So, I posted before about not using text lingo and abbreviations when communicating with your boss and I got a lot of great responses but one got me thinking. This particular response basically said that the Boomers and Gen Xers and Yers need to realize that times have changed and this is how they communicate now - complete with poor grammar, misspelled words and lingo. On the misspelled words and poor grammar, I understand that may not be entirely your fault. You went to school during Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” fiasco, but that’s not to say it should just be accepted. I was raising my niece during that time and when I found out spelling and grammar wasn’t really being taught I gave her my own “homework” to make sure she knew how to spell and speak and write correctly. I guess what bothered me was the fact that most are on this board because they are seeking employment yet the attitude from some is ‘so what if I can’t spell or write or speak properly, tell me why I can’t get a job’! So while yes times have changed, they haven’t really. Think of the job search and interview process as a courtship (ha! There’s and old fashioned word for you!) A girl has two guys show up to take her out for a date. The first one is dressed casually, maybe even with his baggy pants showing his underwear. She wishes he would have dressed better but she’s willing to overlook it and go ahead with the date. He doesn’t open doors for her, but she knows it’s a new era and guys don’t really do that anymore. Maybe he talks about himself and may ask a few questions about her, but his grammar is not great. They have a few laughs and find that they might have a few things in common. She ends the night weighing the pros and cons and decides he’s not a terrible person and maybe she’ll give him a second date. Then she goes out with the second guy who is dressed nicely. He holds doors for her, and walks on the outside of the sidewalk. Maybe even did a little “research” on facebook (this is the social media age after all) and found that her favorite food is seafood so he takes her to her favorite restaurant. They have nice conversations and she doesn’t feel like she’s going to have to “work” to get over the little things that were bothering her about the first guy. The next day she gets a text (with all words spelled out and correctly) that he had a good time and hopes to see her again. Now, who do you think is going to get the 2nd date (interview) and probably ultimately the long term relationship (job)? So, yes times have changed and there are new ways of communicating, but that doesn’t make it RIGHT. There is a time and a place for everything and knowing your audience is key. Use lingo all you want when texting your bae or bff’s. Even if your supervisors are ok with it I can just about guarantee you they think it’s obnoxious and silly. Bottom line is, the job market is tough out there as you know and you need to do whatever you need to do to get the edge and my advice is to go “old school”. It will get you noticed in the right way.