Here’s When to Say ‘Happy Holidays’ Instead of ‘Merry Christmas’

It’s that time of year… when you dread every interaction because you don’t know whether to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “Season’s Greetings,” or maybe some secret salutation you don’t even know yet. So what are you supposed to say?

In general, “Happy Holidays” is accepted as the broadest and most inclusive greeting at this time of year. If you know someone celebrates Christmas you can go with “Merry Christmas,” but ‘tis the season for interacting with strangers (selling to them, buying from them, bumping into them on your way out of Target). And when the time comes to wish them well, it’s usually best to go for general.

Why does the “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” debate exist?

The period from late November until early January is lumped together as “the holiday season.” You’ve got your biggies like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s, plus dates that get not quite so much attention, like Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, Boxing Day, and Festivus. With that many holidays crammed into a few weeks, it makes sense to go for the general holiday wish.

True, there aren’t too many people who celebrate all of those holidays. But the point is to acknowledge that different people celebrate different holidays

Also, this debate isn’t just about words: it’s about being politically correct and inclusive of diverse beliefs and traditions across the country.

“Holidays” are more inclusive

Although Christmas has been the most widely celebrated holiday in the United States for decades, the U.S. is more diverse than it’s ever been before, so not everyone celebrates Christmas. Some people get a Christmas tree, but don’t have any traditions associated with Christianity. And plenty of people have a different religious tradition, or no religious tradition at all.

If you say “Merry Christmas” to someone who celebrates Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or nothing at all, you could make them feel marginalized: like their own beliefs aren’t valued or respected by society. And that’s not a good way to feel around the holidays.

What about saying “Happy Holidays” to someone who celebrates Christmas—won’t that make them feel bad, too? Unfortunately, there’s a chance of that, especially because Christmas is still so widely celebrated. But one holiday being more popular than the others doesn’t mean you should ignore the other ones.

Think of it this way: “Happy Holidays” includes Christmas as one of those holidays, and “Merry Christmas” leaves out everything other than Christmas.

If you live in an area with mostly Christians, or if you know someone has a Menorah and not a Christmas tree, you can generally feel safe with a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah.” But if you don’t know, or aren’t quite sure, it’s probably best to stay general rather than taking a guess and potentially making someone feel bad.

So, “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas”?

A good rule of thumb: if you don’t know what someone celebrates, use the broader term. It’s as easy as that.

It’s not an insult to Christmas. It’s an inclusive way of wishing someone well and showing that you respect and value whatever tradition they observe. Actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg agrees:

″‘Happy Holidays’ allows everybody to be included…When you’re walking past somebody, you don’t know what their religious beliefs are or whether they have them. If they have religious beliefs and you can’t tell what they are, say ’Happy holidays.”

If Whoopi says so, there’s got to be something to it.

In a time of year that’s already hectic, wondering what to wish people can be yet another stress. But don’t forget that even with all the errands, tasks, and projects that need to be finished up by the end of the year, this is also a season that’s supposed to be happy or merry. You’re wishing someone a positive time of year. What matters most is the sentiment, not the specific holiday they celebrate.

Sure, there’s the occasional stickler who demands specificity—“What holidays do you mean?” Still, most people will see your attempt at sharing seasonal cheer and shoot you a smile, rather than insisting you clarify exactly which holiday you have in mind. Even if you celebrate one holiday and the person you’re talking to observes another one, by using the inclusive term, you’re doing your part to make sure everyone’s holiday actually is as happy as it can be.

Yes, You Can Make a Complex Point Over Text

Making a point in a clear, assertive email is one thing. But doing it in a text? LOL, way 2 much 4 txtspk.

Or is it?

Sure, you don’t have as much leeway in a text as in an email because of sheer lack of space, but it is possible to make a point, ask for something important, or express a serious idea in a text message. Here are some tips for how to make it so.

Use real words

As in, “you,” “for,” “today,” “thanks.” Writing in real-speak instead of text-speak shows that you’re serious. For example:

Thx 4 mtg w me 2day. U r rly helpful. WML 4 interview 2moro!

Not quite as effective as:

Thank you for meeting with me today. You were really helpful. Wish me luck for the interview tomorrow!

Sure, it depends on who you’re writing: if it’s your best friend and you always swap “you” for “u,” no need to make things unexpectedly formal. But before you type out your message, think about what you’re trying to say, who’s going to read it, and whether your point will be more effective with actual words.

Start with “Hey”

When people are about to say something important in conversation, they often start with “listen” or “look.” Those senses don’t exactly make sense over text, but a casual “hey” can have the same effect. Plus, it signals that you’re about to get a bit more serious than normal, and even pads the blow a little.

Hey, I wanted to apologize for taking my bad mood out on you earlier.

Without the hey, it sounds stiff, even insincere. With the hey, you get a casual, human touch that leads neatly into the point.

Don’t write a novel

We get it: it’s hard to make a point in a couple lines. But if the message is longer than the phone screen and you have to scroll to see the whole thing, it’s probably too much for the person to digest. Just like in other forms of writing, you’ll make a stronger point if you avoid filler words and get directly to the issue.

Compare these two texts to a coworker:

Hey Karen, I’m really sorry, but I think I ate something weird last night and I’m feeling really sick. I know we were supposed to prep for our big presentation today, but I’m just feeling too sick to leave the house today. Hopefully I’ll be better tomorrow and we can figure things out then. Sorry again, but thanks for understanding!

Then, you take out the (digital) red pen:

Hey Karen, so sorry, but I’ve got food poisoning. We’ll have to do our meeting prep when I’m back. I’ll follow up by email when possible.

More succinct, and more professional, too.

Sum up your argument

What is this, expository essay class? It may sound like even more added weight, but if you have to say something complicated, one way to keep it clean is to write the main point in one text, and send your “conclusion” as a separate text. For example:

Text 1: Hey, I understand that you have a lot going on right now and can’t make it to the dinner tonight, but I’ve got to say I’m disappointed. I planned it months ago and was really counting on you being there. Even with everything you have on your plate, I thought this would be a priority for you.

Text 2: Anyway, sorry for being upset and I do understand you’ve got a lot happening, but wanted you to know.

Heavy stuff—maybe even better over the phone or in person. Still, there are times when you need to have your say, and text is the only venue for doing it. And in those cases, a final line—sometimes with an extra “thanks” or “sorry”—can make the message more personal and caring.

Offer a follow-up

The tips so far have given you some fuel for your serious, thoughtful, or bad-news texts. But there are some conversations that should be had in person. You can lay the groundwork in your text and then plug for a different venue to keep the discussion going. For example:

• Hey, our presentation is coming along, but I think it needs more work. Let’s set up some time to talk about moving it forward.
• Hey, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings with that stupid joke earlier. Can I call you?
• Hi Mom, guess what? I got the job offer! Too many details to text but I’ll tell you more over dinner tomorrow.

With this kind of message, you can say what you need to say but not overburden your text recipient with information.

Send a gif

Caveat: Maybe you don’t send a white rabbit gif to your boss to explain you’re running late for your very important date—er, meeting.

But if you think the person you’re writing will respond well to a bit of levity, adding a gif or a meme is a great way to lighten the mood of a serious message. Technology has given us the gift of sending moving cats to people by phone, so why not take advantage of it?

Here are some ways to make it go purringly:

• Things are pretty tough right now (cat getting a bath)
• I didn’t mean to lash out at you (cat lashing out at its balloon lookalike)
• What you said hurt my feelings (cat hanging its head with a wounded air)
• I’m really sorry I messed up this time (cat falling off a chair)
• I’m sorry I can’t make it. Just can’t handle a party tonight (cat looking like it can’t handle a party any night. Even with the sombrero.)

As with emails, conversations in person, or other forms of communication, if you’re saying something important in a text message, think through how best to say it. Make sure you plan your words based on the person you’re writing to (e.g., you’ll be more formal in professional settings than personal ones), and before you tap Send, read your message through to make sure it doesn’t sound aggressive, whiny, or mean.

And nine times out of ten, animal gifs are your friend.

How to Best Introduce Yourself at a Job Interview

You’re sitting in a reception area, dressed in a carefully chosen outfit. You’re showered and polished. Your hair is perfect. Your hands are manicured. Now, if only your palms would stop sweating!

Few things are quite as unnerving as job interviews. You approach them knowing that unless you match the employer’s expectations you’re not going to land that sweet gig. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to ensure you’ll make a good impression when the stakes are high.

