Considerations

Immediate correction (same day): Makes sense for major errors caught quickly, especially contact information issues.

Next business day: Appropriate for most corrections—gives you time to compose a professional response without seeming panicked.

After a few days: May make sense if you’re invited to interview and can provide corrected materials naturally.

Don’t correct: If significant time has passed and you haven’t heard back, correction probably won’t help.

Handling Errors During the Interview Process

Sometimes you discover errors after being invited to interview, or the error becomes relevant during the process.

Before the Interview

If you’ve been invited to interview despite the error, you have options:

Bring corrected copies. Bring updated resumes to the interview. If the error comes up, you can smoothly offer the corrected version.

Address proactively. At the start of the interview, briefly mention: “I noticed a small error in my submitted resume—I have corrected copies if you’d like one.”

Wait and see. For minor errors, you might say nothing unless it becomes relevant.

If the Error Comes Up

If an interviewer mentions or asks about the error:

Stay calm. Your reaction matters more than the error itself.

Acknowledge simply. “Yes, I caught that error after submitting and felt terrible about it. Thank you for understanding.”

Pivot quickly. Move the conversation back to your qualifications. “What I should have said is…” or “The accurate information is…”

Don’t over-explain. A brief acknowledgment is sufficient—extended discussion prolongs attention on the negative.

Using Interviews as Correction Opportunities

Interviews provide natural opportunities to provide correct information:

Provide updated materials. “I’ve brought updated copies of my resume with a small correction from my original submission.”

Reference correct information. If discussing the area with the error, simply use the correct information without explicitly calling out the mistake.

Follow up afterward. Send thank-you notes with corrected information or attach an updated resume.

Specific Error Types and Responses

Different error categories warrant different responses.

Contact Information Errors

Wrong phone number or email: Always correct immediately. If employers can’t reach you, nothing else matters. Send a brief email with correct contact information.

Wrong LinkedIn URL: Correct if LinkedIn is important for your application; otherwise, likely not critical.

Outdated address: Less critical in most cases since mail communication is rare. Correct if your location is relevant to the position.

Factual Errors

Wrong dates: Small date errors (one year off) rarely matter unless they affect qualification assessment. Major date errors that change employment timeline may need correction.

Wrong job title: If significantly different from your actual title, correction may be necessary to avoid appearing dishonest during background checks.

Wrong company name: Generally should be corrected, especially if the error is obvious or if it’s a cover letter address to the wrong company.

Grammatical and Spelling Errors

Minor typos: Leave alone. Correction draws more attention than the error.

Multiple errors: If your resume has numerous errors suggesting carelessness, you might provide a corrected version—but the damage may already be done.

Technical term misspellings: More concerning in specialized fields. Consider correction if the term is central to the role.

Formatting Errors

Minor inconsistencies: Leave alone. Formatting rarely determines hiring decisions.

Major problems (missing sections, garbled text): If ATS processing corrupted your resume, resending a properly formatted version makes sense.

PDF conversion issues: If fonts or formatting didn’t transfer correctly, send corrected PDF with brief explanation.

Prevention: Building Error-Free Processes

The best approach to resume errors is preventing them in the first place.

Proofreading Strategies

The time gap: Never submit immediately after writing. Let time pass, then return with fresh eyes.

Multiple readings: Read once for content, once for grammar, once for formatting, once for factual accuracy.

Read aloud: Hearing words helps catch errors that eyes skip over.

Print and review: Physical copies sometimes reveal errors screen reading misses.

Reverse reading: Read sentences or bullets from bottom to top to focus on individual elements rather than flowing content.

Different device: Review on phone or tablet after editing on computer—different contexts reveal different errors.

External Review

Professional proofreader: For critical applications, consider professional review.

Trusted colleague or friend: Fresh eyes catch errors you’ve become blind to.

Career services: If available, career counselors often provide resume review.

Online tools: Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, and similar tools catch many common errors.

