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I have 3 degrees. One from 2011-2013, one from 2015-2016, and one from 2021-2023. I had to switch the 2011-2013 degree and the 2015-2016 degree because I put them in the wrong order on a job application. But I accidentally didn't switch the dates. So on the finished application, it listed both the 2011-2013 and the 2015-2016 degree as being from 2011-2013. I don't think there's any way to change it. Any tips on how to handle this? I'm thinking I should just write off that application as a loss and apply elsewhere.

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    You should keep applying until you have a signed contract in hand, so just carry on and address it when in the interview.
    – Aida Paul
    Commented Oct 17, 2023 at 14:33
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    This is just a mistake on an application and no one is going to care. If they do care, they'll ask.
    – Joel Etherton
    Commented Oct 17, 2023 at 14:46
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    I suspect very few would even notice. If these are progressive degrees(BS, MS, PHD,...) they'll probably figure it out and not care. If they are independent subjects, it probably doesn't even matter.
    – cdkMoose
    Commented Oct 17, 2023 at 16:34
  • @JoelEtherton And it is trivial to fix if they care, so it's a non-issue.
    – Nelson
    Commented Oct 18, 2023 at 6:53

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I really don't think they would care unless there are extremely extenuating circumstances that would make your degree worth more or less if you received it at a different time (literally cannot think of a reason why this would be, at least for the difference of a few years like you have).

If you get an interview with them, I would mention it during the interview. I wouldn't go into a long explanation, just say you had a typo and would like to correct it in case it affects your eligibility for the job.

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A lot of people say that no one is going to care. I have a different take on this.

If you applied to work for a job that requires a high degree of conscientiousness (Attention to detail/doing high quality work consistently) the fact that you have a typo on your resume is a red flag.

If you don't pay enough attention to detail to what you were doing that you made a mistake on a document that you are sending to businesses to convince them to hire you. How do I know you won't do that while working for me?

Proof read your resume, Proof read your cover letter. Show that you care enough about the job to spend 10 minutes double checking your work.

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    It's a red flag only because it is an easy criteria for screening applications. If OP is the only applicant and he meets all their requirements, it wouldn't matter at that point.
    – Nelson
    Commented Oct 18, 2023 at 6:54
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    It would be very quarrelsome to dismiss an application on this reasoning, rather than simply querying/resolving the clerical error if noticed, unless you're literally hiring a proofreader. A CV nowadays isn't a very solemn document.
    – Steve
    Commented Oct 18, 2023 at 11:13
  • @Steve And that's why we wouldn't hire you. If you cannot spend the 5 minutes extra it takes to proof read your resume. You won't spend the 5 minutes extra it takes to double check your work. Not everyone who has an error free resume has enough conscientiousness to be reliable. Making your resume error free is a one time effort after all. But people who are careless about their job application tend to apply that same attention to detail to everything else they do. I'd rather not hire someone, then hire someone who doesn't check their work.
    – Questor
    Commented Oct 18, 2023 at 14:17
  • @Questor, I don't think it's a case of spending 5 minutes to identify errors like that, nor is it necessarily a one-time effort. I speak as someone with enough attention to detail, that once in an interview I scored 12 on an impromptu test with supposedly 10 errors, but I'm far from error free. I've certainly left minor words out of sentences on a CV, and I know others who have misspelled words to hilarious effect. I could only imagine you're flush with talent - not dissimilar to J Edgar Hoover bemoaning "pinheads", whereupon all candidates with small hats were dismissed.
    – Steve
    Commented Oct 18, 2023 at 15:42
  • @Steve Difference in opinions I guess. From my perspective, It takes very little effort to make a resume/cv that is error free. Its a 2 page document. If you are not willing to put in the effort on something designed to make you look more desirable to prospective employers... Can I expect anything more after you are hired?
    – Questor
    Commented Oct 18, 2023 at 21:05

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