Interviewing Don'ts

All of us have likely interviewed for a job we didn’t end up getting. Unfortunately, we rarely receive feedback as to why we weren’t chosen for the position. A survey of 153 American Human Resource Managers identified the 20 most common errors made by applicants attending job interviews.

In order of importance, here is a list of reasons cited by the HR managers for why someone is not chosen for a job:

1. Poorly or inappropriately dressed
2. Overaggressive
3. Unable to express information clearly (difficulty understanding your answers to questions)
4. Lack interest and enthusiasm
5. Display no career planning
6. Seem nervous and lacking in confidence
7. Overemphasizing the importance of the pay for the job
8. Unwilling to start at the bottom
9. Make excuses
10. Lacking in tact and courtesy
11. Appear immature
12. Condemned past employers
13. Seem to have no genuine interest in the company or the job
14. Failure to look the interviewer in the eye
15. Application form poorly completed
16. Seem to lack sense of humor
17. Late for the interview
18. Failure to express appreciation for the interviewer's time
19. Failure to ask questions about the company and the job
20. Responses to questions too vague

What do you think about these reasons?  This survey was conducted in 1986.  How do you think this list has changed over the years?

Effective Meeting Tips: Evaluating Your Meetings

Poorly run meetings are a special kind of torture, aren’t they?  There’s nothing like having 1,001 things to do and then realizing you have a planning meeting for the next quarter that’s likely to take the rest of the afternoon… Especially when you know that chatty Darla is going to monopolize the discussion, as usual, and 75% of the time is going to be spent talking about unrelated topics, like your boss’s fantasy football team or new favorite skin cream. 

You don’t have to suffer in silence.  There is hope for dull, ineffective and inefficient meetings!  If you’re in charge of meetings that keep seeming to get away from you, implement meeting evaluation procedures at the end of each group meeting.  This is a great way to get feedback about what went well, what needs to be improved, and suggestions for next time.

If you aren’t in charge, suggest to the meeting organizer that your organization or company implement a quick meeting evaluation after the meetings that tend to be particularly unproductive.  Instead of approaching the situation as though you’re making a complaint, put a positive spin on things.  You could say, “I just read this blog post on meetings, and I think it had some great tips!  What do you think about this meeting feedback form?  Do you think it would work for us?” 

Here is a sample meeting feedback form you can adapt to suit your needs:

Meeting Feedback Form

Date:
Name (optional):

Your feedback is essential in helping to ensure our meetings are as productive as possible. Please take a moment to fill out the form below and circle the responses which best reflect your feelings. Your honesty and constructive recommendations are greatly appreciated!

1. How did this meeting’s productivity compare to our previous meetings?

1	2	3	4	5
Much worse		About the same		Much better

2. In your estimation, was our time used effectively in this meeting?

1	2	3	4	5
Not at all		Somewhat		Absolutely

3. Did the agenda help to organize the topics of discussion?

1	2	3	4	5
Not at all		Somewhat		Absolutely

4. Was the majority of our discussion oriented towards the present and future? (Did we avoid dwelling on the past?)

1	2	3	4	5
Not at all		Somewhat		Absolutely

5. Did you have a good understanding of what the meeting objectives were?

1	2	3	4	5
Not at all		Somewhat		Absolutely

6. Do you feel the objectives were accomplished successfully and efficiently?

1	2	3	4	5
Not at all		Somewhat		Absolutely

7. What went particularly well at this meeting?


8. What needs to be improved for the next meeting?


Good luck, and happy meeting!

Strengthening Your Communication Skills

Good communication skills are essential in the workplace. Whether you need to write an email to a co-worker or a memo to the entire office, it is important to communicate clearly and effectively. By doing so, you will lessen the chance of misunderstandings and subsequent headaches.

To be a strong and efficient communicator, you must be able to both send and receive messages. Here are a number of tips to help strengthen your communication skills.

Plan your message. Think before you write or speak. The first and most effective way to avoid communication confusion is to consider who your audience is and what he or she would like to know. Ask yourself a few simple questions before you begin communicating with another person:

• What is the purpose of my communication? Why am I sending this message?
• Who is going to be on the receiving end of this exchange?
• What is the best way to send this message (via telephone, email, letter, or in person)?

