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CV & Cover Letter
  • Tips for nailing your CV
  • Writing the perfect cover letter
Job hunting
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  • Landing your first job
  • Effective interviewing
  • Your online presence
Work life
  • Workplace tips & wellbeing
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  • Growing your skills
  • Managing job loss
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Salary & Pay
Salary guide

Careers advice

What to do when you make a mistake at work

How do you acknowledge making a mistake at work?

What do you do when you make a mistake at work?

1. Take a moment

Man reacting to making a mistake at work.

Take a minute to process what has happened.

2. Maintain perspective

3. Own what happened

4. ...but don’t go overboard with the apologies

Woman acknowledging a mistake at work.

Apologise, but focus on how you're going to make things right.

5. Work on the recovery

6. Learn from it


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