Career | Squirrelers

Do You Hoard Vacation Days?

Apr 292013

Some of us who are savers tend to have the mentality of putting away money for the proverbial rainy day. Obviously, having a blog header with the words “Squirrel Away Your Money”, I’m one of those people.

There’s something about peace of mind, knowing that you’re helping to take care of your needs in the future. I’ve talked before about financial motivation, and for me it’s to some degree about making sure that I’m not old and needing money. Better to err on the side of comfort in old age versus when younger, a time when it’s easier to do without certain things.

Speaking of taking care of future needs, I tend to keep a similar mindset when it comes to vacation days. You know, when we work so hard, it’s good to take those days off to recharge. I really think that consistently working long hours can be unhealthy, so for health’s sake it’s smart to disengage and chill. Plus, we all want to have more time to spend with family or simply just travel and have fun, depending on where we are in life. All work and no play is no fun!

So, I do value vacation days. I’m fine with what I currently get, though in terms of vacation days by country, the U.S. and Canada tend to trail developed countries in the word. We’re not lazy here. We probably work harder than we give ourselves credit for.

This is why I tend to carefully manage my vacation days. They’re important. In terms of needing days off for family, getting personal things done (doctor, etc), and taking time off to visit people, there aren’t a ton of days available to do everything you want to do. Not to mention that unwinding and relaxing that I mentioned above, which is so important for us.

Here is my pattern: I’ll take very few days at the beginning of the year, maybe 1 or two in the first 6 months. Then, I’ll take 4 days in the summer, to coincide with the 4th of July week. Kids aren’t in school, and with the national holiday, I can have the week off with just 4 (or sometimes 3) days off actually used. Then, I’ll back-load the latter part of the year with more days off.

It’s almost like delayed gratification, and saving money so that I can pay the price first and relax later. There’s something about having peace of mind knowing that you can get through the hard work, to get to your “reward” later in the year.

If we could figure out a way to earn “interest” on those days off that are saved much of the year, that would be even better

My Questions for You

How do you handle your vacation days?

Do you allocate them evenly though the year, or do you save them for any particular time period?

Do you feel like we get enough days off here in the U.S. and Canada, or are we an overworked society?

If You Plan to Work Until Old Age, Change Your Plan

Career 34 Responses »

Jan 282013

Over the last few years, I’ve read a ton of articles related to personal finance. Actually, I’ve written quite a few articles as well, so clearly this is a topic that captivates me. Most of it is quite interesting to me: the math behind it, and the strategies that can be taken on to both make, save, and protect money.

What’s also interesting is the psychological part of it, in terms of how we view money. Some people are inherently afraid of losing money, and pinch pennies to the extreme. Others are simply obsessed with materialism, and just love spending without worry for the future. One group that interests me is the set of folks that fully expect to work until well past 65.

Now, if someone is 60, for example, I would believe them if they say they expect to keep working. They would probably know defnitively if they were in financial trouble, and would have a good sense of what their general health would be like at the time. One would think, anyway. Or at least hope. The fear of having to work in old age is huge financial motivation for me, to get me to save.

However, if somebody 35 said that they plan to work until old age, I would wonder what would make them so confident in being able to do so. Perhaps it’s that it seems so hard to relate to what it would be like to be older?

The best way to handle this potential blind spot for many of us is to simply look around at people of that age. Some, happily, are very successful and doing some amazing things in the world. We have had presidents over that age here in the U.S., and in recent years have had serious presidential candidates in that age group as well. However, that’s not exactly the norm.

Look at people you know. I know friends whose parents died in that age group. Others simply pass due to unexpected illnesses. Beyond that though, many people come up with all kinds of health issues. Even if there are no major issues, there might be some minor problems or – if nothing else – a lot of aches and pains that didn’t occur in one’s 20′s. I’m not of that age, so I can’t speak from personal experience of course, but I just think that the life experience of people can be different at various stages in life.

So, why would anyone expect to be able to work until later in life? Confidence, as a part of a very positive attitude? Naivete? Evidence that if some people can do it, why can’t anyone do it? I don’t know.

There is also the issue of ageism in the work force. Look at many corporate-type jobs out there, and try to assess the percentage of workers that are in each age bracket: 20′s, 30′s, 40′s, 50′s, and 60′s. Personally, I see that the younger decades tend to be a bigger portion of the workforce. Also, when looking at new hires, how many are younger versus older? Think about what you tend to see.