After asking these questions, take a moment to think about what you would like to write or say in the most succinct way. Try to avoid conveying information that isn’t necessary. A long email or telephone conversation does not necessarily result in better comprehension of the message you are trying to send.

Consider how the recipient of your message will perceive it. If you are sending a message to your boss’s boss, you would not use slang or informal remarks in an email to him or her. This could be perceived as disrespectful or unprofessional—therefore, using the right tone when crafting your message is crucial.

In terms of written communication, always take the time to review your work. Grammar, spelling and your use of jargon or slang are important factors to consider when composing a letter or email. By misusing an abbreviation or overlooking an incomplete sentence, you may cause more confusion. 

Be sure to think about the many forms of sending messages. If the topic of your message is time sensitive or requires a great deal of detail, perhaps it is better to use the telephone. If the topic you would like to discuss may cause the recipient to become emotional in any way, perhaps explaining it to him or her in person might be the best route. On the other hand, any message that is short and simple could be sent via email.

When you are the recipient of a message, be sure to listen carefully or reread a letter or email at least twice. Many misunderstandings come from haste, so in order to be an expert communicator you must also be an effective listener and precise reader.

Miscommunication can happen, however, it doesn’t have to happen all the time. Try some of these tips and see if your communication skills improve!

Surviving the Slump-- High Energy Tips for Your Workday

It’s 3:10pm, and you are exhausted. You feel like you’ve been working for at least 10 hours, and you are willing to give up your slice of the office birthday cake for a nap.

We’ve all been there, but you don’t have to feel like this every day. We have assembled some sure-fire ways to get you feeling peppy (or at least functional!) by the time 3:15pm rolls around.

• Avoid coffee or energy drinks after 3pm.  This may seem counterintuitive—the caffeine in coffee is supposed to make you peppy, so why would you avoid it just as you hit your afternoon slump? The answer is that caffeine consumed after 3pm can disrupt our sleep patterns. It can make it more difficult to fall asleep, and it can prevent you from entering the deep sleep that your body craves. If you want to feel rested throughout the day, avoid caffeine after 3pm.

• Have some super snacks handy. Sure, you may want to raid the vending machine for your afternoon snack, but the highly processed items you’re going to find there are likely packed with sugar. While the initial spike in your blood sugar may make you feel like you’re flying high, the sugar crash will come sooner than you think.  You’ll feel even worse than before you had your snack.  Instead of snacking on a candy bar or chips, try one of these healthy alternatives:

• Almonds or cashews
• Raisins or other dried fruit
• Fresh fruit
• Peanut butter on whole grain bread or crackers
• Humus
• Cheese

• And, if your only options are standard vending machine fare, try to choose something with nuts.  The protein in nuts will help give you sustained energy and will cushion the sugar crash a bit.

• Stay active! There are a number of exercises you can perform while at the office; however, changing your daily routine slightly can have a huge impact on your stamina throughout the workday.

• If you work on the 2nd or 3rd floor of your building and are able to, skip the elevator when you’re going down to the lobby. Even doing this once or twice a day will help you gain some energy.
• Take a few minutes every hour to stretch your arms, legs, neck, and torso. Try sitting up straight and raising both arms into the air, reaching for the ceiling. Hold your arms there for 10 seconds and then alternate extending your right arm and then your left arm a few times.Instead of calling or emailing your co-worker who sits at the end of the hall, walk over to his or her office if you have a question. 
• Try walking around your office or outside your building instead of taking your break by the water cooler. By just getting up and moving, you are increasing your heart rate and blood circulation—preventing your arms and legs from becoming strained. And if you are able to go outside, getting fresh air and ample sunlight will provide an instant boost of energy.
• Take a few deep breaths. This is also a great stress reliever.

If you have any other great tips to avoid the midday slump, be sure to comment below!

