tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post2408156222454717549..comments2023-09-29T06:09:21.089-04:00Comments on Ask a Manager: should you point out a typo when applying for a job?Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-75271645563645053552010-11-12T02:56:04.739-05:002010-11-12T02:56:04.739-05:00I'd say don't point it out BUT I really do...I'd say don't point it out BUT I really don't agree with the idea that applicants shouldn't point out typos.<br /><br />Seriously, why can't people just take a typo correction for what it is? Who cares who made the error. Just CORRECT it and MOVE ON.<br /><br />It really sucks that people's egos play such a huge part in the hiring process.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-89904084300784381972010-10-20T15:53:10.339-04:002010-10-20T15:53:10.339-04:00What if there could be legal or PR ramifications t...What if there could be legal or PR ramifications to the typo? For example, waiting for an interview, I came across a typo on the company's home page, where three letters of a movie title were incorrect, and made the title into something somewhat explicit. The company was doing cross promotions with the movie studio, and the overall web page was aimed at children.<br />In a case like this, would your advice change, or would you still recommend being conservative and not mentioning it, at least during the interview itself?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-65643280183354393612010-09-29T17:14:29.161-04:002010-09-29T17:14:29.161-04:00Do NOT point it out!
If you're fortunate to g...Do NOT point it out!<br /><br />If you're fortunate to get the job, then build the relationship with whomever had made the typo, and if appropriate, ask to assist.<br /><br />Ugh, I am making a yucky face at the thought of someone a correction in an interview.<br /><br />That sound you hear? It's your application being shredded.Cosmic Noodleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04067998776949058190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-11659134959862642112010-09-29T10:40:17.101-04:002010-09-29T10:40:17.101-04:00My dad has successfully pulled this off twice. It ...My dad has successfully pulled this off twice. It even landed him the job. However he is in advertising and needs to be able to see such things. I have never tried this, my spelling is poor so I look for miss-spelling. Unfortunately this doesn't let me correct them with out a dictionary.<br /><br />But with the internet jokes about crazy grammar people I think it might make people think of it as more nit-picky then helpful.Phyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07786000210794917113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-38919888568492489902010-09-29T10:14:55.824-04:002010-09-29T10:14:55.824-04:00I bite my tongue when it comes to correcting peopl...<i> I bite my tongue when it comes to correcting people. </i><br /><br />That is because you are kind and polite. My husband's father thinks it is his role in life to correct everyone around him and why wouldn't people want to be corrected, in public, <a href="http://diaryofagolddigger.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-which-sly-tells-primo-to-keep-me-in.html" rel="nofollow">disdainfully</a>?the gold diggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09134199198587591427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-35931218401220939032010-09-29T03:03:37.313-04:002010-09-29T03:03:37.313-04:00Why would you point out the typo? Does it involve ...Why would you point out the typo? Does it involve inaccurate information about you - if not just leave it alone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-9830426040299406102010-09-28T20:40:19.287-04:002010-09-28T20:40:19.287-04:00Okay, back to the original topic! I'm on the j...Okay, back to the original topic! I'm on the job boards all recruiting, and I can't tell you how many typos I see on job postings. I always see postings for Mangers, Costumer Service, Finace and Human Resouces...StaffingStarrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-46376647660360617242010-09-28T20:35:54.193-04:002010-09-28T20:35:54.193-04:00I am a big grammar nerd, but in general I bite my ...I am a big grammar nerd, but in general I bite my tongue when it comes to correcting people. This is because my grandmother corrects my mother's grammar all the time (to the point of interrupting her to correct something), and I know how much it upsets her. So, unless prompted, I try to avoid it.Jennifernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-90848192134374948642010-09-28T19:35:09.031-04:002010-09-28T19:35:09.031-04:00Ok, I have to weigh in on my fondness for the seri...Ok, I have to weigh in on my fondness for the serial comma!! Other than in journalism, where they are indeed trying to save space, why sacrifice the clarity the serial comma provides? My friend's band was naming their new album and it incited a heated debate about the merits of the serial comma, among band members and friends alike. In the end they just printed the album with no punctuation at all in the title.Sarah Gnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-86863284356086537052010-09-28T17:16:19.015-04:002010-09-28T17:16:19.015-04:00Person with a journalism degree here-
