I work in high-tech and read a lot of emails from non-native English writers. Typos abound in my world. Most of them are slips of the fingers, misspellings and possibly even confusion about how the English language works. Some are charming, like someone who messed up "Tech Pubs" and typed "Tech Pups."

My most embarrassing typo so far was on my resume, but fortunately, I turned it into a charming one. My husband and I were partners with another couple in a biomedical research company that did not survive the budget cuts to scientific research during the Reagan years. I found myself in search of a job -- as a writer/editor. One's resume must be flawless if one wishes to be an editor.

Friends reviewed my resume; my husband reviewed my resume; I reviewed my resume. We all declared it as good as it could be. At least I thought so, until the meeting the HR handler after a round of interviews at a technology company.

"Were you aware that you've had a very long career?" she asked.

"I have?"

"Yes. Your resume says you have been at your current company since 1887!"

"What?"

"Here. See?" She showed me my ivory-colored resume on fine paper stock and, there under "Job History," I had indeed claimed to have worked at the same place in the same job for 103 years.

"Look at that!" I said. "It just shows you the importance of good editing!"

I got the job, but I'm still embarrassed about the typo.