Time- and Moneysaving Tools and Websites

http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/interstate/
Going on a road trip? This handy website will ask for your travel route and then show you what the weather will be like along your route! Use this site to build a custom forecast for your trip!

http://www.bing.com/travel/
Bing™ Travel (formerly Farecast) is an invaluable tool for the bargain traveler. Enter your desired travel dates and “To” and “From” cities, and Bing™ will tell you whether fares are expected to rise, remain the same, or decrease over the next week. It will also tell you how certain they are in their prediction!  Bing™ bases its predictions on years of fare histories. Although it doesn’t yet have data for every possible city pair, the folks at Bing™ are always adding new combinations!

http://www.google.com/goog411/
Most of you have probably already used Google™. Have you heard of Goog411™? It’s a free 411 service you can reach on any phone (standard phone rates apply). Call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone, state the location and business type you are looking for (for example, “Pizza, Fairfax, Virginia”) and Goog411 will provide you with a list of choices. You can then have them send you a text message with the information, or be connected directly to the business. And it’s free!

http://www.surprise.com/
Need a gift for someone and don’t know where to start?  Instead of driving to the mall, visit Surprise.com for gift ideas for almost any recipient and almost any occasion. Or, for more targeted results, use the GiftFinder (http://www.surprise.com/gifts.html). Select the recipient, their personality traits, their lifestyle, interests, world view, and the occasion. Need a birthday gift for your shy, outdoorsy aunt who loves the arts and is spiritual? Surprise.com has got you covered with tons of fabulous gift ideas. Order them online and have them shipped to you or directly to your recipient!

http://www.retailmenot.com/
RetailMeNot has discount codes for thousands of websites across the internet. With coupon codes for everything from free shipping to 80% discounts (search restaurants.com!), RetailMeNot will save you money on almost anything you can order on the web.


What other time or moneysaving websites do you frequent? Please share in the comments section!

Either/Or, Neither/Nor

Quick! Look at the following sentences and identify whether there are any errors.

• Either Janice or Samson are going to have to refill the water cooler.  
• Gerald is not a team player. He neither wants to stay late today nor tomorrow to help with the project.
• Either my computer or my speakers needs to be replaced this year.
• Simone neither wants to eat her lunch or go to a restaurant.

Did you find errors in every sentence? If so, you’ve got a gift for grammar.  If not, don’t worry; correlative conjunctions (either/or, neither/nor) cause some of most commonly made grammar mistakes.  Let’s take a closer look at each sentence to identify the errors.

Either Janice or Samson are going to have to refill the water cooler. 

• The problem with this sentence is that “either” is singular, not plural. It refers to one subject at a time.  Said differently, the sentence would read “Either Janice is going to have to refill the water cooler, or Samson is going to have to do it.” The sentence should read “Either Janice or Samson is going to have to refill the water cooler.”

Gerald is not a team player. He neither wants to stay late today nor tomorrow to help with the project.

• The issue here is a bit more complex. If the action is the same in both parts of the clause (in this case, “to stay” is the action in both parts), then the “neither” or “either” goes after the verb. Corrected, the sentence would read “He wants to stay late neither today nor tomorrow to help with the project.”

Either my computer or my speakers needs to be replaced this year.

• Oh dear. Well, I have just told you that “either” is singular, not plural, so why is “needs” incorrect here?  Look carefully at the subjects. “Computer” is indeed singular, but the word “speakers” is plural. If either of the subjects in the “either/or, neither/nor” clause is plural, the verb must be plural: “Either the computer or the speakers need to be replaced this year.”

Simone neither wants to eat her lunch or go to a restaurant.

• Yikes! This one is a double doozey (and I’m not talking about cookies!)  In this sentence, the action of each thing being compared is different—“to eat” and “to go”. When that is the case, the “either” or “neither” must come right before the first verb. Did you pick up on the second problem?  We’ve got an “or” and not a “nor”! The corrected sentence reads “Simone wants to neither eat her lunch nor go to a restaurant.”

Communicating with Confidence

Picture this: You step into an elevator to travel to your office on the sixth floor, and just as the doors are about to close, a hand flies into the elevator and the doors re-open. It’s your boss’s boss and the head of the organization, both of whom you have only ever spoken to once before. Immediately your heart starts pounding in your ears and you feel your face flush. You wish you could slink to the corner of the elevator and blend in with the wallpaper, but that is not an option.  You know you should say something, but what?