Introduce yourself in a professional way

First impressions start here, so make sure you get it right. Your next career move could well begin with a hello and a handshake. In the reception area, introduce yourself.

Hi, I’m Jill Jackson. I’m here for my 10:30 interview with Jane Smith.

When you meet the person who’ll be interviewing you, extend a hand, say hello, and introduce yourself again.

Hi, Ms. Smith. I’m Jill Jackson. Thanks for inviting me to meet with you today.

Here’s a tip: Keep a folded napkin or handkerchief in your pocket. It’ll be helpful if you need to dry your hands quickly before you meet the interviewer. It’s harder to make a good impression with sweaty palms.

Make sure you’ve done your homework up front

The single best thing you can do to ace an interview is to conduct some research ahead of time. Learn as much as you can about the company you’re interviewing with. Visit their website and look for things like a careers or culture page. Scan their social media accounts to get a feel for their brand voice. Visit Glassdoor to see what employees are saying about them, which might give you more culture clues as well as insight into their strengths and challenges. When you’re armed with information, you’ll feel less vulnerable, and when the time comes, you’ll be able to demonstrate your insight into the company.

I noticed that The ABC Corporation’s blog focuses on content for working professionals. Can you tell me more about how that plays into your branding strategy?

ABC’s website has a great culture page! It gave me a real sense of what drives your team.

Answer the dreaded “Tell me about yourself” with style

There’s no more open-ended question than the one every job seeker loves to hate—“Tell me about yourself.” How do you project an image of confidence without arrogance? Do you mention anything personal or stick to business?

It’s a good idea to prepare your answer to this question ahead of time. It’s often used as an ice-breaker, so go ahead and begin with a few bits of personal information.

I moved cross-country to the west coast two years ago—I love it here! I’ve been spending time adventuring and getting to know the area cuisine. I’m a foodie at heart.

Make sure you avoid politics or anything potentially controversial. Even relating something like your enthusiasm for hunting can go wrong if you come across an interviewer who’s opposed to the practice. By all means, be interesting—if you have an unusual hobby like paragliding or snake charming, make yourself memorable by sharing it. (Well, maybe hold off on sharing the snake charming thing. You don’t want to come off as that much of a risk taker.)

Don’t dwell on the personal for more than a couple of beats. Segue into talking about your professional life.

I ventured out west because marketing is my passion, and I saw so many opportunities in Silicon Valley. I’d love to tell you about some of the strengths I’d bring to this position.

Don’t overdo it. Before the interview, consider three or four personality assets or skills you believe the hiring manager will value. Outline them briefly. (Remember that the interviewer can always ask more questions if one of your points intrigues her.)

I enjoy networking. I attended three professional conferences last year, and not only did I get valuable insights, but I also connected with some solid new leads.

Good communication is important to me, so I’m always sharpening my writing skills. I wrote my company’s top-performing blog article last quarter.

Be concrete. Show how your skills have made a difference in your professional life. But also, be concise. Nattering on about your talents for too long can make you seem arrogant or self-absorbed.

Here’s a tip: You’ll have the advantage if you know what the hiring manager is looking for in advance. If you used a keyword strategy to craft your resume, apply that to your understanding of the topics you should focus on during your interview.

Be prepared to take charge of the interview

Interviewers may be in positions of power, but that doesn’t mean most are good at interviewing. In fact, many interviewers struggle with it. They overestimate their intuitive sense of you and make snap judgments. They may overvalue things like how articulate you are, your assertiveness, and even your technical chops without really asking the questions that will determine how fit you are for the position.

If the interviewer isn’t asking the right questions and assessing you in a way that lets you show your best angles, be prepared to step in and demonstrate your strengths.

Most interviewers ask questions unrelated to real job requirements. As the person being interviewed, you need to take control to ensure you’re being evaluated properly. This starts by asking the person to describe the job in terms of real objectives and challenges. Then you need to describe work you’ve done that’s most related.

—Lou Adler for Inc.

Preparation is the key to knocking your interview out of the park. Take time to rehearse your answers to popular interview questions. Stay positive, smile, and try to relax. You’ve got this!

Verbs

There are up to five forms for each verb: root, third-person singular, present participle, past, and past participle.

Root Form of the Verb

The root form of a verb is the base form of the word. Roots have not been conjugated and do not include prefixes or suffixes.

The root form of the verb is the same as the infinitive form with “to” removed. See the examples below: to see – see

to be – be

to wear – wear

to go – go

The root form of a verb is used to create other forms of the verb when conjugated. This is always true with regular verbs, but may not apply with irregular verbs, depending on the tense. The examples below illustrate this concept.

I am going to school.

(Root: go)

What did you do yesterday?

(Root: do)

The girl showed her mother the picture she drew in school.

(Root: show)

He had eaten three hamburgers.

(Root: eat)

Third Person Singular Form of a Verb

The third person singular (he/she/it/one) conjugation is the verb form that tends to be different from other conjugations. For regular verbs, this verb form end in ‑s (or sometimes ‑es). Consider the examples below: he sees

she watches

it shrinks

one does

Present Participle Form of a Verb

The present participle verb form is created by adding -ing to the root word. It’s used in the past, present, and future progressive verb tenses. Look at the examples below:

We’re coming to the party tonight.

(come – coming)

They have been drawing for hours.

(draw – drawing)

We will be washing the car before vacation.

(wash – washing)

Past and Past Participle Forms of the Verb

The past and past participle verb form for regular verbs is the root word + ‑ed. It’s only used with the past tenses. Consider the examples below:

We shopped for hours on Saturday afternoon.

(shop – shopped)

The books were stacked on the shelf.

(stack – stacked)

He had played computer games for the whole weekend.

(play – played)

The past participle can be difficult to determine for some irregular verbs. It’s best to look these up in a dictionary if you’re at all unsure of the past participle. Here are a few examples of irregular verbs:

Root	Simple Past	Past Participle
Sing	Sang	Sung
See	Saw	Seen
Fall	Fell	Fallen
Give	Gave	Given
Go	Went	Gone

I had forgiven him for his unkind words.

Simon had lit candles all around the room.

And the Oscar for Best Grammar Goes to. . .

Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences creates a Hollywood spectacle to honor the best films, actors, screenwriters, directors, and more. Before the Academy rolls out the red carpet on February 28 to announce 2016’s Oscar winners, we decided to roll out the red pen (metaphorically speaking) and rank the movies, actors, and actresses by how well their fans write when they’re buzzing about them online.

First, we looked at fan-written movie reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. We gathered the most recent one hundred four- and five-star reviews of at least fifteen words for each film, analyzed them with Grammarly, and then verified them with a team of live proofreaders. We counted only black-and-white mistakes, such as misspellings, wrong and missing punctuation, misused or missing words, and subject-verb disagreement. We ignored stylistic variations, such as common slang words, nicknames, serial commas, or the use of numerals instead of spelled-out numbers.

Then, we set out for IMDb and followed the same procedure to rank the Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress nominees according to how well IMDb commenters wrote when they discussed them in the forums. We also searched out the top three adjectives or phrases commenters used to describe the celebs.

Leonardo DiCaprio may be the odds-on favorite to win an Oscar for The Revenant, but the “amazing, desperate guy,” who has yet to score an Oscar, didn’t fare well in our research, coming in second-to-last—just above Sylvester Stallone, who’s nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Creed. Although Variety predicts that The Big Short will walk away with the gleaming golden statue for Best Picture, where fan grammar is concerned, Brooklyn takes the win.

Of course, our research is all in the name of fun and good grammar. To see who really gets to step up to the microphone and say “I’d like to thank the Academy,” you’ll have to tune in to the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 28.

11 Delectable Holiday Words to Celebrate LitMas Eve

Merry LitMas Eve!

If you recall, LitMas is our made-up bookish holiday to celebrate all things nerdy and word-related before the holidays. So far, we’ve given you everything from winter quotes to Christmas grammar fails, and we’ve loved every minute of it. Although we’re sad to see this nerdy holiday season come to a close, our penultimate gift will be sweet. Literally.

Because we know food is a large part of any holiday, we’ve collected some of our favorite holiday food words. As you read through this list, try to imagine a food that you could describe with each word. Or, if you’d like an extra challenge, try complimenting (or critiquing) your neighbor’s cookies, your coworker’s pie, or your mom’s Christmas dinner with these words!