I would say the safe bet is to assume that we will be unable to work in old age, perhaps unable to find work, or maybe really not wanting to spend our time needing to work. Plan on saving for being out of the workforce out at a certain age well before 60, and then not having a job for many years while you live a longer lifespan than prior generations.

If we are lucky enough to have an opportunity to work while in that age group, and enjoy what you could do, then working because you want to is a different story. But planning on working because you think you’ll have to, and banking on that income to support us then, seems very risky to me.

Best to plan for what might seem like the unexpected, and set a target date for retirement savings which is much earlier than standard ages. Then, save and invest accordingly

My Questions for You

What do you think about the notion of people planning to work until later in life?

Does this bother you or cause any concern?

At what age are you targeting to be out of the workforce – by choice or force?

You are a Salesperson!

Career 5 Responses »

Dec 282012

Do you consider yourself a salesperson?

While some people have that actual occupation (not me, by the way), I’m guessing that most of us would answer “no” to that question. Our day job, if we have one, is probably something functionally different than that, and doesn’t involve the word “sales” in it.

So the first answer is no, a good number of us are not technically salespeople.

When thinking about it further, I would say the bigger picture answer is yes. At some level, everyone is a salesperson.

I think we are always selling ourselves, whether we consciously realize it or not. I don’t always think about it in these terms, and frankly I haven’t thought it about it a whole lot in general anyway. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that this is the case. We really are selling it at all times.

Here are two examples:

Work

Let’s say your job is not directly involved in sales, as we alluded to before. You’re still indirectly selling. Ultimately, you have to sell yourself internally to your boss and his or her bosses. Not only that, but you must sell yourself in different ways and for different reasons to your peers and subordinates.

Perceptions and reality can often be two different things. To that end, how you sell yourself can play a role in your chances to succeed and earn income.

Personal Life

Suppose you are dating someone, or looking for Miss or Mr Right. You’re not going to dress in your old, worn out clothes. You’re not going to show your, shall we call them, “developmental” traits. Rather, you will conscientiously put your best foot forward. In effect, you’re selling yourself in order to create the best impression and to attract a good match for you.

Bottom Line: I’m sure when we think about it, we could probably come up with many other examples of when we selling ourselves. This can be the case in many aspects of our lives. One can say that at least on some level, you are a salesperson!

My Questions for You:

Have you ever considered premise that we’re all salespeople. What do you think?

Do you have any examples of when you’ve had to be a salesperson, unrelated to your work (like examples above)?

Has Fast Food Become Socially Unacceptable?

Career 22 Responses »

Dec 032012

At lunch, during the work day, many of us have different options for what we can do. Some people regularly bring lunch from home every day. Other people might work someplace with a cafeteria on premises, and might go that route occasionally. Still others might go out to eat once in a while. Clearly, there are many different ways that we can handle lunch during the work week, and many combinations of how our weeks might look in that regard.

With respect to the latter option - going out to eat – we might also have a variety of options from which to choose. One of these options is fast food. However, in recent years, I haven’t seen as many coworkers eating fast food at lunch – or, at least, making it known that they eat it. It leads me to ask the question: has fast food for lunch become socially unacceptable, and something to avoid for your career?

It might sound silly, but in the workplace, perceptions often matter more than reality. While people are generally entrusted with responsibilities based on qualifications and past performance, one’s image at work can matter – even if it shouldn’t. In a white collar, corporate setting, multimillion dollar decisions are being made all the time. Would you think more favorably about the guy or gal who brings a healthy lunch to work every day or buys a salad from a quick casual place, or the person who regularly dines on an unhealthy value meal of a burger, fries, and soda from the local fast food joint.

Keep in mind, I’m not saying it’s fair, and it’s not necessarily how I view things. However, people can be fickle, and personal impressions do have an impact for better or worse.

I liken this to how smoking was once viewed in society. Supposedly, news broadcasts way back in the past had cigarette smoke swirling about, as a fairly decent percentage of the overall population smoked. It wasn’t unusual or a big deal. I vividly recall years of going to restaurants that offered both smoking and non-smoking sections. Smoking even happened on airplanes!