Or how about this: Your supervisor comes to your desk, breathless. She is holding a meeting with some VIPs from the community, and she just realized she sent the wrong presentation to the copier. She asks you to go to the conference room and entertain the VIPs until she returns.

How would you feel in these situations? Most of us would feel anxious, nervous, and pressured. According to the Book of Lists (2005), most people fear public speaking more than they fear death!  Why is this? What is it about speaking in front of others that causes us so much panic?

For many of us, it is the fear of rejection. When speaking to important people, or to large groups of people, it feels like what we say matters immensely.  One false word could mean intolerable embarrassment, which could seriously impact our self-esteem. If we recognize that these high-pressure situations are bound to happen from time to time, what can we do to prepare ourselves and initiate the best possible outcome?

The answer is simple, and yet difficult for many of us to achieve—self-confidence. Self-confidence is what makes a good speaker in high-pressure situations — not a special book, not the “good speaker” gene, and not necessarily lots of practice (although, the more you practice feeling self-confident, the more it will become your gut reaction to these stressful situations).

We’ve all heard the phrase “fake it until you make it.” In the case of high-pressure speaking, this axiom holds especially true.  Even if we don’t feel particularly self-confident, if we project a confident image, others will perceive us as such, and this will actually end up making us feel more confident.

So how do you go about projecting confidence when you don’t feel it? Here are a few ideas:

• Breathe deeply from your diaphragm. Imagine you are trying to suck in air through your bellybutton. This will help prevent verbal shakes and stammers.
• Be aware of your facial expressions. Unfurrow your brow, warm up those smile muscles, and relax your lips.
• Check your posture.  Beware of hunching shoulders.  Keep them pressed back and low, but only as far as is comfortable.
• Make eye contact while smiling. This is perhaps the single most important “giveaway” of confident individuals.
• Think positive thoughts about yourself.  It may sound silly, but repeating the mantra “I can handle anything” or “I am calm and confident” or even “I am awesome!” can have a measurable positive effect on your self-confidence. This is known as the phenomenon of autosuggestion.

What else can help you project confidence in high pressure situations?  Please share your ideas in the comments section below!

*For another perspective on public speaking, visit http://thingaboutskins.wordpress.com/2010/06/

Using Social Networking

As the digital age continues to grow and expand, social networking over the internet has become one of the key ways to connect with people from all over the world. One website which focuses on connecting individuals in a professional capacity is LinkedIn.

This website is devoted to the sharing of “information, ideas and opportunities” over the internet and can be used to network with the people you know—such as your friends, family members, past and present colleagues, and schoolmates. By creating a LinkedIn profile, you will be able to connect and stay in touch with these individuals and then build on your professional network through linking yourself to other people’s networks.

LinkedIn also provides resources for professionals about their industries. Many professional associations, schools and companies have groups which offer forums for discussion, news and job leads. These communities provide a wealth of knowledge and ample opportunity to build your network.

Things to keep in mind when using a professional social networking website:

1. Maintain a mature and polished profile. Use a profile picture that clearly shows your face.
2. Do not use slang or abbreviations on your profile or in discussions. Always use correct grammar and punctuation in your profile!
3. If your email is visible to others, make sure that it is one that can be shared with potential employers! Some variation of your name or initials is ideal.

Falmouth Institute also has a LinkedIn company page. Please click here to view our page!

For more tips, check out this article: 13 Essential Tips for Landing a Job on LinkedIn.

Tips and Tricks Tuesday Poll

Please comment on this post if you do not see the subject you are particularly interested in!

Organizing Yourself Using Outlook

Working in an office environment requires a great deal of organization, task management and careful planning. When using a pen and paper to write down your to-do list or a sticky note to remind yourself of an important meeting, crucial information can get lost on your desk in stacks of papers or on a cluttered bulletin board. One program that can be used to organize and keep all of your tasks and appointments together is Microsoft Outlook 2007.