1 Toothsome, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Temptingly tasty.

2 Flaky, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Easy to break into pieces.

3 Saccharine, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Sickly sweet.

4 Piquant, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Having a pleasantly spicy taste or appetizing flavor.

5 Verdant, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Lush with green foliage.

6 Treacly, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Having traits of molasses (treacle).

7 Acerbic, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Sour, bitter, or sharp.

8 Ambrosial, n.

via GIPHY

Definition: Tasty enough to be served to the gods.

9 Rich, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Full of flavor, sweetness, or fat.

10 Edulcorate, v.

via GIPHY

To make something more palatable.

11 Sapid, adj.

via GIPHY

Definition: Having a strong, great taste.

Did we miss one of your tasty Christmas word favorites? Tweet your favorites with #LitMas.

5 Writing Mistakes You’re Making on Your LinkedIn Profile

On Twitter, we let our wit loose into the world. On Facebook, we showcase our social selves. On dating websites, we focus on our romantic side. And on LinkedIn, we carefully construct an image we wouldn’t mind an employer seeing—no photos from parties, no funny cat videos, no wisecracks. After all, it’s the professional social network, and using it means we consent to the general notion that it should be used for serious pursuits. Serious social networks and serious pursuits require serious profiles. Yes, your LinkedIn profile picture counts and you should definitely look professional in it. Words count for a lot on LinkedIn as well. Let’s look at a few common problems and talk about ways to fix them.

Your Style Is All Over the Place

The way you write in your LinkedIn profile should be uniform. You should be able to write consistently in each section, using the same style conventions to avoid inconsistencies. Numbers, spaces after a period, punctuation marks before or after a closing quotation mark—all of these things and many more have to be the same throughout your profile. If you’re having problems with consistency, try using a style guide. Almost any of them will do, so just pick one and stick with it.

You’re Using Too Many Words

Even if you’re a novelist, you shouldn’t write novels in your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is not a place for anecdotes or flowery language. Think about it—the people you want to look at your LinkedIn profile are probably a business owners, managers, or recruiters. Don’t make them slog through a lot of unimportant stuff before they get the information they need (because they won’t bother). Put that information front and center so that it’s clearly visible and easy to read.

You’re Not Proofreading Your Profile

You cannot have spelling mistakes in your LinkedIn profile. We’re not just saying that because this is Grammarly and we have an awesome, free proofreading tool we’d like you to try out. You really can’t have any mistakes. If you can’t take the time to proofread your own profile, or if you’re not willing to invest in software or human proofreaders to look through your profile for mistakes, what kind of message do you think you’ll be sending to potential employers?

You’re Not Thinking About Keywords

Keywords are important. Search engines use keywords to determine whether to include your profile in search results. Keywords are also very easy to figure out—the most relevant ones are usually the title of your profession plus a variation or two, or maybe a word that’s closely related to your field of work. Here’s an example: you’re a flower arranger, and that’s your most important keyword. You can also add “flower arrangement” because that’s what you produce. That’s it—you have two good keywords. Now that you have your keywords, make sure you mention them throughout your profile, but not too many times—it’s counterproductive and it might actually lower your rank in search results. The most important keyword should be listed as one of your skills. It should also be in your headline and mentioned once or twice in your summary. Make sure you include the other keywords here and there.

You’re Not Using LinkedIn to Its Fullest Potential

There are plenty of tricks that can help you make the most out of your LinkedIn profile. You can edit your profile URL so that it contains, let’s say, your first and last names and your profession. You can also edit the anchor text for the blog and website links on your profile. You can rearrange the sections of your profile to put the most important and impressive ones at the top. If you build your LinkedIn profile really well, you can convert it into a resume using the Resume Builder tool. There are plenty of additional tips and tricks for using LinkedIn. The more of them you know, the more useful the website will be for you.

11 Words and Phrases to Use in Salary Negotiations if You Want to Succeed

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a magic word you could say in order to get people to agree with you? If, for example, a simple utterance of “abracadabra” could instantly convince your employer to see things your way, salary negotiations would be a whole lot easier.

Unfortunately, we live in the real world, and those magic words that guarantee instant success don’t quite exist — but the good news is, we’ve got the next best thing. The following words and phrases are expert-level ways to demonstrate the confidence, congeniality, and knowledge necessary to secure a higher salary.

Use these in your next negotiation, and you might just see a bump in your paycheck sooner than you can say “alakazam.”

1 “I am excited by the opportunity to work together.”

Too often, people think of salary negotiation as a battle: you, trying to get as much as you possibly can, versus your employer, trying to stay within budget. However, this type of thinking can be counterproductive, explains Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide.

“Never engage in negotiation as an ultimatum — an either/or — but rather as a collaborative process and a unique opportunity to create a compensation package that makes sense for both you and for them. Establish priorities as to what is most important to you and what items you are willing to trade off,” Cohen advises.

“Unless you know for sure that you are indispensable, and few of us ever are, successful negotiation should never become adversarial. That is a bad sign that the process has broken down or will,” Cohen continues.

2 “Based on my research…”

It’s only natural to see if you can get a higher salary than the one that you were offered, but it needs to be grounded in reality. Rather than just throwing out a number that you think sounds nice, you need to do your homework on what your skills are worth in order to provide a compelling case for your employer to compensate you accordingly.

“One phrase to use is something along the lines of ‘based on my research.’ That shows the other person you’ve done your homework and know what you’re talking about when negotiating,” says David Bakke, Writer/Contributor at Money Crashers.

One tip to come to the negotiation table prepared: get a free, personalized salary estimate from Glassdoor’s Know Your Worth™ calculator.

3 “Market”

As part of your research, make sure you know what the market for your job is, says Labor & Employment Attorney Alex Granovsky of Granovsky & Sundaresh PLLC. “Market refers to what the employee can earn if he or she went out on the job market and found a new, similar position,” Granovsky says. “If you are making $80,000, but could get a job around the corner making $100,000, the ‘market’ suggests that you are being underpaid.” And since companies presumably don’t want to lose you to the competition, they take that number seriously.

4 “Value” Value, on the other hand, “refers to what you bring to your employer,” Granovsky says. “From an employer’s perspective, each employee has to either (1) increase revenue, or (2) increase margin (ideally both). While probably not as compelling as the job market, if you can show to your employer how you are bringing ‘value’ to the company (in the form of increased revenue and/or increased margin), you can make a compelling case for a raise.”

So if, for example, you can prove that a new initiative you implemented earned the company $100,000, asking for a $5,000 raise sounds a lot more palatable to your employer.

5 “Similarly situated employees”

Forget any advice you’ve received about not snooping into your coworkers’ salaries — it can be a powerful data point in negotiations.

“‘Similarly situated employees’ are people who do what you do within the company,” Granovsky says. “If your position is ‘senior account manager’ and every other ‘senior account manager’ is making more money than you, this is something you should explore too.”

While you certainly don’t want to force any of your colleagues to disclose information they’re not comfortable sharing, you can use tools like Glassdoor to find out what they’re making, and therefore, whether or not you’re being fairly compensated.

6 “Is that number flexible at all?”

If an employer offers a number that’s below your desired range, pushing back is essential — but you want to make sure you handle it with tact. Saying “is that number flexible at all” is a graceful way to “[give] the employer the opportunity to offer more, or even mention other perks you might be able to gain if a higher salary isn’t in the picture,” Bakke says.

7 “I would be more comfortable if…”

Blunt phrasing like “I need” or “I want” can be a turn-off to employers. But expressing your desired salary with this phrase “is a collaborative way to let the recruiter or hiring manager know specifically what you’re looking for so they can focus on that dimension of your job offer,” says Josh Doody, author of Fearless Salary Negotiation.

“The rest of this sentence should be a specific ask. For example, the rest of this sentence might be ‘…we can settle on a base salary of $60,000.’ or ‘…we can increase the Restricted Stock Unit allotment to 100 units.’ Contrast this with something like, ‘Do you have any wiggle room?’, which is vague and allows them to say ‘No’ and short-circuit the negotiation,” Doody continues.

8 “If you can do that, I’m on board.”

We’ll let you in on a little secret — often times, recruiters are just as anxious as you for salary negotiations to come to a close. So if you can specifically spell out what it would take for you to accept an offer, you’ll be doing recruiters and hiring managers a favor.

