Maybe you’re already starting the interview process, or maybe you haven’t even started thinking about jobs or internships. Either way, we use words every day out of context, or just plain wrong (everyone does, I’m not sitting on an English language pedestal, I promise). Here’s a guide to some of those words, both written and spoken, that you might be using incorrectly, and what they really mean.
When you’re writing:
Accept vs. Except
Use when you are saying that you would take or receive something. For example, you accept a job offer, or you accept a salary of x, y, or z. Use except when you are saying you are not including something. For example, you are available every day except Saturday.
Your vs. You’re
Your is an adjective that implies something belongs to you or relates to you in one way or another. For example, your greatest strength is your dedication to your work. You’re is a contraction combined “you are.” For example, you’re a great friend. Also note, while this is an important difference to know, you most likely wouldn’t use contractions in a cover letter or formal email to an employer or recruiter.
Affect vs. Effect
Affect is a verb that means to have an influence on something, or to produce an effect (just to make it complicated). For example, your previous work experience affected your future career aspirations. Effect implies change as a result of something else. For example, your course load this semester effects what part-time positions you can take on.
Everyday vs. Every Day
Everyday is an adjective to talk about something that regularly occurs. For example, your everyday responsibilities include x, y and z. Every day is used when you’re talking about the noun day. For example, you go to class every day. Fun fact: Dave Matthews Band’s hit song “Everyday” uses the word incorrectly, because they aren’t describing anything: “Pick me up love, everyday.”
When you’re speaking:
Ironic:
Irony is defined as using words or phrases to mean the opposite of what the actual meaning is. Ever heard “Ironic” by Alanis Morrisette? She’s either being super ironic, or doesn’t know what irony means, because only one line in the whole song actually is using irony. Rain on your wedding day? Bad luck, not irony. Getting on a plane for the first time, and as it’s crashing saying, “Well isn’t this nice?” Irony.
Is Alanis a brilliant student of irony, or just really confused?
Ironic often gets used to suggest a coincidence, but its actual definition is more specific than that. For example, if your interview asks you how you find out about the job, and you say, “Well, I’m an economics major, so it’s kind of ironic I’d apply for a job at a magazine,” say it’s funny, or surprising. It’s only ironic if you’re conveying the opposite.
Literally:
Literally, this may surprise you. Literally means “word for word,” and not “actually” or “really.” Example: “He said ‘call me’! Literally!” is saying he said the words “call me,” not “he actually told me to call him, I can’t believe it!” A lot of us misstep with this one sometimes, using literally as a replacement for really (‘it was literally so cool’ vs. ‘it was really cool’) and it’s become fairly commonplace, but it’s always useful to explain yourself in the correct context. Imagine telling an employer, “Literally, I’m free whenever you want me to be.” You could have just signed yourself up for a pretty full schedule with that one.
Peruse:
Just perusing through some tweets before class starts? Maybe you mean you’re casually reading your Twitter feed, and that would be right. But, did you know to peruse also means to read something very carefully? Basically, if you’re using peruse to mean you’re doing something without paying a lot of attention to the little things, you’re using the word correctly. However, my mind was blown when I said this in an interview one time, and my interviewer asked me which definition of peruse I meant (I was talking about reading book reviews on Amazon to help me pick which ones to read, and if she thought I meant the second, she would have thought I had entirely too much time on my hands).
Everybody wants to sound smart and knowledgeable in their resume and during an interview. But, you can seriously negate that intelligence I know you have by using these words, and many others, incorrectly. Keep these things in mind when you’re typing out your cover letters and meeting with recruiters, and make sure you don’t say something you don’t actually mean!
Sources:
Merriam-webster.com
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