# How to correct a candidate submittal after it was sent

If a candidate submittal contains an error, verify the correct information, identify every affected recipient and copy, and send a clear correction through the agency's normal process.

Canonical source: https://recruitrecap.com/blog/correct-candidate-submittal-after-sending
Author: Recruit Recap editorial team
Published: 2026-10-06T13:45:00+11:00

If a candidate submittal contains an error, verify the correct information, identify every affected recipient and copy, and send a clear correction through the agency's normal process. Editing the source document alone may leave the client relying on the earlier version.

## Establish the correction precisely

| Field | Fictional correction record |
| --- | --- |
| Original statement | Candidate available to start October 12 |
| Corrected statement | October 12 is interview availability; start date unconfirmed |
| Verified source | Recruiter clarification with candidate |
| Affected copies | Client email attachment and internal candidate note |
| Owner | Account manager to notify client and update record |

This example is invented. In a real case, use the verified source and actual destinations rather than assumptions about where the document went.

## Tell the recipient what changed

A useful correction message names the incorrect field and provides the current information. Avoid burying the change in a revised attachment with no explanation. The client should not have to compare two documents to discover the material difference.

Where a detail remains unresolved, say so. A correction should not replace one unsupported date with another estimate presented as fact.

## Reconcile the agency's copies

Update the current write-up, relevant ATS field, and any pending message that repeats the error. Preserve history according to the agency's record practices so a colleague can understand why the value changed.

If a document is generated again, verify it uses the corrected source. Otherwise an older input may recreate the same mistake even after a careful manual edit.

## Learn from the failure without overstating it

Identify whether the error came from capture, interpretation, field mapping, or final review. That distinction points to a useful repair. A start-date confusion may require separate availability fields rather than a generic reminder to “be more careful.”

Keep training examples fictional or approved for that purpose. Do not publish a real candidate incident as a marketing story without authorization.

Use the [submittal quality checklist](/blog/candidate-submittal-quality-checklist) before future sends and the [availability guide](/blog/candidate-availability-start-date-notes) to prevent this particular ambiguity. Recruit Recap supports reviewable write-ups; this correction workflow is an agency process, not a claim that the product recalls emails or automatically updates documents already delivered to clients.