“When you get to this phase of the negotiation, you want to make it clear to the recruiter or hiring manager that saying ‘Yes’ will end the negotiation so they’re more comfortable acquiescing,” Doody says. For example, you may want to say, “I understand you can’t come all the way up to $60,000. It would be great to add an additional week of paid vacation along with the $55,000 you suggested. If you can do that, I’m on board,” he suggests.

9 “I would prefer not to leave.”

This is a good one for employees who are negotiating raises to keep in their back pocket. Why? It comes down to the fact that it’s part of a defensible strategy, Cohen says.

“A defensible strategy explains what you want, why you want it, and how it is a win/win for both your boss and for you. The goal is to show value and benefit,” Cohen says. If a low salary at work is truly a dealbreaker for you, “get an offer that you would be willing to accept, but prefer not to,” Cohen advises. “Tell your boss that you have received an offer, that it is attractive, [but] that you prefer not to leave… It is far cheaper to give you a raise than to recruit and train a new candidate.”

But be warned: this phrase should not be taken lightly. “Know that this is a risky proposition: It could backfire. So please don’t use it if you don’t really want to leave or don’t have a bona fide offer on the table,” Cohen cautions.

10 “Do you mind if I take a couple of days to consider your offer?”

Even if a job offer exceeds your expectations, try to play it cool. “The first thing you should do when you receive a job offer is ask for time to consider it,” Doody says. “This little phrase accomplishes several things. Primarily, it buys you time to consider the offer, determine the appropriate counter offer, and begin building your case to support your counter offer. [But] it also enables you to move the negotiation to email if it’s not already there,” Doody says. This, he says, is a key to successfully pulling off a counter-offer.

“You want to counter offer over email whenever possible because you can be very deliberate with exactly what you say. Your salary negotiation will be more successful if you carefully choose your counter offer amount and clearly articulate why you’re worth it,” he explains.

11 “Thank you.”

Your pleases and thank-yous didn’t stop becoming important after you learned them in preschool — in the business setting, manners can mean everything.

“At the end of the salary discussion, be sure to thank the person for taking the time to sit down with you, just to maintain your professionalism,” Bakke says.

Not only is it simply the right thing to do — an employer is much more likely to accommodate the wants and needs of somebody who shows them respect.

A version of this post originally appeared on Glassdoor’s blog.

What Are the Most Effective Communication Skills to Have?

The ability to communicate is a valuable asset. Good communicators make more money. Studies show that oral communication is one of the most important competencies for college grads entering the workforce. Successful entrepreneurs are more likely to be excellent communicators, and that’s no coincidence.

A family member of mine once had an amazing idea for a gadget. In fact, it was such a good idea that he worked on perfecting it until he was able to secure a U.S. patent. We were all convinced his invention was a winner. In fact, it seemed to have a lot of intriguing applications. What a goldmine!

But, as it turns out, the invention never reached its potential, and the inventor is not rich. Why? There are multiple reasons, but a large part of the problem was that he wasn’t able to communicate his idea to manufacturers effectively. No one seemed to understand why they should pick up this brilliant gadget and put it into production.

For contrast, let’s consider Michael Faraday, the nineteenth-century English scientist who discovered many of the fundamental laws of physics and chemistry. Although he had little formal education, he was a great communicator. He could simplify complex scientific explanations so that even a child could understand them. Between 1827 and 1860, Faraday gave a series of nineteen Christmas lectures for young people at the Royal Institution in London, a series which continues today. His efforts to communicate clearly made him one of the most influential voices in scientific history.

Communication matters. Here are a few of the most important communication skills to hone.

Listening

You might not think of listening as a communication skill, but it’s at the top of this list for a reason. Have you ever chatted with a person who rattled on and never gave you the chance to get a word in edgewise? That person might be a world class talker, but they’re certainly not a good communicator.

Listening to a person teaches us how to communicate with them. Their contributions to the conversation provide important insights and context. It’s a good rule of thumb to listen more than you talk. When you find common ground, speak up and share your own thoughts and stories. Just resist going on too long. If you want to be interesting to others, you have to be interested in them.

Don’t forget to ask clarifying questions. When someone offloads a lot of information at once, you might simply say “Okay, let me run this back to be sure I have it straight” and then reiterate what the speaker said. Repeating pertinent parts of a conversation shows that you were listening. It also helps you get things clear in your own head so you’re less likely to misunderstand or forget what was said. This skill is especially valuable when it comes to technical matters or instructions.

Clarity

Clarity is huge. It’s important—it prevents your listener from having to ask “Say what, now?” (And it’s critical in writing, where the reader can’t interrupt to ask for clarification.) Often, what we say makes sense in our own heads but we fail to consider that our listener doesn’t have the same context. Every time you use a pronoun like he, she, or they, make certain the listener knows who that pronoun refers to. Ditto for other nonspecific words like it and this.

I was hoping we could get a better handle on this.

This phrase might leave the listener asking, “Get a better handle on what?”

I was hoping we could get a better handle on pronoun reference rules.

The correct example gets specific, so we don’t have to ask what. That’s clarity in action. Use it in speaking and perfect it in writing and you’ll be far less likely to be misunderstood.

Openness

Have you ever encountered a person who kept their arms folded and didn’t make eye contact when you approached? That person may have simply been distracted or preoccupied, but odds are you read their body language as unfriendly and you didn’t make an effort to talk.

If you want to communicate, you have to look open to it. Uncross those arms! Make eye contact. Smile. Although I tend to be on the quiet side until I get to know a person, I became great friends with someone in a singing group I belong to all because he took a moment to shoot me a smile and a friendly nod, which made me feel he was someone I could approach and say hello to. You never know where a little openness might lead!

Empathy

One of my favorite fictional characters, Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, said, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

That’s what empathy is, and it’s essential to good communication. We all walk around in our own little worlds, but to make a connection with someone requires the ability to put yourself in that person’s place and try to understand their point of view. When you do that, the snippy sales clerk becomes a person who might be slogging through a difficult day, the bratty toddler in the next line becomes a tired and overstimulated child, and his wheedling parent becomes an exhausted mom at the end of her tether.

When you’re able to empathize, you can approach conversations calmly and rationally. You might wish the sales clerk a good day and offer the weary mom a smile, or even a helping hand, when everyone else is glaring daggers. Whether you’re at work, at home, or hanging out with friends, empathy skills can help you defuse emotionally charged situations.

Energy

Think of some of your favorite people to talk with. Odds are, they’re usually upbeat and full of life. We’re naturally drawn to people who lift our moods. If you’re capable of it, try to be just a little more energetic than the person you’re speaking with. It’s possible to show enthusiasm for a topic even if it happens to be difficult. Be engaged. Lean in. Listen intently. We naturally like people who can elevate a conversation rather than bring it down.

Communicating effectively doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Some of us have to work at it. And working at it means being conscious of the things we can do to improve. Communication didn’t come naturally to Michael Faraday—he took notes and observed other lecturers and worked hard to improve. But he proved that developing good communication skills enables a person’s intelligence and ideas to shine through. It’s worth the effort.

3 Salary Negotiation Scripts You Can Use for Any Job

Ask any job seeker or employee about salary negotiations and one of the most popular responses is, “I would negotiate but I don’t know what to say.” Having the right words to say, or write, during a salary negotiation is vital. Communication can make or break discussions and impact your ability to get paid fairly.

First things first, determine your current worth in the job market. Use Know Your Worth to receive a custom salary estimate based on your title, company, location and experience. Once you have the information, it’s time to advocate for yourself.

Josh Doody, author of Fearless Salary Negotiation, knows how challenging it can be to learn to financially advocate for oneself. He took his first job without negotiating his salary. Once he got hip to the dance, he doubled that salary.

We teamed with Doody to equip job seekers and employees with the knowledge they need to tackle tricky salary negotiation conversations.

Situation #1: Prying During the Prescreen

How should you respond when you’re asked about salary right off the bat? You want to demonstrate that you’re enthusiastic and cooperative, but you don’t want to tip your hand. Doody explains: “It’s a salary negotiation tactic disguised as a gatekeeper-type interview question.”

Suggested Script:

Recruiter: What’s your current salary?

You: “I’m not really comfortable sharing that information. I would prefer to focus on the value I can add to this company and not what I’m paid at my current job.”

If the interview team doesn’t know your salary, they can’t use it as their starting point. Doody writes, “that’s probably going to mean a higher initial offer for you.”