This new version of Microsoft Outlook has many features that are now simpler to use. These functions can be used to not only manage your work life, but your life outside of work as well.

I.    The To-Do Bar:

a.    This handy new tool, which can be found on the far right of the window, shows: a calendar (1), your upcoming appointments (2), and tasks for the day (3). Using this function, you can keep track of exactly what needs to get done during the day.

II.    The Calendar:

a.    The calendar now has features like larger buttons (1) and back and forth arrows (2) to navigate between months, days and weeks more smoothly.
b.    New on the calendar is the task area which shows your current and upcoming tasks and accomplishments (3).

III.    Flagging Email Messages:

a.    Use this function to follow up on email messages in a timely manner. By choosing Today, Tomorrow or This Week you can mark these messages and create a reminder that will appear in the Tasks area and on your To-Do list.

IV. When creating new appointments, use the Reminder function (1) to organize your time and remember your appointments. When you pick a time from the drop down menu, Outlook will create a pop-up reminding you of your upcoming event. And always remember to save any changes that you make to your appointment (2)!

It’s easy to keep yourself on schedule when you have everything together!

To further your understanding of Outlook and Microsoft 2007 Office Suite, Falmouth is currently offering a course called Maximizing Your Potential in an Electronic Office Environment for Tribes and Tribal Organizations in Las Vegas, NV. Learn other great tips and tricks from our expert instructor and practice them right in the classroom! Click here for more information.

If you are already familiar with Microsoft Outlook 2007, what are some of your favorite functions? Are there any tools that you just can’t live without? Leave a comment and let us know!

Cleaning Up Your Resume

Oh, springtime! I think this is the most gorgeous time of the year—when the daffodils begin to bloom and your allergies start acting up. It is also the season of rebirth and renewal. And you know what that means… time for spring cleaning! But instead of tidying up your house, let’s think about tidying up your resume. Even if you are already employed or not currently seeking employment, it is always a good idea to freshen up your resume from time to time. Think of it as a one page advert that explains who you are and what you are capable of as a working professional. Take a look at your resume and try to do some of the following:

Make sure your resume follows some of these common guidelines:

• Be sure that your resume fits on one standard page (if you need to use two pages, make sure you fill up all of the space on both pages).
• Use a standard font that is easy to read like Times New Roman, Calibri, Tahoma, Verdana, or Arial in a type size of 10-12 pt.
• Check if you are using the same consistent verb tense throughout (past or present).
• If you haven’t already, make sure you are using a professional email address in your contact information. Although you like your email sexybabe74643@hotmail.com, try to opt for some combination of your name.

Review your education and related work experience:

• Make sure the descriptions of your work experience are up-to-date.
• Use action verbs to describe your experiences.

Update your skills and additional experience:

• List the computer programs and databases you can comfortably use in the “Skills” section of your resume.
• If you have participated in a certification program like Falmouth’s Human Resources Certification, make sure you have mentioned it in your “Skills” section as well!
• In an “Additional Experience” section of your resume, you could note that you attended Falmouth’s Tribal Secretaries Conference or any other professional experience you may have participated in (like an internship or fellowship).

Just like your house, your resume needs to be tidied up and refreshed once and a while. Why not do it now while you’ve got the spring cleaning bug? :)

Tackling Possessive Apostrophes

By many an English speaker, the application of the apostrophe (‘) is often abused and misused. In the case of the possessive apostrophe (the type of apostrophe which shows ownership or belonging), it seems impossible to decipher where and when “s” should or shouldn’t be added. But fear not! You can avoid this grammar catastrophe by following four simple rules:

1. Add an apostrophe + “s” to any singular nouns that do not end in “s”:

• The boy's hat

2. Add apostrophe + “s” to a singular noun, even if it ends in “s” (this use may vary depending on whether or not the noun in question is a proper noun):

• Thomas’s presentation (Thomas’ presentation is also acceptable—however, if the proper noun is plural, one would only use an apostrophe after the noun, i.e. The Smiths’ house)
• The boss's office

3. Add apostrophe + “s” to any plural nouns that do not end in “s”:

• The children's toys

4. Just add an apostrophe to any plural noun that ends in “s”:

• The co-workers' lunch break

Hopefully this has shed some light on the use of possessive apostrophes. I will now leave you with a funny cartoon:

Avoid Cannibalism: Use a Comma

(For Jennifer)

Recently I joined a very popular Facebook group created to save society from cannibalism: "'Let's eat Grandma!' or, 'Let's eat, Grandma!' Punctuation saves lives." With its 667,470 fans, this Facebook group demonstrates the importance of the comma to not only save your readers from confusion and yourself from embarassment, but the comma saves society from cannibalism.

