| Despite attention to four-color brochures, meticulous | | | | "a myriad of" problems. That would like saying, "he |
| grooming and letter-perfect newsletters, consultants | | | | has many of problems," which would be wrong. We |
| constantly undermine their hire-ability and employees | | | | would say, "he has many problems." |
| hurt their promotability through sloppy language skills | | | | - Don't bother asking about renumeration. You're |
| and inappropriate word choices in their communication. | | | | ineligible, because you won't be retained. The correct |
| What point is shined shoes and polished purses if | | | | word is Remunerate, to give someone money or to |
| you're constantly shooting yourself in the foot with | | | | be paid, which you will be, when you use the correct |
| your own words? | | | | word. |
| Slang is sloppy…precision preferred | | | | - Irregardless. There is no such word. Regardless of |
| Professionalism counts in the work world. Proper | | | | what you've heard, the correct word is "regardless." |
| English shows good taste, good schooling and an | | | | - Interred vs. interned. If you worked without pay, |
| understanding of professional protocols. Avoid slang. | | | | you interned. Ironically, it can also refer to serving |
| You're not a short-order cook! Slang is a shortcut | | | | behind bars, as in a prison. As bad as that is, when |
| that suggests excessive informality and lack of | | | | you say you interred, it suggests you were buried! |
| appreciation for the workplace setting and | | | | You'll never get ahead if you're already six feet |
| expectations. | | | | under. Unless you're born again, stick with interned. |
| - I wish I had a nickel for every consultant who told | | | | - Presidents and Olympians are forever so. Everyone |
| me he or she was gonna do something! Gonna is | | | | wants respect but nobody gives it anymore. When |
| gutter. Replace all uses of "gonna" with "going to" and | | | | you speak of a United States president such as Bill |
| others will perceive you to be a professional with | | | | Clinton, George Herbert Walker Bush or Jimmy |
| plans. Gonna is what an elementary school student | | | | Carter, they're still President Clinton, Bush, or Carterre |
| will do when the recess bell rings. Going to is what | | | | respectively. (Note that President Jimmy Carter is |
| dedicated and focused professionals intend to do, a | | | | now a Nobel laureate too!) When you refer to |
| part of a strategic plan, an act with intention. | | | | Olympians Mary Lou Retton, Billy Mills or Peggy |
| - Sadly, very unique isn't. Unique, by definition, means | | | | Fleming, they're Olympians (not past or former |
| one of a kind, unparalleled, without peer. Adding very | | | | Olympians). Just like recent medalists Apolo Anton |
| in front of unique is as meaningless as doing | | | | Ohno, Sasha Cohen, Shani Davis or Chad Hedrick, |
| something 110%, 115% or 150%. And you thought | | | | Even ones who didn't medal, like Bode Miller will |
| grade inflation was bad! OK, we get the point. | | | | forever remain |
| - Prove you're a graduate by knowing the difference | | | | Olympians. |
| between alumni, alumnus and alumna and alumnae. | | | | Pronouncements on Pronunciation |
| The first and last are plural, the second and third | | | | Just so you know, although shift happens, paradigm |
| refer to a male or female graduate of their alma | | | | is and always has been pronounced pair-ah-DIME, not |
| mater. Alumnae refers to women graduates. Alumni | | | | para-DIG 'EM. |
| refers to coed graduates. | | | | Yet these days alternate pronunciations are plentiful: |
| - Figuratively vs. Literally. When you say you could | | | | harassment, nuclear (nucular is also acceptable until |
| eat a horse, you are speaking figuratively. Only the | | | | 2008), and database (pronounced dah-ta-base or |
| Donner party meant it literally. One consultant told his | | | | DAY-ta-base). |
| client "he literally killed to get a past job." Really? Who | | | | By the way, |
| wants to hire a murderer? | | | | - The singular of data is datum |
| - Degrees are important. So is understanding the | | | | - The plural of stadium is stadia |
| degree to which you are in favor or opposed to | | | | - Media is plural for medium. TV is a medium. Radio, |
| something. Don’t get a third degree burn! When | | | | too. Print (a.k.a. newspaper) is another. TV, radio and |
| you tell people you are 360° opposed to something, | | | | newspapers together are forms of media. |
| they won't hire you since you obviously failed | | | | It is a fact that customers do business with those |
| geometry. 180° denotes complete opposition. Once | | | | they know, like and trust. Speaking well builds trust |
| you've rotated 360° you've come full circle and are | | | | with clients. It reflects a shared value, the proper use |
| back where you started from. (Do not pass go, | | | | of language. Speaking well is a sign of your |
| Blockhead. It's back to square one!) | | | | professionalism, suggesting you will adhere to other |
| - More Than vs. Over: Over is a preposition and | | | | standards of good business: honesty, fairness and |
| generally refers to spatial relationships: "The plane | | | | service. |
| flew over Sacramento." Use "more than": Silicon | | | | When you speak well the world respects you and |
| Valley has more than 10,000 programming jobs. | | | | wants to do business with you. Can ya dig it? |
| - Myriad vs. A myriad Of: Myriad means "many." Not | | | | |