Dear recruiter, here is a photo of Nic Cage

We’ve all done it – sent something to an employer and quickly noticed a typo or grammatical error. It’s stressful, frustrating and, if you’re like me, is something you lose sleep over.

Detail is important while filling out applications, and the smallest mistake can take you out of the running. Something as minor as how you save your resume and cover letter can make a huge impact on your search.

Real example

Take Vanessa. She found a job she was very interested in and emailed the recruiter to get her resume and cover letter in their hands. The problem? Vanessa saved her resume and cover letter to her computer by just using a series of numbers, instead of something easy to find, like “Vanessa resume and cover letter”. Because of this, she accidentally sent the company a bizarre, candid photo of actor Nicolas Cage. I can only imagine the panic she felt when she realized what she sent them. Check out what happened here.

So, all the recruiter knows about Vanessa is that she collects strange celebrity photos or that she has a not-so-secret crush on Ghost Rider.

How this could have been avoided

Vanessa should have saved her resume to her computer with an easy-to-find title. If that still makes you nervous, create a new folder on your desktop titled “Job stuff” and use that folder to save your different cover letters, applications and to track your status. By having everything in one place you will organize your search and not have to sift through your computer to look for files. I learned this lesson the hard way, so trust me, it’s easier when you’re organized.

I’m sure Vanessa will make sure this mistake never happens again! Take her warning and pay attention to what you are doing.

Keep in mind that how you title documents you send to a recruiter is important. Just like your email address, keep it simple and professional.

Finding a job is important. Take the time and dedication to make your applications perfect; it can change your life.