Now, smoking doesn’t happen on the news, or in restaurants where I live, and certainly not on airplanes. People don’t smoke in the office, at work. While it isn’t fair to judge the character of a smoker vs. a non-smoker, in the professional world it’s simply not socially acceptable. Smoking is simply not a part of the workday.

Keep in mind I’m not equating smoking to eating fast food, just thinking about perceptions of social acceptabilty. I wonder if this concept is starting to apply to fast food lunches? Maybe it’s a stretch, but I just don’t see people eating these lunches, or talking about how much they like fast food. They may eat it otherwise, but it seems to be less accepted.

So as funny as it might seem that flaunting an affinity for fast food lunches might be bad for your career – and your finances – well, it just might be. Not to mention the health impact, which in the long run hurts our finances too!

My Questions for You

What do you usually do for lunch during the work day?

Do you notice people eating less fast food these days, or being less anxious to admit to it, with co-workers?

Do you think that fast food for lunch during the work day has become less socially acceptable, and something that can be detrimental to how one is perceived?

Higher Salary or Better Experience?

Career 14 Responses »

Nov 082012

When I was younger, in grad school, I was fortunate enough to have a number of internship offers. These were major companies, Fortune-500 types. It was one of those things that I somewhat took for granted at the time, though now I look back and can appreciate how a better economy could bring nice opportunities for people. What would be simply amazing today wasn’t that unusual at all back then.

Anyway, when I was evaluating the offers, I had different variables to consider. For one thing, each job was in a different city. In fact, the four positions were in three different states. This might matter, as someone could ultimately try to work for that company, so you might want to think about the long-term fit of that area for you. Another variable to think about was the industry I would be joining. The type of business in which you work can have a big impact on your career direction, even if the purported functional experience might be classified as being the same.

The one that I also paid attention to at the time was salary. Now, of course salary matters for most of us. Would you go into work every day if they all of a sudden paid you 30% less? Well, maybe – but you would be actively looking to get out and get your market value ASAP. There is a point in time when this starts to matter more and more.

That being said, when you are in the early stages of your career, I think your salary matters a bit less than quality of experience. You have the ability to take a few risks, and the latitude to explore what you like and in what direction you want to go. Of course, you can do this later too, but it’s much easier when younger and new in your career.

I actually should not have focused so much on the salary of the internship at the time. It really did play a role in my decision, as it felt good to get paid more. Simple as that. However, that was only a 14-week time period, and certainly didn’t define my career. It did turn out to be a really good experience that I learned a lot from, thankfully. But I now realize that salary wasn’t truly important in the long-run.

Later in life, salary does matter more. Sure, it might be because you’re older and have more personal responsibilities. However, it also matters because your salary is often a basis of how the market values you.

I say this based on what I’ve seen from people looking for jobs. One question that is asked, of course, is something to the effect of “what is your current salary?” This establishes, or to some degree anchors in the person’s mind, what your current market value is. If you get a job offer, they might try to match your salary or perhaps increase by some percentage.

What Do You Think?

At what point do you think that salary becomes more important than experience, or vice-versa?

Have you or anyone you know had to make such a decision in the past?

What things do you look for when considering a potential job?

6 Simple Ways to Impress the Boss and Help Your Career

Career 14 Responses »

Aug 302012

Let’s say you have dreams of succeeding big time in your new job. You might be motivated and you might be working hard. Perhaps you may think that you’re doing a great job, and are capable of moving ahead in the organization.

That’s all great. But we must also remember that aside from our own interests and self-evaluation, there is something else that matters: what the boss thinks.

Now, even if you’re an entrepreneur who isn’t reporting into anyone, you still have a boss: the customer. So it’s tough to get away from the concept of having a person or people who need to be impressed by what we have to offer. Having said that though, let’s go back for now to the paradigm of working within a company or organization where you ultimately report into somebody on some level.

You may be working extensively with a variety of stakeholders, and might even feel like you’re impressing your boss’s boss. But ultimately, the person to whom you report into can really influence the perception of you within an organization, and will be the one reviewing you. If we don’t get along with this person, stress could potentially be added to day-to-day life. So we need to create a favorable perception.

