Little Mistakes Can Cost You Big

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I have the honor this year of serving on the selection committee for an international scholarship program. I’ve been reading applications from some pretty outstanding college students and young professionals. Among their resume accomplishments: straight As, Phi Beta Kappa, recommendation letters from prominent politicians and more. They’re applying to receive very generous scholarship packages to travel abroad to a country of their choosing.

I spend a lot of time at my workshops and in my book talking about the importance of avoiding mistakes–on resumes, in cover letters and during job interviews. Sometimes I feel like I’m stating the obvious, but reading through these scholarship applications has reminded me that this message still needs to be emphasized, even with the smartest students. Check out these totally avoidable mistakes I found in the applications I’ve read:

5 Avoidable Job Application Mistakes

  1. Multiple typos in an application essay
  2. Typo crossed out in an application essay with the correct word written in
  3. A cutesy email address listed as an applicant’s contact information
  4. An application essay that is a full page longer than the stated limit
  5. A question typed into the application essay that was meant for a proofreader and not the final submission (along the lines of ‘Is this the right spelling?’)

The simple fact is that such mistakes make me less likely to give these applicants my vote in the selection meeting this weekend. I’m so much more impressed by the students who took the care to submit a perfectly proofread, professional application that is worthy of the scholarship committee’s investment–even if their GPAs weren’t the highest. I think a lot of recruiters and hiring managers would agree with me.

I totally understand that we all make mistakes and typos, but when it comes to something as important as a scholarship application (or a resume or cover letter for a job you really, really want), I believe that easily avoidable mistakes are unacceptable. Especially in this day and age of computers, spell checkers and English teachers just an email message away.

Okay, lecture over! (Please tell me there aren’t any typos in this post…)

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Lindsey is a globally recognized career and workplace expert and the leading voice on generational diversity. She has spoken for more than 300 audiences including Google, Goldman Sachs, Estee Lauder, Stanford and Wharton. Lindsey is the author of four career and workplace advice books, and her insights have appeared in media outlets including The TODAY Show, CNBC, NPR, the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal.

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Lindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author, international speaker and often described as a “generational translator.” She is the author of four career and workplace advice books, including The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace. Her speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 300 top corporations, law firms and universities, and her insights have appeared in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. Lindsey is a graduate of Yale University and is a proud member of Generation X. 

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