In AP style...Person with a journalism degree here-<br /><br />In AP style (which is what most journalists use), the serial comma is only used when it specifically adds clarity (such as your cookie example). It's not used when it doesn't add any value to it. That's how I usually use it.<br /><br />Also, I'm surprised no one's mentioned "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" yet... :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-47190624036629636802010-09-28T16:54:25.350-04:002010-09-28T16:54:25.350-04:00Anonymous, is it possible you're being bored t...Anonymous, is it possible you're being bored to death by this comma debate, which would be entirely understandable?<br /><br />Newspapers traditionally haven't used serial commas because of a desire to save all the space they can (dating back to older typesetting, when every character used the same amount of space). So I get them not using it. But I will promote them vigorously for all other uses!Ask a Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-81001940103529311502010-09-28T16:48:37.152-04:002010-09-28T16:48:37.152-04:00I just have to weigh in on this serial comma debat...I just have to weigh in on this serial comma debate. I'm someone who is as anti-serial comma as they come - seriously, I consistently lost points on papers in a college class because my prof refused to recognize AP style and I refused to adapt to her need for unnecessary commas.<br /><br />However, in the instance that AAM just used:<br /><br />I have several new cookie recipes: macadamia, cinnamon and chocolate chip and peanut butter.<br /><br />Every newspaper I've ever worked at adheres to the rule that if the next item in a series uses the word 'and,' then the comma needs to be used.<br /><br />So the sentence should read:<br /><br />I have several new cookie recipes: macadamia, cinnamon, and chocolate chip and peanut butter.<br /><br />If, however, the chocolate chip and peanut butter recipes are separate, then the first and is completely unnecessary, should be removed and a comma should not be used (in AP style, of course).Liz Harterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032431575268484973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-7163690461235071382010-09-28T16:44:30.223-04:002010-09-28T16:44:30.223-04:00Is it me or have the posts bordered on boring late...Is it me or have the posts bordered on boring lately?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-8662145805917182592010-09-28T16:30:07.962-04:002010-09-28T16:30:07.962-04:00Here's an example of how the serial comma prom...Here's an example of how the serial comma promotes clarity -- in this example I am NOT using it:<br /><br />I have several new cookie recipes: macadamia, cinnamon and chocolate chip and peanut butter.<br /><br />With no serial comma there, you don't know whether one of the recipes is a combination of cinnamon and chocolate chip, or a combination of chocolate chip and peanut butter. But look at it with the serial comma:<br /><br />I have several new cookie recipes: macadamia, cinnamon and chocolate chip, and peanut butter.<br /><br />Clarity. That's why the serial comma is awesome.Ask a Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-66357348403277351882010-09-28T15:46:35.643-04:002010-09-28T15:46:35.643-04:00I know someone who is an executive in a 500 Fortun...I know someone who is an executive in a 500 Fortune company, who can't spell. She constantly confuses 'there' with 'their' and many other words, including volkswagan. My favorite was, her resume read: Empolyment history. <br />Last week, I was critized by her for not correcting the word 'reproducible'. She said that wasn't even a word.<br />English is my second language, but she came from an english spoken country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-13012311494924644682010-09-28T13:45:35.280-04:002010-09-28T13:45:35.280-04:00I'm English (and a grammar nerd) and I don'...I'm English (and a grammar nerd) and I don't tend to use the serial comma.<br /><br />Charles, in your example, "A man leaves in his will that his estate is to be divided amongst his surviving children - Mary, John and Joe. How is the money divided? two ways or three?" it would be obvious to Brits (I hope) that the money is divided three ways. <br /><br />If it were to be divided only two ways, we'd probably change the punctuation to something like this:<br /><br />"A man leaves in his will that his estate is to be divided amongst his surviving children - Mary; and John and Joe. How is the money divided? two ways or three?"<br /><br />There's a lot to be said for the semi-colon...Clarehttp://www.JobMarketSuccess.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-66804380637543785322010-09-28T13:42:33.092-04:002010-09-28T13:42:33.092-04:00I've seen MANY job postings asking that the ap...I've seen MANY job postings asking that the applicant be "detailed-oriented", which seems like it's just begging to be pointed out. Never done it, though.Lalaithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09754700750713593595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-2373996898728863522010-09-28T13:38:52.903-04:002010-09-28T13:38:52.903-04:00"How are yous today?" Please realize tha...<i>"How are yous today?" Please realize that you is singular and plural!</i><br /><br />The proper phrase is "youse guys" or "all of y'all" in the South. "Yous" is acceptable if you're in a hurry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-77075126536028289512010-09-28T11:56:16.863-04:002010-09-28T11:56:16.863-04:00Here's a vote FOR the serial comma:
A man lea...Here's a vote FOR the serial comma:<br /><br /><i>A man leaves in his will that his estate is to be divided amongst his surviving children - Mary, John and Joe. How is the money divided? two ways or three?</i><br /><br /><i>A man leaves in his will that his estate is to be divided amongst his surviving children - Mary, John, (note the serial comma!) and Joe. This is clearly divided THREE ways.</i><br /><br />Although, either way is correct, the serial comma removes all doubts about the intended meaning.<br /><br />Although I am clearly a big fan of including the serial comma I would not "correct" anyone as long as they are consistent in its use. And as AAM says - make sure you know what you are talking about before you correct someone.Charleshttp://home.earthlink.net/~nooriginalthought/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-78839694620189839872010-09-28T11:54:32.666-04:002010-09-28T11:54:32.666-04:00I do know for a fact that pointing out an error in...I do know for a fact that pointing out an error in an FAA written test that results in there being no correct answer does <b>not</b> garner one points from the examiner.Genehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12839802024718595388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-34446169552153833072010-09-28T11:38:57.257-04:002010-09-28T11:38:57.257-04:00Serial comma all the way! I learned that in junio...Serial comma all the way! I learned that in junior high. I always use it, and when I went through college, I had to use the Chicago style of writing and referencing.<br /><br />I don't even like to point out mistakes when I'm working. Even though I get that "OMG fix that mistake now!" feeling, I know I might anger someone about finding (and addressing it).<br /><br />But seriously, there should be a blog on grammar out there if there isn't already one. I have seen and heard too many blunders in the English language that the Queen herself would probably cringe to say the least (I'm in the U.S.A.). The most recent ones I have heard are:<br /><br />"How are yous today?" Please realize that you is singular and plural!<br /><br />"I had tooken him to the doctor." Say what? This hurts the ears!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-39221501042240472972010-09-28T11:24:20.829-04:002010-09-28T11:24:20.829-04:00Another vote for the serial comma. I don't thi...Another vote for the serial comma. I don't think I'd mention an error during a job application process, but I have occasionally pointed out errors at work on things like PowerPoint presentations that will be re-used. But I always couch it as a "typo" even when it's clearly a grammatical error. I figure a typo is a lot less embarrassing--we all make them. But not knowing the difference between their/there? Awkward!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-2297061360487234582010-09-28T11:00:01.478-04:002010-09-28T11:00:01.478-04:00ImpassionedPlatypi: I do know that it's consid...ImpassionedPlatypi: I do know that it's considered incorrect in the UK, but here it's grammatically correct either way, and I'd be surprised if anyone were learning it was actually wrong (as opposed to optional). Although I suppose nothing should surprise me, really.<br /><br />And yes, I can go on and on about this for many more paragraphs, believe me.<br /><br />I *almost* started a blog about grammar years before this one. Seriously, I am that much of a dork.Ask a Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-22794879731044541132010-09-28T10:55:08.444-04:002010-09-28T10:55:08.444-04:00I, too, love the serial comma and am forever corre...I, too, love the serial comma and am forever correcting it's absence in stuff that goes up on our website - but I didn't know the name.<br /><br />(Somewhere along the line I pushed the names for most grammatical elements out of my brain to make room for more math and hairband line-ups from the 80's)<br /><br />I feel much smarter than I did five minutes ago.Jamienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-3241360664905783882010-09-28T10:51:54.649-04:002010-09-28T10:51:54.649-04:00In elementary school english classes they taught u...In elementary school english classes they taught us that we had to use the serial comma. In high school we were told that you <i>can</i> use serial commas but you don't have to, it's grammatically correct either way. Given the difference in attitudes over just a few years between what was probably my 4th or 5th grade year and my 9th or 10th grade year, is it possible that your applicant had been taught that the serial comma is actually grammatically incorrect, AAM? I agree that they should have double checked before saying anything in that situation, but if some stupid english teacher drilled it into them I think I'd be more forgiving and use it as an opportunity to educate them.ImpassionedPlatypihttp://impassionedplatypi.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com