With that in mind, here are 6 simple ways to impress the boss:

1) Understand your boss’s motivations

What motivates your boss? What contcerns him (I say him for convenience, but of course it could be “her” too)? Demonstrating an understanding of what the boss truly thinks is important is a good way to earn his trust. I’ve been able to tell the difference when someone has been able to hold his/her own in a conversation and “get” what we are really trying to accomplish with a project or initiative. When an employee thinks beyond the immediate job description and works to understand what the boss is really focused on, it’s a great way to build credibility.

2) Beat deadlines

If you have a certain deadline to meet, try to beat it. This isn’t always possible, but proving that you can take a given time frame to complete something and get it done ahead of time can show your boss that you can be trusted and counted on.

3) Overdeliver

Find a way to do more than what is expected. For people who exceed expectations – which is often a path to promotional consideration – simply doing the required work is only part of the story. Being able to do what’s expected, and then offer up even more, is a way to show that you’re capable of higher level work. Now, that next position up may involve different skill sets (worker vs. people manager, for example), so part of over-delivering might be finding ways to show that you can take that step.

4) Innovate

I’m finding that more and more, the ability to be innovative is being increasingly valued by employers. I base this on my own experience as well what I read and what I hear from others within different industries. If you can break out of the mold and think of different ways to improve business, you stand a better chance of making a great impression. It’s those value-added projects that go beyond the normal functional job description that can set somebody apart.

5) Communicate Well – and don’t hide bad news

Being able to effectively communicate is essential in most workplaces. This includes keeping your boss updated on important projects, tasks, customers, or whatever might be salient to your line of work. Often times, we must be able to communicate “bad” news, or at least make sure that the boss is aware of any roadblocks or issues you may be facing. What you don’t want to do is to surprise him with issues when they become problematic. Rather, by keeping him appraised of things, you can be seen as straightforward, reliable, and trustworthy. All important traits in the eyes of a boss.

6) Be respectful, and try to “like” the boss

I don’t mean that we should like the boss as in liking him on Facebook! Rather, show the boss that you can get along with him and respect him – along with his position. This doesn’t have to reach the level of kissing up or losing self-respect. Just do it at a basic, professional level to be sure. It’s human nature that we often like the people that like us. If you work to have a friendly vibe with the boss, it can only help. If you detest the boss (I have had one or two horrendous ones), try not to let it show, and work hard to see the positives while at work. Vent about them and blast away at home

Overall, there are myriad ways we can impress the boss, and help our own cause. I’m sure you can think of other approaches that have also worked for you as well as others. Having said that, I think that these 6 above are good ones to incorporate as a foundation for success at work and with performance reviews, promotions, and your professional reputation.

My Questions for You

What do you think of these 6 ways to impress the boss?

Have you tried to incorporate these into your own efforts on the job?

What other recommendations do you have? I know there are probably many, so please feel free to add to this list by sharing other ideas that you believe are effective.

Can Not Being on Facebook Cost You Money?

Career 24 Responses »

Aug 132012

If you’re a job seeker, there are many ways in which you must impress a prospective employer. It could involve looking good on paper – with your resume – and being polished in person. Substance matters, but in many highly competitive fields, the right image matters as well.

Or, in some cases, making sure that you don’t portray the wrong image.

A while back, we discussed the topic of job search email addresses, and how one that is “uncool” could create a poor perception of you. For those with seriously old-school providers, it could make such folks seem a bit old-school and dated themselves. Not necessarily fair, and maybe not even relevant, but that’s how things go sometimes.

Now, there is chatter out there about how not having a Facebook profile could negatively influence someone’s chances to get a job. We’re not talking about having the wrong pictures out on Facebook, making a poor impression about a person as a serious professional. Rather, based on this piece from Moneyland, we’re talking about making a bad impression by not having a Facebook profile in the first place!

I found this to be interesting. Personally, I don’t think having an account or not is relevant to most jobs. Sure, it might be for someone actively working in social media, digital marketing, or the like. But for most jobs out there, does it really matter? No.

However, it seems like not having an account is tantamount to be anti-social, or not well-adjusted. Or, based on the views of some, perhaps an indication that the candidate might be trying to hide something. These are the perceptions that seem to be out there with some.

So, if Facebook isn’t someone’s thing, maybe it’s worthwhile to consider the potential financial ramifications of not having an account. I’m half-serious here, but it’s a mix of rolling my eyes at this on the one hand, and actually strongly considering this on the other hand. Maybe this is where things really are today.