When using introductory words or phrases, you want to use a comma to separate them from the rest of the sentence:

• When we are cooking children cannot come in the kitchen.


• When we are cooking, children cannot come in the kitchen.

The first sentence might lead your reader to suspect you of cooking children; however, using a comma after your introductory phrase avoids confusion and clarifies your meaning.

Also, we must use a comma when addressing someone by name: this is referred to as the direct address comma. When addressing someone directly, you need a comma before the name if it's at the end of the sentence:

• Let's eat Grandma!


• Let's eat, Grandma!

The sentence without the comma tells the reader you want to eat Grandma, instead of telling Grandma that it's time to eat. Again, without the comma, the sentence may lead the reader to accuse you of cannibalism!

The direct address comma is necessary when the name is at the beginning of the sentence as well. Place the comma after the name to clarify your meaning. For example:

• George Harrison has been sort of my hero.


• George, Harrison has been sort of my hero.

If addressing George and telling him that Harrison is my hero, I must use the comma after George's name; otherwise, I am saying that George Harrison is my hero.

Also be sure to use two commas to off-set the name if it's in the middle of the sentence:

• Let's eat Grandma and not wait for the rest of the family.


• Let's eat, Grandma, and not wait for the rest of the family.

Without placing commas around "Grandma," the meaning of sentence changes drastically.

Yes, commas are overused and misused in the English language: as Oscar Wilde said, "I have spent most of the day putting in a comma and the rest of the day taking it out." However, we must remember that correctly utilizing the comma saves lives and keeps us from "cooking children" and "eating Grandma."

You Complete Me: the Subject and the Predicate

Many of you may remember the classic scene in the 1996 blockbuster Jerry Maguire where Jerry wins back Dorothy by professing his love for her and saying, "You complete me." I'd like us to think about complete sentences in terms of that quotable line. Complete sentences may not seem nearly as romantic or compelling; however, in every complete sentence there is a relationship between the subject and the predicate, very much like Jerry and Dorothy's relationship.

Complete sentences are made of two parts: the subject and the predicate.

The subject is the noun (person, place or thing) or pronoun that the sentence says something about. The subject is the person or thing that acts or is described in the sentence.

• Jerry promised to show his client the money.

The sentence is about Jerry, so Jerry is the subject. Jerry is the one acting in the sentence.

The predicate is the verb - the action or description. The predicate in a sentence is what the noun does or what that noun is. It tells us something about the subject.

• Jerry promised his client the money.

What did Jerry do? In this sentence, "promised" is the predicate: it is what Jerry did.

When defining these parts of a sentence, ask yourself, "Who does what?" The "who" is usually your subject and the "what" is your predicate. Try it on these examples:

• Annabelle and her colleagues attended the training. (Annabelle and her colleagues = the subject; attended = the predicate)


• The HR department administers policies and handles payroll. (HR department = the subjec; administers and handles = the predicate)

Remember complete sentences need both a subject and a predicate. Imagine the subject as Jerry Maguire, saying to the predicate, "I love you. You...you complete me."

Want to test your knowledge? Here's a great game about subjects and predicates: http://www.quia.com/rr/36764.html

The Controversial Oxford Comma

Use of the Oxford comma (also known as the serial comma or the Harvard comma) is often debated in the grammar world. To use it or not: that is the question. Most non-journalistic writing in the United States follows the Chicago Manual of Style for writing and uses this little comma; however, most journalistic writing follows the Associated Press Style Guide, which suggests against using it. To help you decide whether or not the Oxford comma is necessary, let's take a quick look at both sides of this controversy.

