Spelling mistake in application... help

[Haowei]

I'm so annoyed with myself, I just realised that I made a spelling mistake in a few of my applications that I've already sent off.

The word I wanted to use was "fictitious" because I was talking about negotiating on behalf of fictitious clients, instead I spelt it "fictious". The thing is that Microsoft Word didn't pick the mistake up as "fictious" is actually a word, meaning fictitious but it's archaic version of the word.

I know that law firms really value attention to detail and some chuck applications straight in the bin if they spot any error, but nobody who I've shown my applications to have spotted this error (about 10 different people have read my apps). So I'm hoping that it will go unnoticed?

I'm just really disappointed with myself because I worked so hard on these applications, it will be such a shame to be rejected for something so small. Has anyone else been through something similar?

 

[Adrian_Healey]

Obviously typos are not ideal, but I think it depends on the firm and the rest of your application.

I heard Shearman Sterling has the ‘one mistake and your out’ approach, but I’ve also been invited to an AC having made five typos in the application!

 

[Haowei]

Yeah I sense that Shearman is definitely very strict with their typo policy, luckily none of my apps were for them!

Thanks for the reassurance though, I'm obviously hoping that the rest of my application is strong enough for the typo to be overlooked. I guess it's just up to the firm now...

 

[Jaysen]

I'm so annoyed with myself, I just realised that I made a spelling mistake in a few of my applications that I've already sent off.

The word I wanted to use was "fictitious" because I was talking about negotiating on behalf of fictitious clients, instead I spelt it "fictious". The thing is that Microsoft Word didn't pick the mistake up as "fictious" is actually a word, meaning fictitious but it's archaic version of the word.

I know that law firms really value attention to detail and some chuck applications straight in the bin if they spot any error, but nobody who I've shown my applications to have spotted this error (about 10 different people have read my apps). So I'm hoping that it will go unnoticed?

I'm just really disappointed with myself because I worked so hard on these applications, it will be such a shame to be rejected for something so small. Has anyone else been through something similar?

Part of it depends on the likelihood of someone reading your application (at speed) being able to pick up a spelling mistake like that. Personally, I think it's unlikely that'll be spotted.

I'd also flag that we very rarely review applications without at least one typo, spelling mistake or grammar issue. While the ideal is to have none, that really is just an ideal.

 

[Jessica Booker]

98-99% of trainees at Freshfields had some form of error in their application, and that was for a firm that assessed writing style quite heavily.

 

[Alice G]

I'm so annoyed with myself, I just realised that I made a spelling mistake in a few of my applications that I've already sent off.

The word I wanted to use was "fictitious" because I was talking about negotiating on behalf of fictitious clients, instead I spelt it "fictious". The thing is that Microsoft Word didn't pick the mistake up as "fictious" is actually a word, meaning fictitious but it's archaic version of the word.

I know that law firms really value attention to detail and some chuck applications straight in the bin if they spot any error, but nobody who I've shown my applications to have spotted this error (about 10 different people have read my apps). So I'm hoping that it will go unnoticed?

I'm just really disappointed with myself because I worked so hard on these applications, it will be such a shame to be rejected for something so small. Has anyone else been through something similar?

I hope some of these comments have already put your mind at ease but as a notorious worrier myself I can appreciate how you feel about realising a mistake. I was always a glutton for punishment myself and would always re-read applications and panic as to whether I had made mistakes!!

I really don't think that this will be picked up and it is a slightly different error in the sense that it is very clear what you are saying and is not as glaring as there being a random letter in the word!

Really try not to worry about this as best as you can because it has been sent now and you did your best. What I used to do to ensure my apps were as perfect as i could make them was to print every one out a few times (sorry trees!! i did recycle!) and mark them up with red pen. If you print an application every day for a week and mark it up thoroughly then any mistakes are very likely to be picked up. This sounds like a lot of effort but for me it was something I was always committed to doing because I was very paranoid about typos and errors!