Recruiter: What’s your expected salary?

You: “I want this move to be a big step forward for me in terms of both responsibility and compensation.”

Doody points out, “sharing your current salary or your expected salary is not in your best interest. . . They’re interviewing you because you’re a qualified candidate, and they need a qualified candidate. . . They would also like to get a good deal. They’re not going to stop interviewing you just because you don’t make it easier for them to get a good deal on you.”

If they pass because you won’t acquiesce, that’s a red flag. Doody says, “then they’re extremely motivated to get a bargain… That’s bad news for you even if you get the job.”

One last thing: resist the temptation to try reading the interviewer’s mind. If you underestimate what they’re willing to pay, you’re leaving money on the table. If the real answer is that they would compensate someone like you up to $75,000 dollars, and you guess they would pay a salary of only $65,000, you very literally may have just cost yourself $10,000.

If you overestimate and tell them your salary expectation is $85,000, you may set off red flags that cause them to rethink the interview process altogether. This is pretty rare, but you could disqualify yourself by being “too expensive” for them. If your expected salary is well above their budgeted pay range, they may just move on to other candidates with lower salary expectations.

The bottom line is you probably aren’t going to guess what their salary structure looks like, and if you try to guess you may cost yourself a lot of money.

Situation #2: Savvy Counter Offering

After you’ve secured an offer, Doody recommends using this formula:

“The counter offer calculator accounts for four factors—the base salary of your job offer, your minimum acceptable salary (“walk away” number), how badly the company needs you to accept the job offer, and how badly you need the job.”

Use “firm and neutral” language like this:

Suggested Script

“Tom offered $50,000 and I would be more comfortable if we could settle on $56,000. I feel that amount reflects the importance and expectations of the position for ACME Corp’s business, and my qualifications and experience as they relate to this particular position.”

Or, if you had a competing offer:

“Thank you so much for the offer. As I mentioned during my interview process, I am speaking with a couple of other companies. If you’re able to move the pay to [insert your number], I’d be eager to accept.”

Doody explains that email is the perfect medium for this message. This way, the hiring manager can share it in a format that clearly makes your case to each person with whom it’s shared. Your case won’t get the same treatment if it’s restated recollections of a conversation.

The hiring manager will likely come back with a figure between your base salary and your counter offer. For Doody, the distance between these figures represents your “salary negotiation window.” He recommends compartmentalizing this window into increments. In the example above, the window is $6,000, so he recommends devising a response for each possible offer. If, for example, the offer is $55,000 or above, Doody says it’s a taker.

“If the company comes back with $53,000, then you say ‘If you can do $54,000, I’m on board!’ If they stick with $53,000, then you would say, ‘I understand the best you can do is $53,000 and you can’t come up to $54,000. If you can do $53,000 and offer an extra week of paid vacation each year, then I’m on board.’”

Decide which benefits, like vacation time or flexible working hours, are most important so that you can apply them to bolster the deal. Rank those benefits in your mind and use those in your bargaining.

1. Extra vacation time 2. Work from home 3. Signing bonus

If they do not accept your second-priority benefit, you move on to your third-priority benefit. Regardless of whether they accept your final response, then you’re finished; don’t get nit-picky or greedy. You have maximized your base salary and maximized your benefits as well.

Situation #3: Raises & Promotions

Doody explains: “Your primary reason for requesting a raise is that the salary you’re being paid doesn’t reflect your current value to the company. That salary was set sometime in the past, so your argument is that you are more valuable now than you were.” You have a fair justification. Now you need the right plan.

Start by mentioning, via email, to your manager that you’d like to discuss compensation in your next private meeting. After that conversation, Doody advises preparing a strategically constructed, easily sharable salary increase letter.

Suggested Email Script:

“As we discussed, it has been [amount of time] since [my last significant salary adjustment OR since I was hired], and I would like to revisit my salary now that I’m contributing much more to the company. I’ve been researching salaries for [job title] in [industry] industry, and it looks like the mid-point is around [mid-point from your research]. So I would like to request a raise to [target salary].”

The letter should also highlight your accomplishments and accolades. Doody notes that if your proposal isn’t accepted on the first try, you can work with your manager to create an action plan.

“I would love to work with you to put together a clear action plan and timeline so we can continue this discussion and monitor my progress as I work toward my goal.”

Always remember, your talent is precious, and you deserve to be compensated for it. Learning to foster conversations about compensation is a vital skill that yields rewards.

A version of this post originally appeared on Glassdoor’s blog.

When Should I Spell Out Numbers?

It is generally best to write out numbers from zero to one hundred in nontechnical writing. In scientific and technical writing, the prevailing style is to write out numbers under ten. While there are exceptions to these rules, your predominant concern should be expressing numbers consistently.

Numbers can disrupt readability in a paragraph, so for most writing purposes, it is best to flex those fingers and type out numbers less than 101 as fully spelled words.

Sophie said there are ninety-nine reasons why she adores Justin Bieber, not ten.

According to census records, there were 53,364 people over the age of one hundred in the U.S. in 2010.

When writing out numbers between forty and forty-nine, be sure to remember that forty has no u in it (this is a common spelling error).

The rules demonstrated in the examples above are simply rules of thumb and there are exceptions to them. For example, round numbers such as hundreds, thousands, or hundred thousands should be written out in full. Numbers that are not conveniently round will read better written as numerals.

It was said that there were five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand men.

This year’s parade brought in 123,675 attendees.

When a number begins a sentence, that number should always be spelled out. That said, writers often choose to restructure their sentences when the numbers become cumbersome for the reader.

5 finalists will qualify for the next round of the competition.

Five finalists will qualify for the next round of the competition.

Seventeen seventy-six was the year America became a nation.

In 1776, America became a nation.

Spelling Out Numbers in Technical, Scientific, and Complex Writing

Scientific and technical journals, and even news reports, often adhere to the rule that only numbers less than ten should be written out in full, except when fractions or decimals are involved. This can be a sensible approach to ensuring the readability of texts that refer to numbers and figures frequently.

The color blue was preferred by five out of 11 experiment participants.

Did you know the average snail moves at 0.029 miles per hour?

Fractional quantities of larger numbers, such as those in the millions and billions, are most easily read when abbreviated as decimals in combination with the word “million” or “billion” where possible. Whole millions and billions (and in American usage, trillions) can be expressed as a whole number plus the word “million,” “billion,” etc.

The Milky Way is approximately 13.6 billion years old.

Canada has a population of nearly 36 million.

When using abbreviations for units of measurement in your writing, always express numbers as numerals. Similarly, when writing about money, use numerals in connection with the dollar sign or other currency symbols. Infrequent references to money read best when written out as spelled-out numbers plus the word for the currency involved.

One inch is equal to 2.54 cm.

The weight of an average hippopotamus is 1,500 kg.

Patients expressed a desire to take the medication occasionally, but were hesitant to pay the fifty-dollar fee.

The actual cost of the medication to patients is $51.75.

Deciding whether to write out numbers in full can be tricky, but the key is to use the correct style for your audience and to use it consistently.

10 Grammarly Blog Posts from 2017 That You Need to See

There’s a lot of writing on the Internet, our blog included.

For the past 12 months, we’ve offered writing tips, advice for job- and promotion-seeking members of the workforce, quizzes to test your lust for language, and much, much more.

Out of the hundreds of posts authored on this here blog, we’ve picked out ten of our staff’s favorite posts. They represent the breadth of content you can find on our blog and our in our weekly newsletter. They also show the value of mistake-free writing and the value Grammarly can provide however you’re looking to improve your writing and communication skills.

And now, (drumroll please), let’s take a look at ten posts we hope you didn’t miss. And if you did, it’s OK, we forgive you, but you should check them out now because it’s December and this is a great time to recap the year.

1 Bear With Me or Bare With Me?

Worth your time because … There are so many confusing phrases in our English language. If it’s not whom or who, or even affect vs. effect, we can all stand to know the absolute difference between these common phrases that are constantly confused. Our “Grammar Tips” section also you covered for any grammar deep-dive you feel like taking during the holidays.

Text to remember … “Here’s an easy way to differentiate bear from bare. You learned that bear as a verb means “to endure.” In its noun form, bear refers to a large furry animal. Combining these two definitions into a silly sentence will help you remember that the correct phrase is “bear with me,” not “bare with me.” A patient bear will always bear with you, but an impatient bear just might devour you!”

