what do you think ?

Question

i messed up on my application and thought i started a job a couple years prior to what i put.So when she called my reference they said i started in 01 but i still had an excellent reference.I was offered this job pending references as an intake coordinator what do you think will this ruin me?

by the way the lady called me back after the reference and question my dates at that job i told her my dates may have been off but i was basically there about 6 years

Answer 1

Dear "hcj25":

Well, it could be a big deal or a small deal.

You said "intake coordinator". Depends upon what you are taking in and for whom. Tomatoes for Gristedes, who cares. Little children for the gooferment, everyone might care.

My first take was "honest mistake" or "deliberate lie"? On a government application or some standard application form that's been xeroxed a grazillion times?

If it's a gooferment form, does it say anything down at the bottom where you signed about perjury? Did it have to be notarized? Was it "official" like a permit to "intake children"? Then, I'd suggest that you need a lawyer; not Yahoo Answers. If not, then you might be able to apologize your way out.

Assuming that it is NOT, repeat NOT, about perjury, gooferent forms, or something that can get you in a lot of hot water (and that's a big deal!), I have some thoughts.

I'd forget about it unless it comes up again. (And resolve in the future to fill out all forms as if they were important. Very important.) If it comes up again, apologize profusely, offer to correct the form, and ask what you can do to compensate for making a mistake.

You might want to have some thoughts, about why you made the mistake, in case things get intense. Treat it as a typo. Think about how rushed you were filling it out. Maybe someone said "don't worry about the exact dates". Maybe you were interrupted by the interviewer being ready. Get the incident firmly in your mind now in case it becomes urgent.

Then forget about it.

Hope this helps. I'm interested how it works out for you. Drop me a note sometime. I have jobsearch hints on my blog if you need them.

Ferdinand J. Reinke
Kendall Park, NJ 08824

Webform that creates an urgent email => http://2idi.com/contact/=reinkefj...
Web page => http://www.reinke.cc/
My blog => http://www.reinkefaceslife.com/...
LinkedIn url => http://www.linkedin.com/in/reinkefj...

Answer 2

As an accounting manager for a major beverage distributor, I can answer this question looking at both sides. From the interviewer's standpoint, the mistake puts up a red flag. Resumes and applications should be the tell-all of a person's work ethic. Mistakes and typos show that the person has not fully done their research and that he/she may have trouble with proofreading as well as care of work performed. If there was a question in your mind about the dates, this should have been noted or at least should have been verbally recognized to the receiver of the application.
Now, from the potential hire's standpoint, it seems that the mistake was probably an "honest" one. The reference went well so that does work in your favor. However, my advice to help soften the "blow" would be an immediate call to the interviewer recognizing the mistake and explaining that, if the difference in time was not very much, your long work history with that particular company precluded the dates worked there.
The fact is to be as open and honest as possible. Admit the mistake, let it go, and let your positive attributes shine.

Good Luck!
LilD

Answer 3

Be honest and apologize. If you are doing a good job, the mistake will be forgiven.