How many exclamation marks are appropriate?
Oh the exclamation mark. How widely it is overused! Here are some recommendations to follow when it comes to using exclamation marks: If you’re texting or emailing a close friend or family member, you can go nuts. Use all the exclamation marks you want – as long as the message is only going to be …
When to not use a semi-colon
Ah, the semi-colon. It’s such a beautiful punctuation mark; it can add something exquisite to a sentence. Unfortunately, it is also frequently misused. And I don’t know about you, but any time I see a semi-colon used incorrectly, I cringe and want to bring out a gigantic red pen. The place where I have recently …
When to (and to not) use hyphens
Hyphens are a tricky punctuation mark to use correctly. Check out this great infographic to learn about the appropriate situations for using hyphens! (Click on the infographic to see it fully). [Infographic provided by Grammar.net]
February & March 2013 Book List
So, I meant to write a book list for each month, but I haven’t had tons of time to read lately so unfortunately my book list hasn’t been super extensive. Also, I’ve felt disappointed by a lot of the books I’ve been reading (as illustrated by my mini reviews below), so that definitely contributes to …
How to Delegate, Manage, and Supervise
I love managing people. And it’s not because I want to give other people all the jobs I don’t want to do! It’s because managing people can be such an amazing, rewarding, and teaching experience. I love working with people and figuring out how to fit their talents with activities that are just the right …
January 2013 Book List
I didn’t do a Books I Read article for every month of this past year, but I really liked doing it in 2011, so I’m doing it again this year! Books I read in January 2013: Games of Thrones (books 3 and 4 – I read the first two in December). I feel like this …
“I misspoke” vs. “you misunderstood”
On the radio last week, a local politician was being interviewed regarding a controversy where she had apparently said something that was not true. The radio played a recording featuring her saying “a hotel will be built,” which turned out to be false. While I was listening, she was interviewed and asked to comment on …
How to Give Good Interview
At my job, one of the fun tasks I get to do is look over resumes, select people for interviews, and interview them. I really enjoy this – the hiring process is absolutely fascinating! It’s also taught me that many of us could use some helpful tips on resumes, cover letters, and interviews. So today …
Helpful habit: use an agenda
One of the best ways to ensure you stay well-organized and communicate efficiently is to make use of an agenda or day planner religiously. Use it to mark down your to-do lists, addresses and phone numbers for important contacts, meeting times and locations, project deadlines, and social events. You’ll never be late or miss a …
Facebook and the Deterioration of the English Language
Social media is fantastic. I use social media nearly every day, whether it’s blogging, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. But there’s also a downside to social media: sentence structure, spelling, and grammar fly out the window. You don’t see it as much in LinkedIn, since it’s a professional social media site. There isn’t really enough space …
How to NOT write a professional holiday card
Holiday cards are a valuable way to strengthen a relationship with a partner organization and to show your appreciation for a person who you’ve connected with a lot over the past year. But many people fail to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to further the relationship with another organization. Here are some of the …
Which form of social media is right for you?
Facebook: Best used for connecting with friends and seeing everday photos and status updates. Can get annoying really fast when people don’t know how to use social media properly (which is about 90% of Facebook users). A good intro to social media. Twitter: Best used for connecting with partner organizations and people or groups you’d …
Reading List
There are some books that I’ve been meaning to read for months or even years which I just haven’t gotten around to yet. I’m putting them into a nice list because a) I adore lists, and b) having them all written down will remind me to actually read them! Here are the next few books …
How to write a “to do” list
“To do” lists can be invaluable for organizing ourselves. But if put together poorly, they can merely be an ongoing frustration. Here’s how to effectively write a “to do” list to ensure you get the items completed on time: 1. Plan ahead for how long it will take you to do each item. If you …