 

[Haowei]

I hope some of these comments have already put your mind at ease but as a notorious worrier myself I can appreciate how you feel about realising a mistake. I was always a glutton for punishment myself and would always re-read applications and panic as to whether I had made mistakes!!

I really don't think that this will be picked up and it is a slightly different error in the sense that it is very clear what you are saying and is not as glaring as there being a random letter in the word!

Really try not to worry about this as best as you can because it has been sent now and you did your best. What I used to do to ensure my apps were as perfect as i could make them was to print every one out a few times (sorry trees!! i did recycle!) and mark them up with red pen. If you print an application every day for a week and mark it up thoroughly then any mistakes are very likely to be picked up. This sounds like a lot of effort but for me it was something I was always committed to doing because I was very paranoid about typos and errors!

Thank you so much for the reassurance Alice! Reading all the comments here has definitely put my mind more at ease.

You're so right, those apps have been sent and there's no point in stressing about it now. It's a lesson learnt, at least with future applications I know I need to be more vigilante re typos and spellings errors. Thank you for the suggestion on printing the apps out, this sounds very useful!

 

[Alice G]

Thank you so much for the reassurance Alice! Reading all the comments here has definitely put my mind more at ease.

You're so right, those apps have been sent and there's no point in stressing about it now. It's a lesson learnt, at least with future applications I know I need to be more vigilante re typos and spellings errors. Thank you for the suggestion on printing the apps out, this sounds very useful!

No worries at all and definitely don’t be hard on yourself! I struggle to see errors on-screen which would almost certainly jump out to me on paper so I do hope it helps! Best of luck with your apps and future ones!

 

[Lily721]

Anyone know if White & Case are strict about this? Is it like Shearman & Sterling when it comes to this? I just noticed I made a very silly mistake at the start of my last paragraph in my cover letter and it is literally so easy to spot. I said "Finally, as I committee member..." so now I am definitely worried about it and wish I never went back to my application.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Anyone know if White & Case are strict about this? Is it like Shearman & Sterling when it comes to this? I just noticed I made a very silly mistake at the start of my last paragraph in my cover letter and it is literally so easy to spot. I said "Finally, as I committee member..." so now I am definitely worried about it and wish I never went back to my application.

even if a firm is strict about this, there is a significant chance they don’t pick up the mistake. The less obvious the mistake is, the less likely it is to be picked up (eg spelling the firm name wrong, more likely to be picked up). There are also “subjective” mistakes too.

If your application is being read at speed (which most likely is) it’s quite easy for someone to miss something like I and should be a

 

[Alison C]

Thank you so much for the reassurance Alice! Reading all the comments here has definitely put my mind more at ease.

You're so right, those apps have been sent and there's no point in stressing about it now. It's a lesson learnt, at least with future applications I know I need to be more vigilante re typos and spellings errors. Thank you for the suggestion on printing the apps out, this sounds very useful!

Um, possibly not more 'vigilante', but rather, more vigilant!

Vigilantes are people who take the law into their own hands on a rather drastic basis - think spaghetti westerns - not a good look for a solicitor, for sure...
"noun

1. a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate."

I would also recommend the free online tool 'Grammarly', which doesn't work in Word (nor does it pick up word substitutions such as that you are discussing), but it does pick up online issues. I'm getting a red line under my use of 'vigilante' in my first paragraph here. It's super useful, and builds good habits, though it does use American spellings so you have to ignore some of them.

Good luck!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Um, possibly not more 'vigilante', but rather, more vigilant!

Vigilantes are people who take the law into their own hands on a rather drastic basis - think spaghetti westerns - not a good look for a solicitor, for sure...
"noun

1. a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate."

I would also recommend the free online tool 'Grammarly', which doesn't work in Word (nor does it pick up word substitutions such as that you are discussing), but it does pick up online issues. I'm getting a red line under my use of 'vigilante' in my first paragraph here. It's super useful, and builds good habits, though it does use American spellings so you have to ignore some of them.

Good luck!

you can change Grammarly to UK English so it does pick up US spelling errors