2 5 Other Ways to Write “I Hope You Are Doing Well” in Your Email

Worth your time because … We all write emails. Lots of them. Raise your hand if you’re guilty of using a throwaway line like “I hope you are doing well” to introduce your email. Yup, my hand is up, too. We don’t have to live this way anymore. Our blog offers valuable thoughts on how to diversify your standard email icebreaker.

Text to remember … “Anyone who gets a lot of email is familiar with the stock “I hope you are doing well.” It’s the business email equivalent of small talk that begins with “How are you?” We all know that etiquette requires us to answer with “I’m fine. How are you?” Although this back-and-forth exchange is a rather meaningless part of face-to-face conversation, it’s become socially mandated. In email, however, “hope you’re well” comes across as extraneous at best and insincere at worst.”

3 10 Things You Should Avoid Saying in a Job Interview

Worth your time because … Landing a job interview is an accomplishment. Be proud! But also, you should know that it’s easy to ruin your candidacy with a flippant comment. Our “Workplace” posts provide quality advice on how to approach all angles of the job-search process, including things to avoid saying at your next job interview.

Text to remember … “Could the things you’re saying during job interviews be costing you offers? Knowing the right things to say requires practice and a little finesse. But accidentally saying the wrong thing is all too easy to do. Interviews are stressful, and it can be challenging to keep a cool head when your palms are sweating and your heart is beating double-time.”

4 11 Tips to Clean Up Your Dirty, Wordy Writing

Worth your time because … Brevity is your friend in writing. Don’t waste time getting to a very very important point with some kind of worthless phrases and words that like seemingly delay your reader from really and truly understanding the point you’re trying to make. Wasteful words can appear in anyone’s document or text. This post aims to rid the world of a few added phrases.

Text to remember … “Weasel words are qualifiers that make you sound unsure of yourself, like you’re trying to create wiggle room. Don’t get us wrong: in some cases, you need these words. But if you want to convey an idea or make an argument, remove words that make your readers think of slimy politicians trying to avoid stating something directly. Maybe it can make a difference. No, really: it makes a difference.”

5 How Game of Thrones Characters Would Approach a Writing Assignment

Worth your time because … You don’t have to be a GoT fan to enjoy lifestyle-inspired writing tips. Well, in this case, you have to know a few things about the famous HBO show to get the gist of what we’re getting at. Even so, making connections between famous authors and significant moments in pop culture happens often on our blog.

Text to remember … “Jon Snow begins his journey as an underappreciated bastard of House Stark and hesitatingly rises to lead the Night’s Watch. Eventually, he is elected Lord of Winterfell. Jon Snow, guided by a sense of duty and loyalty to his team rather than by ambition, seeks counsel and consensus almost to a fault. This tendency to rely on his support network and the wisdom of his council helps him to lead well, however. This is exemplified in both his election as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and Lord of Winterfell, when supporters speak on his behalf. Improve your writing the same way by regularly seeking feedback from respected peers.”

6 How to Improve Writing Skills in 15 Easy Steps

Worth your time because … Many of our readers visit the G blog for grammar tips, career advice, and—what else?—actionable tips on how to become a better writer. This post features fifteen ways to vastly improve your skills every time you put pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard.

Text to remember … “Becoming a better writer takes practice, and you’re already practicing. No, seriously—you write a lot. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer, you put thoughts into text more often than you realize. At the very least, you write emails—a lot of emails—post on social media, make updates to your résumé and LinkedIn profile, and message your friends. If your job requires it, you also create things like reports, presentations, newsletters . . . it’s a long list.”

7 Why Mistake-free Writing on Your Phone Is So Valuable

Worth your time because … You might be reading this blog on your phone right now. If you’re not, you have surely read something and written something very important on your mobile device at one time or another. So improve your writing on the go with this post. Now you know.

Text to remember … “Remember when phones were used exclusively for making phone calls? (Hard to believe, right?) Now we use our smartphones for all sorts of fun things . . . like sending text messages, answering emails, posting on Facebook, commenting on our favorite cat videos, and even finding true love. While the freedom and flexibility of using a mobile device is awesome—the frustration that comes from typing on a tiny touch screen is not so great.”

8 5 Basic Proofreading Habits for a More Productive 2017

Worth your time because … Re-writing is writing. The same goes for editing or proofreading. However you want to call it, the truth is that behind every great piece of writing is someone with a keen eye for details. Sharpen your skills with these five, dare we say, basic, proofin’ tips.

Text to remember … “If you can, walk away and do something else for a little while. Then come back and read it again. The more time that passes between writing and proofreading, the better you’ll be at spotting mistakes your brain skipped over the first time through.”

9 “Do You Write Like an Introvert?” Quiz

Worth your time because … Grammarly’s quizzes can test your knowledge in a number of capacities. Are your grammar skills legit? Can you interview like a pro? Or in this case, do you write like an introvert or extrovert? There’s only one way to know. Test yourself.

Text to remember … “Have you ever wondered how introverted or extroverted your work style is? This short quiz will help you understand whether your writing personality tends toward introversion or extroversion.”

10 We Studied 750 Top LinkedIn Profiles. Here’s How to Write Yours Better.

Worth your time because … LinkedIn profiles are quite common these days. Knowing how to create a strong presence on LI will do wonders for your networking and job pursuits. We gained a ton of amazing insights from analyzing 750 profiles from Fortune 500 companies.

Text to remember … “Filling out your profile summary matters, but only 42 percent of the entry-level employees we analyzed seemed to bother. Managers and directors both did so a bit more often—closer to half in our study. We suspect people overlook the profile summary because they’re often busy describing their work experience further down their profile—or waiting until they’re actually looking for a new job to make a proper introduction atop their page. In fact, regardless of their experience level, people proved more likely to fill out the work experience section. Especially among managers, 65 percent did so, cranking out a robust 192 words on average for each job they described.”

Did we miss your favorite blog post of the year? Let us know why you loved it in the comments section of this post. Thanks for reading!

These 6 Writing Apps Will Make You a Better Writer

We’ve come a long way, writers. Once, improving our writing skills meant writing (and later typing) our drafts, doing our best to revise and proofread, and then subjecting them to an editor’s red pen. Today, we have tools to not only help us create content, but also to organize, proofread, and polish it.

These apps and online tools will help any writer perfect her craft.

Content Creation Tools

Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and other word processors are fantastic tools. But if you want to supercharge your writing, a content tool built specifically for scribes could be the way to go. And, as a rule, they’re priced with the starving artist in mind.

1Scrivener

If you hang around with writers, specifically anyone who’s working on a novel or other long-form type of writing, you’ve probably at least heard mention of Scrivener. Although its robust features have a bit of a learning curve, it’s a must-have tool for anyone who needs to make use of outlining, storyboarding, research organization and note taking. It’s billed as a “complete writing studio,” and it fits that bill well.

When your magnum opus is complete, Scrivener allows you to organize your document into a finished manuscript that exports to many popular file formats including Microsoft Word, RTF, PDF, and HTML, as well as to self-publishing tools like ePub or Kindle (which requires Kindle’s free tool, KindleGen.)

Scrivener’s user interface is a bit dated, but that doesn’t affect its functionality. A full-screen editing mode allows for distraction-free writing.

Platforms: iOS, Mac, Windows

Price: Free trial, $40 USD to purchase

2Ulysses

Ulysses takes many of Scrivener’s features and makes them portable for the roaming writer. With iCloud, your library syncs between all connected devices, which means that no matter where you go, you can continue where you left off.

Similar to Scrivener, Ulysses simplifies exporting to Word and other file formats as well as self-publishing platforms. But there’s a bonus for bloggers—it exports to WordPress and Medium.

If you like a sleek, modern interface with distraction-free capabilities, Ulysses just might be the writing tool for you. Alas, Windows users, it’s for Apple only.

Platforms: Mac, iOS

Price: $44.99 USD (Mac), $24.99 USD (iOS)

3Draft

Draft is a web app with some unique features. Beyond its streamlined word processing capabilities, it makes the version control features in word processors like Google Docs friendlier to creative writers or anyone who generates multiple drafts of a single document. Any changes collaborators make can be approved line-by-line, similar to Google Docs’ “Suggesting” mode. (There’s even an “Ask a Professional” feature that allows you to ask others for advice on your writing, though I haven’t tested this.) Draft also allows you to mark major revisions of your work so that you can review them and see how your document has changed over time.

