The Syracuse Pen

Making Words Work for You

The robots are coming! What’s your plan?

Look out! The robots are coming! Seriously, they’re coming! And they want your job!

… OK, phew. Your job is safe now from automation. That was a close one.

But look out! Budget cuts and layoffs are coming! Watch out for falling axes! Your job is in danger!

… OK, you dodged that one. Good. You can relax; your job is safe, you have a good thing going, your boss is great, and — what? Your boss just took a new position in Charlotte and your new boss is the guy down the hall who’s had it in for you since day one? 

Panic!

… Or don’t panic, if you have a solid exit plan.

Any of these scenarios can be disastrous, and depending on your career, any of them could happen to you. That’s why it’s vital to have an exit plan in place before you need one.

How to prepare

Your exit plan should include:

  1. Having an updated résumé. It should describe your current job, responsibilities, and recent accomplishments.

  2. Keeping your skills up-to-date. Don’t get complacent because your job only requires you to know version 5 of the software. If version 6 is out, you’d better learn version 6, and mark your calendar for the release of version 7.

  3. Maintaining contact with your network. You know other people in your field who work for different companies; check in with them every now and then, connect with them on LinkedIn, have lunch to trade news from other corners of the industry. Know the environment, get their take on which way the winds are blowing, and start thinking about which direction you should set sail if the waters get choppy.

You never know when you will need your exit plan; it may sit in the back of your mind for years until you retire according to your own schedule. If so, mazel tov!

But if something unexpected does happen to throw you off course, an exit plan will let you start your new career path from a place of preparedness and control instead of panic and desperation. And that’s the best way to leave one job: with a firm focus on the next one.

They finally recognized "they" as a singular. Good.

When you talk about someone of an unknown gender, using the wrong pronoun can be offensive, especially if you’re using stereotypes to make a guess (“When you see your doctor, tell him about your rash,” or “Someone left her pink umbrella on the bus”).

This wasn’t the primary reason Merriam-Webster cited for declaring the singular “they” as Word of the Year Tuesday. Rather, this decision was based on the recognition of people who identify as nonbinary, people who are increasingly visible, vocal, mainstream, and impossible to ignore.

As a culture changes, so too must the language.

But using “they” to refer to someone of unknown gender (as opposed to the clunky “he or she”) also applies two key principles of strong language: never alienate your audience, and use the fewest words possible.

Fewer words are stronger words

First, saying “he or she” can come across as too formal (you’re not a legal document; you’re just somebody chatting with your friend or boss), or worse: pretentious. If your use of language creates a barrier between you and your audience, it doesn’t matter whether you’re technically right. What matters is how it affects your audience’s perception of you and your ability to connect with them. Will they be impressed by your proper but cumbersome pronoun usage? Possibly. Or will they be turned off by your subtly pedantic tone? Possibly.

The other problem with going the “he or she” route comes from a principle I write about often. By saying “him or her” instead of “them,” you’d be adding two extra words that don’t contribute to your message. Your audience probably already knows what you mean, so adding unnecessary words is a misdemeanor against brevity and effective language.

Some traditionalists will resist the singular use of “they.” Merriam-Webster may declare a word to have a certain meaning; that doesn’t mean we all have to agree (I still distrust any dictionary that considers “literally” to be an acceptable synonym for “figuratively”). However, this expanded role of a common pronoun is a step forward for the language, and for every speaker and writer, whoever they are.

The Syracuse Pen provides writing and editing services for students, professionals, and small businesses. Visit our home page for more information about what we can do for you.

Greg MaranoComment