Week 3 - Carly Rowe

If I could make an 11^th rule in the “Ten Little Secrets Ten Big Mistakes” section of chapter 3, I would definitely include something that correlates with secret #4: Consider Your Audience. I would call it “Whom are you trying to communicate with?” with that being said, I have noticed many typing errors done by many professionals. I work at the State of Utah, in the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), I see emails all day, every day. The emails that get me are from either the director or the maintenance manager indicating “the restrooms on the 1^st floor will be down for use from september 19 to that friday, make sure to use another.” No lie, that was the email, let’s break it down… First, the term down for use just sounds odd to me, I would have said, “Will be out of order,” but that is just I. Secondly, he did not capitalize September OR Friday. Thirdly, “to that Friday,” he couldn’t have said from Monday the 19^th to Friday the 23^rd. Simple. Another email I have received lately was praising some employee’s on milestones, it said “and make sure you say congrats to these employees on hitting there milestones.”  1, the DIRECTOR of the division said this, the most professional guy I know… I would have said something like “make sure to congratulate these employees.” And secondly, there…. The biggest pet peeve of mine, it is THEIR. I can’t stress it enough sometimes, and I wish so badly I could just correct him on his grammar. Why I chose that certain topic, choosing an audience, is because with these two examples, wouldn’t you want to sound a little more professional, since it is an office setting and it is a professional work environment? I would like to see more people engaging and speaking similar to those they are trying to communicate with.