Hemingway Mode is a unique feature. Turn it on when you want to “write first, edit later.” This setting forces you to keep moving forward by stripping away your ability to delete or change anything you’ve already written.

Platforms: Web-based

Price: Free

Organization Tools

4Evernote

What would I do without Evernote? It’s a robust note-taking tool that not only allows me to save flashes of inspiration to my always-handy smartphone (where I can access them anytime and anywhere later), but it also lets me clip articles for research or inspiration. You can supercharge your notes with links, checklists, tables, attachments, and audio recordings. Even handwritten notes are searchable. I can also tag and categorize my notes to make them easy to find later.

Platforms: Web, iOS, Mac, Windows, Android

Price: Free | $69.99 per year for premium

Revision and Editing

5Grammarly

Every writer needs a second set of eyes to proofread drafts. Grammarly’s browser extension helps you communicate clearly by suggesting spelling, grammar, and punctuation improvements. Grammarly’s premium version allows writers to select from different writing styles such as creative, casual, and business.

Platforms: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, MS Office add-in

Price: Free | As low as $11.66 per month for Premium

6Readable.io

Have you ever wondered just how readable your writing is? My favorite test is to read my writing out loud (if you stumble during the reading, you may need to revise for readability.) But Readable.io takes things a step further. This web-based app gives your text an overall readability rating and scores its reading level on a number of scales, such as the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and the Gunning Fog index.

Of course, style is sometimes more important than reading ease, especially for creative writers. But when clarity is the most important factor, this tool can help. At the very least, it’s an eye-opener.

Platforms: Web-based

Price: Free | $3 USD per month for premium features

The Singular They

What Is the Singular They?

They is a third-person pronoun, usually referring to a group of something.

It is possible, however, to use they in reference to a single something (the same is true for the possessive, objective, and reflexive forms of they: their, them, and themselves). This is sometimes called the singular they.

A teacher can make a big difference in the lives of their students.

You can see the singular they in action in the example above. This sentence also demonstrates a common reason people reach for the singular they in both writing and speech: English has no gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun that can be used for talking about people. (Referring to a person as it is derogatory). In the sentence above, the gender of the teacher is unknown; it’s also irrelevant. You might even argue that it doesn’t really exist, because we’re not talking about any particular teacher. We’re talking about teachers in general.

Some people assume that the singular they is a modern invention, perhaps a contrivance to replace the outdated rule that writers should use he/him/his as the generic singular third-person pronoun. But, in fact, the singular they has a long, established history as a standard construction. Merriam-Webster cites examples from Chaucer, Shakespeare, Byron, Swift, Austen, and even the King James Bible.

Furthermore, the singular they isn’t only (or even mainly) used as a pronoun with indefinite gender. As Steven Pinker points out in his book The Sense of Style, it also functions as a pronoun of indefinite number. A frequently cited example from George Bernard Shaw illustrates this use:

No man goes into battle to be killed. . . . But they do get killed.

The gender of the hypothetical person in this example is unambiguous. But substituting he instead of they changes the meaning of the sentence. “But he does get killed” would imply that Shaw is talking about a specific man. If we changed “No man” to “No men,” though, it sounds like a generalization. We lose the subtle nuance of meaning that emphasizes the fact that every single man who goes to battle does so at extreme personal risk.

Why Do People Get So Worked Up About It?

If the singular they has both pragmatic and nuanced applications, as well as a long and respectable history, why is it so often decried as grammatical heresy? No one worried much about the singular they until the eighteenth century, when prescriptive grammarians decided that he/him/his should be the default indefinite pronoun. Although other invented rules, such as the proscription against ending a sentence with a preposition, have been thoroughly abandoned, the ban on the singular they has been slower to erode because so many of us have been taught that it is a terrible mistake.

But defaulting to he is not only outdated and widely considered to be sexist—it often just doesn’t work.

Was it your brother or your sister who had to wear a cast on his leg?

Obviously, he/him/his is not a generic pronoun.

Ways Around the Singular They

Often, skilled writers can rephrase sentences to avoid the problem of the singular they altogether. The widely disliked he or she is one option. But the result is often awkward and fussy:

A teacher can make a big difference in the lives of his or her students.

Another option is to make the antecedent of the pronoun plural, which would uncontroversially agree with the pronoun they.

Teachers can make a big difference in the lives of their students.

In longer pieces, some writers simply alternate between using his and her for generic examples.

A dedicated teacher can make a difference in the lives of her students. . . . An observant teacher can tell when his students are struggling.

But experienced writers also know that these tricks don’t always work.

When You Can’t Avoid It

A good rule of thumb is that if you can avoid using the singular they, then avoid it; it’s unnecessary. The more unnecessary the singular they is in a particular sentence, the more it will stick out.

My friend left their jacket in the theater.

Their sticks out here because it doesn’t seem necessary or natural. (Although it isn’t true for everyone, for the purposes of this example, we will assume that the friend identifies as either he or she.) Presumably, you are aware of your friend’s gender, so it would seem more natural to say “My friend left her jacket in the theater” or “My friend left his jacket in the theater.”

Someone left their jacket in the theater.

The singular their is less noticeable here because the pronoun someone is itself indefinite. But you could still easily avoid it by writing “Someone left a jacket in the theater.” That particular escape hatch, however, doesn’t work with a sentence like:

Whoever lost this jacket probably regrets their carelessness.

Of the three examples, this sentence contains the least noticeable singular their. There’s no way to get rid of their without totally rewriting the sentence. You could say “Whoever lost this jacket probably regrets the carelessness of leaving it behind,” but, frankly, that’s obnoxiously wordy. You could say “The owner of this jacket probably regrets losing it,” but that doesn’t mean quite the same thing. In this particular sentence, the singular their is the best choice.

So, Is It Ok to Use the Singular They?

Yes. But remember that not all readers accept the usage, and it’s likely that someone, somewhere, will be annoyed. In general, the more formal the situation, the harder you should try to avoid using the singular they. If you do use it, the best way to avoid getting into trouble is to be sure you understand why it’s necessary. And, remember, the reflexive form of they is themselves, not themself.

From Pens to Speech: How Writing Tools Have Evolved

As technology improves, it’s faster and easier than ever to get words from brain to screen. We’ve progressed from dipping utensils in ink to using speech recognition software to dictate an entire Slate article. Here’s the evolution of writing tools at a glance.

Pens

Writers initially used reed or bamboo pens, feather quills, ink brushes, or dip pens, all of which were dipped into ink and then placed on papyrus or paper. These were notoriously messy, which prompted the creation of a reservoir pen in 1636, which was made from two quills. One quill was sealed with a cork and held the ink, which was squeezed through a tiny hole. In 1827, a patent was issued in France for a fountain pen with an ink chamber in the handle.

The first patent for a ballpoint pen, or a pen that has a tiny moving ball in a socket in the pen tip, was issued in 1888. Then came the invention of felt-tip pens in the 1960s, rollerball pens in the 1970s, and erasable pens in 1979.

Typewriters

In 1868, the first commercially successful typewriter was invented. Mark Twain typed the following letter to his brother in 1875:

The machine has several virtues. I believe it will print faster than I can write. One may lean back in his chair & work it. It piles an awful stack of words on one page. It don’t muss things or scatter ink blots around. Of course it saves paper.

Initially, some people insisted that only two fingers be used to type while others said eight would be better and that typists should stare at the buttons, while still others argued it would be better to stare at the page. The QWERTY keyboard arrangement, on the other hand, was agreed upon by most and has barely changed since the invention of the typewriter.

Ever wonder why we have the QWERTY keyboard? It was arranged by Christopher Latham Sholes, inventor of the typewriter, who originally placed letters in two rows ordered alphabetically. The flaw in this system was that letters that were combined most often, such as “st” and “th,” were hit close together and caused the keyboard to jam. Thus, Sholes collaborated with Amos Densmore, an educator, and rearranged the keys according to their popularity to prevent jamming. This caused initial confusion for typists because they couldn’t find the keys, but it proved to make typing faster, because the keys wouldn’t jam.

Computers

Typewriters were widely used until computers advanced to the point that the average consumer could use them. In the late 1970s, Apple, Radio Shack, and Commodore began manufacturing keyboards for their computers. For a throwback, watch this Radio Shack commercial for the TRS-80.

