typo in my GS SA application

Impact of a Typo on resume or cover letter

Resume screening is a difficult part of the process for the applicant. It involves bankers weeding out as many resumes as possible to narrow their choices. Once their choices are narrowed, the resumes are reviewed with scrutiny.

Cover letters are usually not read instead they are skimmed for mistakes. A cover letter typo may slip by but only if it is very minor. Any obvious typos will get you dinged.

If you think you made a typo do not resubmit your application into the same pool. This will most likely result in an auto-rejection.

Proofread your letter and resume several times. After you have read it, get someone else to read it for mistakes. If possible, get an Resume Review Service

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51 Comments
 

chill, if you get screened I doubt this will be the reason why. my interviewers told me they didn't even read my cover letter, and I don't think hr does more than a skim given the sheer volume of apps

 

Goldman's website does not allow you to withdraw and reapply, for what it's worth. Your only option would be to register with a new email address and re-upload, however most people here will tell you that is grounds for an instant rejection when HR sees your name twice in the same applicant pool.

I am permanently behind on PMs, it's not personal.
 

Should have waited until tonight. That's what I'm doing. Just checking things over again.

Listen buddy, there is nothing you can do about it now. Let it go. DO well on the other applications.

 
Government SachsYou shouldn't have submitted three applications to the same firm. That makes you an easy ding if they have too many apps.

Goldman lets you apply upto 3 divisions for SA positions.

OP, don't worry. They're not going to read your CL.

 
JamesHetfield
Government SachsYou shouldn't have submitted three applications to the same firm. That makes you an easy ding if they have too many apps.

Goldman lets you apply upto 3 divisions for SA positions.

OP, don't worry. They're not going to read your CL.

Of course they let you apply for multiple positions. It's a weed out tactic. When you get asked why you are trying to go into three fairly different divisions, what are you going to say?
 
Government Sachs
JamesHetfield
Government SachsYou shouldn't have submitted three applications to the same firm. That makes you an easy ding if they have too many apps.

Goldman lets you apply upto 3 divisions for SA positions.

OP, don't worry. They're not going to read your CL.

Of course they let you apply for multiple positions. It's a weed out tactic. When you get asked why you are trying to go into three fairly different divisions, what are you going to say?

Damn. I just applied to two. Should have kept it to one.

OP, I waited until the last moment. Submitted my app at 11:50ish. Deadline was 11:59.\

Govt Sachs, this app was for Summer 2013 Back Office divisions. Deadline was Jan 6th, 11:59 PM.

 
Best Response
JamesHetfield
Government Sachs
JamesHetfield
Government SachsYou shouldn't have submitted three applications to the same firm. That makes you an easy ding if they have too many apps.

Goldman lets you apply upto 3 divisions for SA positions.

OP, don't worry. They're not going to read your CL.

Of course they let you apply for multiple positions. It's a weed out tactic. When you get asked why you are trying to go into three fairly different divisions, what are you going to say?

Damn. I just applied to two. Should have kept it to one.

OP, I waited until the last moment. Submitted my app at 11:50ish. Deadline was 11:59.\

Govt Sachs, this app was for Summer 2013 Back Office divisions. Deadline was Jan 6th, 11:59 PM.

This guy is misinformed or doesn't know how bo/mo hiring works at BBs.

I applied for both BO and MO and interviewed on the same day in the same building, and nobody cared. Just make sure in each interview you talk about why Whatever is your dream job you've wanted since you were a freshman, and you want to spend the rest of your career there. Seriously, I got two offers that way.

 
Government Sachs
JamesHetfield
Government SachsYou shouldn't have submitted three applications to the same firm. That makes you an easy ding if they have too many apps.

Goldman lets you apply upto 3 divisions for SA positions.

OP, don't worry. They're not going to read your CL.

Of course they let you apply for multiple positions. It's a weed out tactic. When you get asked why you are trying to go into three fairly different divisions, what are you going to say?
this is crap.. i applied to 2 divs (IMD in location A, sec in location A, IMD in location B) and ended up interviewing for sec in location A with no mention of it. my cover letter was vague and no one at the interview(s) said anything about my IMD app.
 
BanditPanditthe joke is that you think your application will be read at all...

Brahman, the joke is you.