Glad I have an account, even though I try to limit my time on it

My Questions for You

What do you think of this notion of not being on Facebook as a negative for job seekers?

If you were hiring someone, would you care whether or not they have a Facebook account?

Could you truly see this mattering in the industry in which you work?

6 Reasons Why Public Speaking Skills are Important to Your Career and Finances

Career 6 Responses »

Jul 302012

Do you enjoy standing up in front of a crowd and making a presentation, with all eyes and ears on you?

Many people have a real fear of public speaking. Some people get phobic about it, and dread being up there with everyone paying close attention to them. This can be understandable, as there are real risks to messing up. You might create a memorable experience that make you unforgettable for the wrong reasons.

That being said, we can’t avoid public speaking. Believe me, when younger, I absolutely detested it. I felt uncomfortable with public speaking, and was not anxious to do so. I got through situations at school by simply taking a “get it over with” mentality, and being glad when the speech or presentation was over.

These days, it’s still not something I find exciting, but I’ve taken a different approach to it. Given that one must be able to make presentations at work and get comfortable standing in front of a room, it’s something to look at as an opportunity instead of something to avoid.

Here are 6 reasons why good public speaking skills can impact your career and finances:

1) Demonstrates knowledge. If you can clearly articulate your thoughts, it’s a good way to show your knowledge. It can be said that knowledge is of limited value if it isn’t applied, and if key people with you work don’t know that you have it. By being good at public speaking, you can show that you’re knowledgeable on the job.

2) Increases knowledge. This one may be a bit counter-intuitive, but by preparing for a presentation, you actually have a chance to become more in tune with the subject matter itself. One of the best pieces of advice I got from a manager much earlier in my career was actually very simple. He said, before a presentation I had to make to close to 50 people, that “the key to making a good presentation is knowing your stuff”. Very simple to the point of sounding nearly ridiculous, but it makes sense when you think about it. Along those lines, not only does knowing the subject matter inside and out help lead to a winning presentation, you make yourself understand it better.

3) Develops and shows confidence. If you can effectively speak to a large group, it can only help develop your confidence in some way, right? It did for me in the workplace. Also, a good presentation that is effectively delivered with confidence can help your standing in the workplace. People often gravitate toward confidence, as long as it isn’t excessive of course!

4) Differentiates you in the workplace. Not everyone is good at public speaking, depending on what job you have or where you work. If you can stand out, you can only help your career.

5) Helps you avoid career risks. If nothing else, being at least competent versus being terrible at it doesn’t put you at a disadvantage! I remember seeing a joint presentation by two colleagues some years ago, both speaking for about an hour. The subject matter they each spoke about was related. The first guy was a good presenter, engaging and able to keep the attention of the room. The second guy seemed to be much less dynamic, had way more “uh” and “um” filler, and was quite simply much less polished as a presenter. I walked away thinking more highly of the first guy than the second guy. It may not have been fair, and frankly my opinion at the time didn’t matter much anyway. But a few other people in the room were more senior-level people, and I have a hard time believing that they didn’t see the difference too.

6) May make you more promotable. At senior levels of leadership, people will need to be comfortable making presentations to the point of being polished and persuasive. Having good public speaking ability can be a good attribute to help you position yourself for a move up.

My Questions for You:

Do you agree that public speaking skills can be helpful to one’s career?

How are your public speaking skills, and do you have to use them in your career?

Have you ever seen any people make a strong impression – either really good or really bad – with their public speaking skills?

You Can’t Work Forever: 5 Reasons Your Retirement Will Be Sooner than Expected

Career 12 Responses »

Jul 232012

That rocking chair won't be empty for long

There have been multiple occasions where I have read people talk about how they’ll probably end up working for most of their lives. The comment is usually a part of some discussion of retirement planning, and these people basically convey their opinions that retiring early is simply unlikely. These people simply expect to keep on working until they’re old, as they don’t see themselves being able to retire comfortably anytime too soon.

Well, I think many of these folks, if not most of them, are wrong. They think they’ll be working until very late in life. However, they actually won’t be, based on my guess.

