GFY – And That Doesn’t Stand For “Good For You”
Posted By Randy on July 9, 2012
Mrs. LFM recently brought to my attention a job posting for a position, one of the primary duties of which was proof reading. The job posting contained two errors that proof reading should have corrected before the item went out for publication. An argument could be made that the errors weren’t corrected because they really, really need to hire a proof reader, and no mistake, or that the errors were intentional, put there in an attempt to ferret out prospects with the right combination of savvy and guts to point them out. My experience, and its attendant dim view of what passes for attention to detail in the business world these days, leaves me convinced that it was nothing more than sloppy work. In the end, we’ll never really know, but I will stick with my assessment.
In related news, this morning’s e-mail contained an unsolicited invitation to attend a “Seminar to Develope New Businesses” – the header of which appears at the top of this story. I will forever forgive typos, but that’s not what this is, and based on this singular lack of attention to detail, I wouldn’t involve myself with its originator even if I had an interest in buying what they’re selling.
Maybe English their first language is not??
Indeed I think you have hit the nail upon the top, for your statement would be true of most high school graduates right here at home.
Years ago, when I worked in the corporate world (about 3 or 4 years of my life), I noticed this. There were people making lots of money in their jobs. Above a co-worker’s desk there was a cartoon cut from the newspaper. The co-worker had written above the cartoon: “Do you know any of these peoples?”
Hm, personally I pay more attention to what someone has to say than how they say it – and take into consideration that unfortunately kids with learning challenges, in the past and present, fall through the cracks – and I am speaking based on experience here.
That said, when I write something and a red line shows underneath my word, I take that as a hint that perhaps the word is spelled incorrectly and I make the according changes. Anyone who ignores that red line is indeed a slop and not really worth my attention.
Indeed Silvia, and I too take a lot into account. Nevertheless, we all too often see websites belonging to companies purporting to do professional web design, or that promise to write kick ass promotional copy that are rife with misspellings, bad to nonexistent punctuation, and horrible misuse of the dreaded APOSTROPHE – that last being a pet peeve for both Diana and me, and something I ranted about in http://randy.whynacht.ca/archives/17.
All that, and yet I know some very talented people that I respect without reservation who have rough and ready writing styles packed full of the misapplied “it’s”, misspellings, and punctuation errors, but who can convey their meaning with panache. So that brings me right back to your first sentence – if the message is conveyed with perfect clarity, a little mud on the window glass can, and indeed must, be ignored.
Yet for anyone who wants to pass themselves off as being above all that, then I will expect them to indeed be above all that and hold them to a higher standard. This dumbing down of the world must be opposed!