First, Goldman even picks out Resumes from on line applications for FO positions, and I'm sure there are cases on WSO who can attest to that. Of course they'll only be a very few, but you at least give yourself some chance if you apply.

Second, this guy is applying for MO/BO positions, and there is higher chance that they'll pick someone from an on-line application for these.

OP,

I do not mean to be harsh to you, but I am curious after having seen many Cornell grads working in MO/Risk etc. Shouldn't you be gunning for FO roles when you attend an Ivy League school. Seems like Cornell is truly lower tier Ivy when it comes to recruiting.

I mean people from no name shit schools like mine get into MO roles.

 
JamesHetfield
BanditPanditthe joke is that you think your application will be read at all...

Brahman, the joke is you.

First, Goldman even picks out Resumes from on line applications for FO positions, and I'm sure there are cases on WSO who can attest to that. Of course they'll only be a very few, but you at least give yourself some chance if you apply.

Second, this guy is applying for MO/BO positions, and there is higher chance that they'll pick someone from an on-line application for these.

OP,

I do not mean to be harsh to you, but I am curious after having seen many Cornell grads working in MO/Risk etc. Shouldn't you be gunning for FO roles when you attend an Ivy League school. Seems like Cornell is truly lower tier Ivy when it comes to recruiting.

I mean people from no name shit schools like mine get into MO roles.

Heh, it's all perspective. At my school MO role at GS is a dream job. You'll be making more money than almost any other non-stem grad right out of school.

 
BanditPanditthe joke is that you think your application will be read at all...
Don't listen to this douche... whats wrong brownie, haven't been laid in awhile? Lol
 

OK. Sorry about that. I guess it was an OCR deadline then.

Jan 6th was also the online application deadline for MO/BO SA. However, I have encountered more Cornell grads who are no FO than other Ivies. Maybe it is a function of Cornell's size. I don't want to get into a mud slinging contest; I don't even go to a decently ranked school. Just saying what I observed.

 
JamesHetfieldYeah. Me too man. BO is all I'm aiming for.

I hope you also applied for MO positions. I will be interning at a BB MO department this summer. It won't be the best work in the world, but it is LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than ops, compliance, tech, etc. Assuming I get a full-time position, then work for 3-4 years, I could get in a top MBA program to do whatever the hell I want (I'm looking towards distressed securities hedge funds).

Keep you chin up, man. I'm at one of the biggest non-targets in the continental United States so if I could land a job, so could you.

PM with questions if you have any.

 

Also messed up my online app a bit:

Question- I come from a target school, and we're required to submit apps both through campus recruiting and through GS's online app process. For the 1st round interview screening process, do they normally just go through the submitted resumes from campus recruiting?

I'm hoping this is the case because on the online app I accidently forgot to fill in that my primary language is English. It seems like a given but upon reviewing my app, I noticed in red that it said "please also be sure to enter in your primary/native language"

 

well I kinda did not include a major experience which could make a huge impact on my cv. Also I need to change division and I have emailed hr but its just not happening.

 

well I kinda did not include a major experience which could make a huge impact on my cv. Also I need to change division and I have emailed hr but its just not happening.

 

At the risk of sounding harsh- if you're leaving off major experiences from your CV and applying to the wrong division, then you're probably not GS material at this point. That said, chalk it up to a learning experience and continue the push. Don't forget there are plenty of other institutions that can launch a successful career not named GS so don't waste time or obsess over this mistake. After all, if you're really that good you'll probably find a way there eventually if that is your goal.

 

What happened was, I applied to early then got invitedt to a networking event and really connected with a senior guy from another division, who said I was perfect for that division and said he would do all the he can to help me and so on... I have tried emailing Gs hr but no response. So I'm thinking about creating another account. Thoughts?

 

I have a feeling we applied to the same thing, i screwed up up my cover letter (300 word max. text box, no PDF) , do you think they'll actually read it?

 

they will read the cover letter. I dont think they care too much about pdf thingy. what did you screw up? pm me if you want

 

Dont have enough banana points to PM :/ I just forgot to put in a greeting : "Dear Sir/ Madam" being stupid, and the 300 word thing threw me off. How do you know they'll read it :( it IS BB, im sure they have like 200 applications to go through ..

 

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