Mobile Phones

Typing on mobile phones started with multi-tap approach on alphanumeric keys (1=abc, 2=def, and so on), as used by the 1989 Motorola MicroTAC 9800X. By 1993, however, we had the IBM Simon, the world’s first full QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen. The Nokia 9000 Communicator was launched in 1997 with the first QWERTY push-button keyboard and a touchscreen QWERTY keyboard. Now, many smartphone users only use QWERTY keyboards on-screen, although physical keyboards may be making a comeback.

Speech Recognition Software

Speech recognition first appeared in the 1950s to 1960s with Bell Laboratories’ “Audrey” system, which could recognize spoken digits. In the 1990s, Dragon released the first consumer-targeted speech recognition product, called Dragon Dictate, for a whopping $9,000. By the 2000s, speech recognition plateaued at about 80% accuracy, until very recently. In the last two to three years, speech recognition has improved thanks to Apple’s and Google’s speech-recognition capabilities. Typing by voice is now easier and faster than typing on screen; it’s also necessary as wearable devices like Google Glass and Apple Watch and products like Amazon fire TV come into the fray. The software parses your words from ambient noises, then analyzes the linguistic context to decipher what you’re probably saying.

The Future of Writing

Is handwriting becoming obsolete? In a study by Docmail, one-third of the 2,000 respondents said they hadn’t written anything by hand in the last forty-one days. Also, handwriting is receiving less emphasis in schools. Students in the U.S. are taking notes on laptops and cursive writing has been eliminated from the Common Core curriculum standards. American children have been required to know how to use a keyboard since 2013. Typing “allows us to go faster, not because we want everything faster in our hyped-up age, but for the opposite reason: we want more time to think,” said Anne Trubek, associate professor of rhetoric and composition at Oberlin College in Ohio. Do you think pen and paper will be replaced by speech recognition? Will handwriting ever be obsolete?

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65 Powerful Words to Take Your Resume to the Next Level

Do you consider yourself a hard worker? A team player? A people person? Whatever you do, don’t tell that to the person reading your resume. Why not? Because if they hear about one more of those, they’re going to tear the resume into itty-bitty shreds.

As good as certain terms might seem, they’ve been on a few billion too many resumes to mean anything to potential bosses. When you’re updating your resume, make your accomplishments stand out by using words that are powerful and descriptive rather than stale and clichéd. Resume power words are important.

And it’s not just about the specific word: it’s also about paying attention to the company’s buzzwords and focusing on skills related to the job. Read on to get the nitty-gritty on those important steps, or jump straight to the suave and sexy synonyms that will make your resume words pop and let you ditch the duds like “dedicated,” “leader,” and “manage.”

Capitalize on Company Keywords

First things first: whether you’re applying to be a CEO or an intern, tailor your resume and your cover letter to the company you’re applying to.

This is important not just to get the attention of the person reading your resume, but also to ensure that a person does read your resume. Some companies automate the hiring process with applicant tracking systems, which screen for resumes that use specific keywords—and if you don’t have the keywords, you don’t get the interview.

But whether the company uses an applicant tracking system or has a human reading resumes, including words related to the company’s mission shows that you did your homework and would be a good fit for the team. Here are a few examples:

• If you’re applying for a job involving writing, don’t just write “wrote.” Use words like published, reported, investigated. If possible, include page views, social shares, or the circulation of your pieces.
• If you’re applying for a job in education or one that involves helping people, use words like mentored, trained, cultivated, or facilitated.
• If you’re applying for a job in finance or business, use words like enhanced, expanded, developed, yielded. Any specific numbers on gains or savings you’ve produced for previous employers will also give you a boost.
• If you’re applying for a job at a startup, use words like innovated, disrupted, spearheaded.
• If you’re applying to a job involving customer service (whether in a store or UX research), use words like reached, served, communicated, aided, and experience.

That doesn’t cover every job out there, but it shows how you can shape your resume based on what you’re applying to. In general, it’s a good rule of thumb to read the company description or the “About us” page on their website and go from there. Use some of their words—without copying language verbatim—and you’re more likely to get your foot in the door.

Showcase Resume Power Words Related to the Job

Obviously, you wouldn’t throw in the phrase “user experience” if you’re applying to be a teacher. It’s also important to focus on skills that you’ll be using if you get the job you’re applying for. In other words, no matter how great a camp counselor you were in high school, that probably won’t seem relevant when you’re applying to business school.

Look very closely at the job description of your desired position for hints about what they want. For example, a list of responsibilities on a job description might include a line like this: “Analyze, create, and document business and system processes through the use of templates and process flows.”

In your resume, take a similar work experience you’ve had and tweak it to mirror, but not exactly match, the language in the job description. For example: “At previous company, created template for documenting analytic process and streamlining business flow.” Takes the language, tweaks it, and makes you look like you’ll fit right in.

Resume Power Synonyms to Make Your Accomplishments Pop

Based on the specific achievements and accomplishments you want to highlight, here are lists of power words that will make your resume stand out from the crowd. Trust us: these look impressive whether you’re applying for your first job or trying to land a CEO gig.

“I wrote stuff, created something, or did things”

If you’re at an entry-level position or are shooting for something new, you may not have accomplishments like “headed company” or “raised $2 million.” But you can still showcase what you’ve done in a way that will highlight your ability to rise to bigger challenges.

• Produced (articles, reports, spreadsheets)
• Coordinated (your own project, a group effort)
• Created (a process, program, venture)
• Founded (a student club or organization)
• Organized (an event or group)
• Fundraised (money, and how much)
• Designed (a website, poster, method)
• Analyzed (a spreadsheet, lab project, data set)

“I led or managed a team”

Here are some ways to communicate that you were in charge of a group of people and wore your leadership mantle well. Whether it was a student group or a company of thousands, these words will make you look the part.

• Headed
• Oversaw
• Steered
• Coordinated
• Orchestrated
• Oversaw
• Directed
• Cultivated
• Facilitated
• Guided
• Mentored
• Mobilized
• Supervised

“I came up with or was in charge of a project”

Regardless of the position you’re applying for, you likely want to demonstrate that you can think critically and come up with solutions to the types of problems your potential company might face. These are great words to show that you’re a responsible leader and a thoughtful problem solver.

• Developed
• Engineered
• Implemented
• Established
• Formalized
• Initiated
• Instituted
• Launched
• Spearheaded
• Organized

“I made something better”

Maybe you improved a process, or you helped increase your company’s sales, revenue, or efficiency. These words are an improvement on “improve.” And remember to back up your claims with numbers if you can. Words can take you far, but it’s hard to beat an applicant who gives evidence with hard facts.

• Accelerated (a process)
• Boosted (sales, efficiency, experience)
• Amplified (output, readership, response rate)
• Delivered (results—and be specific)
• Expanded (audience)
• Generated (revenue)
• Stimulated (sales, innovation)
• Sustained (growth)
• Transformed (a system, structure, method)
• Expedited (a process, a set of outcomes)
• Maximized (success—but again, be specific)

“I fixed something”

Here are ways to say that you came up with an idea and implemented changes. As you can see, there’s nothing like a “re” word to show that you took something good and made it great.

• Customized
• Overhauled
• Strengthened
• Updated
• Upgraded
• Refined
• Redesigned
• Replaced
• Restructured
• Revamped

“I saved my company money”

You found waste, and figured out a way to get rid of it. In other words:

• Conserved (money—how much?)
• Reduced (expenditures)
• Deducted (overhead)
• Yielded (savings)
• Diagnosed (a problem—how big?)

“I dealt with difficult people”

Here’s where tactfulness really comes in. Whether you were herding kindergarteners or managing relationships with finicky clients, this is an area to emphasize your impact without sounding bitter about the tough folks you had to face

• Navigated (a situation)
• Negotiated (a solution)
• United (disparate individuals or groups)
• Arbitrated (an issue)
• Resolved (a problem)
• Consulted (a company)
• Forged (a relationship)
• Secured (a deal)

Where are the synonyms for “hard worker” and “team player,” you ask? If you picked the right power words to showcase your skills in a meaningful and evocative way, those qualities will come across all on their own.

So, now you’ve got all the words down, but are you still thirsting for more tips on what a good resume looks like? Check out Grammarly’s resume template, tips for streamlining your resume, specifics on resume writing for writers, and why you shouldn’t skip proofreading your resume.