Costly mistakes: Why and when spelling errors in resumes jeopardise interview chances

Area of Science:

• Human Resources
• Organizational Psychology
• Recruitment Practices

Background:

• Hiring penalties for spelling errors were previously limited to specific job types and resume qualities.
• The underlying reasons for these hiring penalties remained largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of spelling errors on hiring decisions across various resume qualities.
• To identify the psychological mechanisms behind hiring penalties associated with spelling errors.

Main Methods:

• A scenario experiment involving 445 recruiters was conducted.
• Resumes with varying degrees of spelling errors were presented to recruiters.
• Recruiter decisions regarding interview probability were recorded and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Error-laden resumes led to an 18.5 percentage point decrease in interview probability compared to error-free resumes.
• Resumes with fewer spelling errors still incurred a 7.3 percentage point penalty.
• Perceptions of lower interpersonal skills, conscientiousness, and mental abilities explained a significant portion of the penalty.

Conclusions:

• Spelling errors in resumes demonstrably impact hiring outcomes, even in the absence of prior occupational restrictions.
• The penalties are partly driven by negative applicant trait perceptions, highlighting the importance of meticulous resume preparation.