Oops, now I'm the job applicant making a mistake!

[kingsrings]

I really blew it yesterday. I went onto a major company's website to enquire about employment opportunities. I read one job description, then clicked on the options that would create my resume and password so I could have it stored in the website, ready to go when I wanted to apply for a job with this company. I didn't have the time to complete my cover letter, so I just shoved an old one I used in applying for another job, another company years ago that I had in the database for storage, and clicked submit on the whole shebang. Except that when I did that, it applied me for the job I had been reading on the website. Big, major oops. So now they've got this resume with a cover letter addressed to a different company from a few years ago. Yikes. The website was very confusing and hard to maneuver around in, so it's easy to see how this mistake could be made. I thought I was just creating my resume for the database, not submitting for a position. In fact, I was just reading up on the company and not even considering applying for that position. This really blows. I am afraid that this mistake will taint me with that company and that they will never consider me as an applicant for any of their jobs because I made such a bad impression with this error.

So, do you think I should just kiss this company goodbye and not even consider applying for them (for real, that is!) when I do see a job position I am interested in? And have you ever made a mistake like this, and what was it?

[hjaye]

I really would not worry too much about it.  Most people don't even read the cover letters.  Typically with most resumes that have been submitted on line, when a search is done for potential applicants, it is done programmatically through software that will search through the resumes seeking very specific words.  for example if a company wants to hire a network engineer who has experience with Nortel Switches, then your resume better have the word Nortel somewhere in it otherwise you will get passed by.

A typical job posting will elicit hundreds if not thousands of resumes for just one opening.  The person responsible for filling the position does not have the time to read through the cover letters, let alone the resumes.  Even if the person is going to print out and read the resumes, each resume only gets at most thirty seconds to impress the person going through them to put it aside for further review. 

If your resume does not fit any of the job opportunities a company has, they may keep it on file, but it will only be the resume, I really don't think they will be interested in the cover letter. So if you ever see this company advertising a job that you believe would be a good fit for you, don't let the fact that you sent them the wrong cover letter prevent you from applying for the job.  Good luck.

[Jessie]

I know where I work, that if you submit a cover letter that's obviously not for the job they're hiring for, they don't even look at your resume. You could try emailing or calling the company to explain what happened and send them a new resume/cover letter, but there's no guarantee that would work.

[NOVA Lady]

If I recieved that I would just assume it was sent to me in mistake and delete it. So I think you're OK.

[Raintree]

Can you call them and explain your error, and ask that the letter be removed so you could re-submit it?

[wetblanket]

I think it's OK to contact the company by email and explain the error.  Everyone's had weird things happen when they submit things online.  It's an honest mistake.  It's not like you emailed them some naughty photos of your trip to Vegas or anything.

When the time comes for you to apply for a job with that company, a job you really want, I doubt anyone will remember this minor error. 

[melodrama]

I'll add my vote to e-mail them to explain the error, then re-submit the whole shebang from scratch.  Even if you never intended to apply for th ejob originally, you might as well get all your correct information on file now, while you have their attention!

[IndianInlaw]

Do what everyone else said and try to fix it.

If you don't, you will have NO chance at that job.

If you do, you will have at least a shot at it.

[supernova]

I also vote for letting it slide.  Chances are it will be electronically weeded out and no one will ever see it.

If you do contact them, you'll draw additional (negative) attention to yourself.

Just my two cents...

     - saphie

[keelhaulrose]

I'd wait a few days, where they will either read it or skip over it, and then resubmit with a different one if you can.

[kingsrings]

Ha-the recruiter called me yesterday for a quick phone interview and never once mentioned the cover letter. So I guess those on here who said they only scan the resume were right. Makes perfect sense when you consider how many applicants apply to major corporations, they really can't take the time to care about cover letters. Turns out I wasn't qualified for the position, which I pretty much figured, but I had accidentally, unintentionally applied for the job with the computer screw-up thing.