But first, I want to make sure we all know what we're talking about when discussing the Oxford comma. This is the comma used before the last item in series or list of 3 or more items. It is used to separate and remove ambiguity from the author's meaning. For example, this sentence uses the Oxford comma:

• My duties include answering phone calls, responding to emails, filing, and supervising employees.

The final comma before "and" separates the last two duties - filing and supervising. Without that comma, the reader might think that my responsibilities include "filing and supervising employees," leaving the reader to ponder how someone files employees.

On the other hand, there are those who argue that the use of (or the lack of) the serial comma is of little to no consequence because the items in the series are words equal in weight and value, and they are separated by "and" or "or."

The basic reasoning for or against using the Oxford comma breaks down as such:

Reasons for using it:

• it clarifies ambiguity
• it matches spoken cadence

Reasons against using it:

• it is redundant

To use or not to use: that is the question. In arriving at your decision a practical tip is to not assume that your audience will automatically think what you're thinking and to err on the side of caution, utilizing the serial comma to clarify your meaning. However, it is also important to take your organization into account. In your office you may notice a prevailing trend to use (or not to use) this controversial comma in your fellows' writings. If you notice a trend in your office, then go with that!

Confusing Than and Then

National Grammar Day was last week (March 4, 2010) and I read several posts on various grammar websites about the top grammar mistakes. Over the past several months we have covered most of the topics that made these top 10 lists commemorating National Grammar Day. However, one common grammar mistake that made several of these lists that we haven’t discussed is the confusion between than and then. Similarity in pronunciation and spelling often causes confusion when trying to distinguish between then and than. Let’s take a minute to clear up any confusion.

Than = Compare/Contrast

The word than is used when comparing (or contrasting) two things. It indicates a comparison or difference. For example:

• At a young age, he showed a higher intelligence than most children.
• My mother’s apple pie is better than mine.
• Emily dressed differently than her sisters.

We use than in connection with the word “rather:” such as,

• I would rather work from home than in the office.

Than is also used in connection with “other.” For instance:

• Hudson wanted to live anywhere other than where he grew up.

Then = When/Time

While than has to do with comparisons, the most common use for then has to do with a sequence of events in time. It’s used to mean “at that time:”

• His mother told him that once he cleaned his room she’d take him to lunch then.

Then can also mean “immediately following:”

• First I will check my email; then I will return phone calls.

Other than referring to time, then also stands in for “in that case” or “as a consequence of.” For example:

• If you want the memo written well, then write it yourself.
• If you work hard, then you will receive a raise.

The tricks to keeping these two confusing words straight are 1) remember that than signifies a comparison, and 2) when you think about then remember the word "when" (because it deals with time).

Tips & Tricks Travel: Where to Find the Best Airline Deals

Booking airfare can be a tricky business. Fares can change by hundreds of dollars in a matter of hours, and with so many booking options it’s hard to know where to start. While calling an individual airline or going directly to their website are certainly options, this approach will limit your options of finding the best deal. The best way to begin is to access a website that pulls airfare directly from multiple airlines. A few to check out are:

• Bing Travel - http://www.bing.com/travel/
  Bing pulls ticket prices from multiple major airlines and has a very user friendly interface. It also offers Farecast technology which utilizes past fare pricing data to predict if the fare is likely to go up or down.
• Expedia - http://www.expedia.com/default.asp
  Expedia is a well-known interface that pulls information from most major airlines and is commonly used by businesses for their travel needs. Should you need assistance, their customer service is almost always prompt and helpful.
• Booking Buddy - http://www.bookingbuddy.com/
  Unlike the other two sites, Booking Buddy pulls from the major travel sites like Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity, etc. You can access more information this way, but it can be less user-friendly.