Resources like 0portfolio.com often include review features that can help identify errors before you submit your application.

Systematic Checking

Create a checklist: Develop a standard review process for every submission.

Essential checks:

• Contact information correct and current
• Company name correct in cover letter
• Job title correct in cover letter
• Dates consistent and accurate
• No obvious typos in section headers
• Formatting consistent throughout
• File opens correctly in PDF format

Customize for each application: Add checks specific to the application (correct position title, required elements mentioned, etc.).

Application Process Discipline

Save final versions clearly: Name files systematically to avoid sending wrong versions.

Don’t rush submissions: Deadline pressure causes errors. Build in review time.

Keep records: Track what you sent to each company to catch errors and avoid replicating them.

Update master resume carefully: When making changes, do so deliberately and proofread the changes specifically.

The Psychology of Resume Errors

Understanding why errors feel so catastrophic helps manage the emotional response.

Why We Catastrophize

Spotlight effect: We assume others notice our mistakes as much as we do. In reality, recruiters reviewing dozens of applications don’t scrutinize each word.

Perfectionism: Job searching triggers insecurity, making any imperfection feel disqualifying.

Attribution error: We assume errors reveal character (carelessness, incompetence) when they usually just reveal humanity.

Loss aversion: The potential loss of an opportunity looms larger than the realistic probability of that loss occurring.

Putting Errors in Perspective

Everyone makes mistakes. Every professional who has applied for jobs has submitted imperfect materials at some point.

Hiring is about fit, not perfection. Employers hire people who can do the job well, not people with perfect proofreading.

One error rarely matters. Unless the error creates a major problem (wrong contact info, apparent dishonesty), it’s unlikely to be decisive.

Your response demonstrates character. How you handle errors—calmly, professionally, proportionately—tells employers more than the error itself.

Emotional Recovery

Acknowledge the feeling. It’s natural to feel frustrated or embarrassed.

Maintain perspective. This application is one of many opportunities. One imperfect submission doesn’t define your job search.

Learn and move forward. Update your process to prevent future errors, then focus on the next opportunity.

Don’t let it affect interviews. If you advance despite the error, don’t carry embarrassment into interviews.

What Hiring Managers Actually Think

Understanding how employers view resume errors provides useful perspective.

The Recruiter’s Reality

Volume: Recruiters review many applications quickly. Minor errors often go unnoticed.

Priorities: They’re looking for qualifications and fit. Errors matter less than whether you can do the job.

Time pressure: They have limited time per resume. They’re not conducting careful literary analysis.

Forgiveness: Most hiring professionals understand that people make mistakes, especially under job search pressure.

When Errors Actually Matter

For editing or writing positions: If the job requires careful attention to language, errors are more significant.

In highly competitive situations: When distinguishing between similar candidates, errors might tip decisions.

Multiple errors: A pattern of carelessness concerns employers more than isolated mistakes.

During reference and background checks: Factual errors might surface and create questions about honesty.

What Makes a Bigger Impact

Things that matter more than minor errors:

• Your qualifications for the role
• Your ability to communicate your value
• Your interview performance
• Your references’ recommendations
• Your enthusiasm and fit for the company

Conclusion: Errors as Part of the Process

Resume errors, while unpleasant, are a normal part of the job search process. Nearly every job seeker has experienced the panic of noticing a mistake after clicking submit.

What distinguishes successful job seekers isn’t perfect proofreading—it’s the ability to respond appropriately, maintain perspective, and continue pursuing opportunities despite setbacks.

For most errors, the right response is doing nothing. The correction email often magnifies what would otherwise go unnoticed. For serious errors affecting your contact information or credibility, brief, professional correction makes sense.

Either way, the key is moving forward. One imperfect application in a career of many applications rarely determines outcomes. Learn from the experience, improve your process, and direct your energy toward what matters most: demonstrating that you’re the right person for the job.

Your resume got you noticed—error and all. Focus on continuing to prove you’re worth hiring.