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I asked a friend to provide me with her resume so I could use her resume as a guide and template. However, I forgot to change one of my educational degrees.

It shows Bachelor or Science instead of Bachelor of Arts. I got the job, and now a background check is being done.

Would it be best in this position to contact HR and let them know that there's a slight mistake on my resume?

Also, the degree does not relate to the job.

When is it best to tell HR about mistakes and when, if ever, should it be left alone?

Vanessa
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2 Answers2

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Fess up right away. Communicate that it was a typo, apologize, and politely ask whether this is a problem and what you should be do to remedy it. In all likelihood the answer will be "no problem".

If it comes up later through a background check or otherwise, it can be a huge issue. Not so much the actual type of degree but you may be perceived as dishonest, inaccurate, sloppy, or not trustworthy.

We all make mistakes, what differentiates us is how we deal with them.

Hilmar
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  • I think Bachelor of Arts includes a foreign language requirement, so the OP has accidentally sold herself short. –  Nov 23 '13 at 14:42
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If you have a degree, and made a mistake between BA and BS, they'll probably ignore it. If you're claiming to have a Masters when all you have is an Associates, they'll rake your sorry carcass over the coals.

Meredith Poor
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  • Yeah, I have a BFA, but I actually had more math and science than the architecture majors (but I don't know if architecture is BA or BS). – Amy Blankenship Nov 23 '13 at 03:33