Things to note:

• Mondays and Fridays are popular with business travel and often result in higher fares. Changing your travel dates by just a day can sometimes save you a bundle.
• Southwest Airlines (http://www.southwest.com/) often has great deals but their information isn’t pulled by other websites. It’s a good idea to check their website before committing to another flight.
• Priceline (http://www.priceline.com/) can save you money on airfare but is definitely a gamble. You enter your travel cities and dates and name the price you want to pay but once you submit this information, you’re committed to buying the ticket if your bid is accepted. You also don’t have control of the flight times or stops. If you’re a leisure traveler who just wants to get to your end point, this can be a great option.

Whichever route you choose, the most important thing to remember is that shopping around pays off. It’s easier to head straight for your favorite airline’s website but you never know where a great deal may be waiting. Best of luck and safe travels!

Due to vs. Because of

The use of due to and because of is a common source of confusion (or perhaps you’re like me and hadn’t given it much thought before).

Did you have trouble getting to work due to the weather or because of the weather?

Here’s the scoop:

• Due to modifies nouns
• Because of modifies verbs

So what’s the correct answer? You had trouble getting to work because of the weather. Getting is the word being modified, and getting is a verb.

*Hint: After the verb to be (and forms of it including is, was, were, are), because of is usually the correct choice.

Other examples:

• Anna was late for her appointment because of a flight delay. (Modified: late.)
• Anna’s tardiness was due to a flight delay. (Modified: delay. Also, notice the verb “was.”)
  
  
• The roads were slick because of the snow. (Modified: were.)
• The slickness of the roads was due to the snow. (Modified: snow. Also, notice the verb “was.”)

Making Sure Pronouns Agree in Number

This week’s grammar tip is to make sure that your pronouns agree in number.

First, let’s review what a pronoun is. A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun (a person, place or thing). For example, “he” would be a pronoun for Catherine’s brother “John.”

Since a pronoun should be able to stand for the noun that precedes it, the pronoun and the noun should agree in number. If the noun is plural, the pronoun should be plural. If the noun is singular, the pronoun should be singular.

In casual speech, pronoun usage when it comes to number agreement is often incorrect. For example:

If anyone wants to claim this ticket, they have to visit my desk now.

A grammatically correct way to word this sentence (even though it may sound a little awkward) would be:

If anyone wants to claim this ticket, he or she has to visit my desk now.

“Anyone” refers to ONE person, not several; therefore the pronoun must also refer to ONE person.

Nouns that you should be careful pairing with pronouns include anyone, nobody and everyone, because they are singular. It might feel natural to pair these words with plural pronouns like their or they, but this is incorrect!

More examples:

Incorrect: My neighbor always leaves their cat outside on my lawn.
Correct: My neighbor always leaves her cat outside on my lawn. (Let's assume that I know my neighbor is a she.)

Incorrect: If a student takes the exam on Friday, they’ll have to wait until Wednesday to receive the grade.
Correct: If a student takes the exam on Friday, he or she will have to wait until Wednesday to receive the grade.

However Joined

In our November 3rd Tips & Tricks post, we discussed “Run-on Sentences.” One of the ways discussed to properly join two sentences was “Inserting a comma and then a conjunction (and, but, or, yet, for, nor or so).” One of the grammatical mistakes I’ve seen lately has been the use of however as a conjunction.

To join two sentences together you need to use a conjunction (and, but, or, yet, for, nor or so); however, it is a common error to use the word however. However is not a conjunction: it is an adverb. Here are several quick tips to help you tidy up your use of however.

One way is to use a conjunction instead of however:

• Incorrect: The weather outside is frightful, however the fire is so delightful.
• Correct: The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.

The conjunctions but and yet work well in places you would likely use however to join two sentences.

If you are set on using the word however in the middle of the sentence, another tip is to use a semi-colon and a comma. The semi-colon does the work of a conjunction, joining two independent clauses. Place a semi-colon before however and a comma after it:

• Correct: The weather outside is frightful; however, the fire is so delightful.

The third tip is to put however at the beginning of the sentence (don’t forget to put that comma after it):

• Correct: The weather outside is frightful. However, the fire is so delightful.

Don’t fall victim to misusing however. However is an adverb and by itself cannot be used as a conjunction. The quick fixes are to either replace however with a conjunction (but or yet work best); use a semi-colon before however and a comma after; or place however at the beginning of a sentence.