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Original poster

Most embarassing job application mistakes

70 replies

personaenongratae · 23/02/2019 22:17

I am MORTIFIED at myself. There was a job I really wanted and I was really busy, and mixed up the deadline so had 3 hours to finish it off. I submitted it 2 minutes before the deadline.

Then I realised in one of my answers, I’d goven the job the wrong title!
ARGH!
Eg “I am applying for the role of stock manager...” but the role I was applying for was staff supervisor let’s say
There is no way I’ll
get it now.

What are your embarassing application mistakes? Please help me feel better from my own self inflicted situation of pity.

OP posts:
Floralmoral · 23/02/2019 22:25

Many years ago...many many!!! I applied for a job, all to do with data analysis, and in my application I got qualitative and quantitative mixed up TWICE. No words. Obviously, I didn’t even get an interview.

I’m sorry this happened to you when you actually really want the job. You never know though..Grin

AllGoodDogs · 23/02/2019 22:28

I listed "attention to details" as a strong point, in a covering letter with two separate spelling mistakes. Luckily my boss isn't any better at spotting them than I was 😂

Original poster
personaenongratae · 23/02/2019 22:28

Oh gosh I even forgot to say what “it” was in my op. It is of course the application!

haha oh dear floral! Maybe it’s a thing to give us a kick up the bum!

I very much doubt lawyers are going to be kind

OP posts:

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Jobs
PinkBuffalo · 23/02/2019 22:33

I sent off the application but didn't sign the part where you had to declare everything was true!
They got me sign it in the interview, and 11 years later I'm still with the organisation so it might not be the end of the world for you!

gamerchick · 23/02/2019 22:34

Just do another application, they might not notice.

Crossfitgirl · 23/02/2019 22:42

I once applied for a job, and went for the interview, got offered the job.
I was mortified to realise I had somehow not noticed it was for a part time post!!
It only dawned on me in the interview, and I pretended all was fine...

Then it was pretty embarrassing to explain when having to turn it down, that I had clearly not read the advert properly!

Crossfitgirl · 23/02/2019 22:42

(I was looking for full time)

ChipInTheSugar · 23/02/2019 22:44

Someone I knew had written in his cv that he had experience "working in a brassiere" instead of "a brasserie". I doubt he got the job ...

SassitudeandSparkle · 23/02/2019 22:59

As a former HR worker - who worked in recruitment for a bit - I can tell you that is more common that you think to receive applications that mention a completely different employer/company, job or have some kind of major mistake on them. Never, ever use 'track changes' on your CV or covering letter unless you want to email your application with a list of all the places you've applied to previously Grin or change your age without changing the dates you passed exams Grin

BringOnTheScience · 23/02/2019 23:04

hears the aplication

The genuine entire contents of an email I received with an attached CV that was equally bad.

RaelImperialAerosolKid · 23/02/2019 23:11

I once wrote that I studied 'introduction to astrology' instead of astronomy on my CV. It was noticed.

RedHatsDoNotSuitMe · 24/02/2019 00:23

I once went for a job where a specific part of the role was carrying out a function I couldn't do.

I KNEW I couldn't carry out the function (which involved lots of maths) but I knew I COULD learn to do it (there was a formula to follow, which I knew I just had to learn and then I'd be fine, because it was a routine thing)

Unfortunately, the interview was based around a written test on the thing I couldn't do. It was excruciating. And then they brought me back into the room and one of the interviewees fair-bounced into the room because she loved my CV so much. And I was saying "look, I can't do this NOW, but once I've learnt it, i'll be FINE and I won't make mistakes because I know this a weak area for me, so I'll double, tripple check it"she kept saying things like "Let's give RedHats another chance" and all the other interviewees were saying to her "no, it's not fair to keep asking her".

I didn't get the job. She's probably still gutted!

I could've done the fucking job.

FuckItFriday · 24/02/2019 00:26

I once called up to enquire about a job that I thought was in a certain part of town which was a 15 minute bus ride away. Turns out it was another town altogether on the other side of the country.

It was a call centre job, not something people would commute 2 hours for. During the phone interview they asked how I'd get there. I said bus (duh) and they pointed out how long it would take...

I was 17. That's my excuse!

halfwitpicker · 24/02/2019 00:27

Oh god loads.

The wrong business address I. E copied the cover letter but forgot to change the address, so used previous application address etc.

Also my dates were wrong on my CV

Streamingbannersofdawn · 24/02/2019 00:27

I run a childcare business, someone applied for a bank work role. Their CV revealed that they were something like a molecular physicist. I'm surprised but hey whatever.

Wrong email address Grin

I did think the pay rate might not appeal Hmm

PissOffPeppa · 24/02/2019 22:58

I was applying to two jobs and somehow sent the same application to both, including cover letter that explained exactly why I wanted to work for Company A. I didn’t realise my mistake until Company B contacted me and very nicely asked for their application form. I still got offered an interview, but by that point I’d accepted a job elsewhere.

PissOffPeppa · 24/02/2019 23:03

My ex- a big, burly, biker-type metalhead- applied for a warehouse assistant job, thinking he’d quite enjoy getting off the shop floor and working in the back of a store instead. He’d actually applied for a sales assistant role at Warehouse, the shop.

What they must have thought when he rocked up to the interview in his Metallica hoodie and jeans covered in metal chains!

PeanutButterLips · 25/02/2019 00:08

Not me but saw this on FB years ago , it went viral.
Someone sent a file to a job thinking it was their CV, instead it was a Jamie Oliver recipe or some other chef!
They only realised when the company replied saying this is a recipe
Grin

ItStartedWithAKiss241 · 25/02/2019 00:13

I once applied for a job as a Consultants receptionist but I completed the application on my phone and my phone autocorrected my phone number to my estate agent company’s. I don’t work at an estate agents, I just rent from them 😂 I rang to get feedback on the application and he asked what had happened as he couldn’t contact me and I tried to damage control but couldn’t. Someone I know who works closely with him since told me he was trying to ring me to offer me a slightly different role and I would have accepted that werwbit not for the stupid mistake 😂 Not ideal considering the job at all x

AornisHades · 25/02/2019 00:21

I left my degree off the application form Blush
Somehow I got to interview stage and they asked me about it. I think I'd referenced it but not listed it.

kashleesi · 25/02/2019 07:42

Once I thought I was applying for a dental receptionist role. Turns out it was a dental nurse role and I’d applied with my cv including office work and only my a levels Blush had a lovely email back about how I needed more specific qualifications!

proudestofmums · 25/02/2019 07:49

Mine was many years ago when “disability” was assumed just to mean mobility impaired. I ticked the box to say I was disabled, by mistake. Then later, under the hobbies section (yes, ridiculous,requirement but still) I put, correctly, that I,taught dance. I was told later that a main reason for getting an interview was because they wanted to find out how I could be disabled ie mobility impaired and teach dance! Reader, I got the job

Buddywoo · 25/02/2019 08:03

I received one where it stated 'I have a lot of experience of dealing with the pubic'.

Also another that showed a photo of a man draped over an armchair with the caption ' Rupert - at leisure'.

Aridane · 25/02/2019 08:07

These are quite funny (though not for the people whose mistake it is)

Cwtches123 · 25/02/2019 08:11

I was on a shortlisting panel for a school deputy head post. One of the applications explained in detail why they felt they would be an asset to X school, we were recruiting for Y school !!!!
We didn't shortlist her!!!