My suspicion is that many people make too many assumptions about their ability and opportunity to work when older. Instead of thinking realistically, some folks lose sight of the changes that come with aging, in terms of our place in the work force. Along those lines, it just might be that people are too optimistic about how much remaining time they have to work and earn money.

While we want to think that we have a number of years to be able to work, that simply might not be the case. Here are 5 reasons why you can’t work forever, and will likely retire sooner than you might think.

Your Health. When we’re young, we have the energy to work long hours. We might not like to, but we might have the capacity to do so. When older, our health might unexpectedly hit some serious bumps in the road. Things happen, whether we like it or not or can foresee it or not. We may be healthy now, but If we aren’t physically capable of working as we get older, retirement may have to happen. Ironically, we might need to work because of the high cost of health care in retirement.
Your Mind. #1 above referred to our physical health. However, it’s not always our joints and muscles that give way. Sometimes, we have cognitive issues as we age. Memory loss is not uncommon, and “senior moments” don’t exactly help one achieve success in this fast-moving world we live in. The bigger issues are those related to problems like alzheimer’s and dementia. It’s very sad to see somebody so smart be rendered marginally effective due to such afflictions, but tragically this happens unexpectedly.
Outdated Skills. It does happen, where people let their skills atrophy over the years. If this happens, and you try to get back into the workforce later in life, it can often be an uphill battle to get back in the game. When people get laid off or lose jobs later in life, it can be quite tough to come back. Not always of course, as some do bounce back. But some don’t.
Ageism. Sadly, this exists out in the marketplace for talent. I really think that in many endeavors, experience matters and can make a person much more effective. The thing is, some people don’t see it the way I do, and tend to value fresh, young workers over older, less energetic-looking workers.
You May Not Want to Work. Yes, right now you might love what you do, and have tons of energy. However, you may just not feel like working as you get older. Some people simply get tired. Maybe this is related to #1 and #2 above, but to a lesser and more indirect extent. But your interest in working might change. You may have to take care of a very sick relative, help with grand kids, or take on some other activity. Bottom line is that your feelings toward work might change later in life.

What’s the takeaway from this? You may want to plan to ramp up your retirement savings efforts now, as you may not have as long to work as you might presently believe.

My Questions for You

Do you plan on retiring early, at a “typical” age, or do you think you’ll work very late in life?

Do you ever think about the “unexpected” things that might happen in the future that could keep you from working when older?

Is saving for retirement an active part of your personal finance strategy today?

Grammar and Wealth

Career 25 Responses »

Jun 282012

Each of us probably knows someone who might as well be a member of the grammar police. Such a person has a tendency to point out particular grammatical errors with indignant energy and enthusiasm. It’s just how some of us happen to be wired.

Personally, I can be like this on occasion. However, I make it practice to let such tendencies go, as could probably be seen on occasion right here through my own mistakes. One could probably go through each of my posts and numerous instances imperfect grammar and sentence structure, yet I don’t care. I’m comfortable with my writing, regardless of how imperfect it is.

While I’m realistic that nobody is perfect, and I too could get ridiculed for certain mistakes, there are a few that do grate on me. Honestly, they get me to question the capability and intellect of those who make such mistakes. It’s not fair, but life isn’t fair. Which gets me to the idea that how we present ourselves can influence our ability to make money.

Many of us have probably heard of stories indicating how it’s important to dress for success, how people who are in shape are perceived better in the workplace, or even how attractive people might be more likely to succeed. There are many factors other than hard work and talent that can influence wealth. As I mentioned earlier, life isn’t always fair.

However, do you think there is a connection between grammar and wealth?

If I see poorly written emails, or hear people butcher their primary language, it just makes me a bit less confident in such people. Here are two examples of words that come to mind:

“Anyway” vs. “Anyways”

Here is an example of misuse:

“The weather sure is hot today. Anyways, it’s June so this shouldn’t be too surprising”

Wrong: “anyways”

Right: “anyway”

Why do so many people have trouble with this? In professionally written work, you don’t see “anyways” in this context. In the workplace, I rarely see it or hear it. However, occasionally I do see it, and often read it on personal blogs and websites.

PLEASE stop with the “anyways” misuse!

“Moot point” vs. “Mute point”

Here is an example of misuse:

“As a result of her moving to Chicago, the property tax increases in Boston became a mute point”

Wrong: “mute”

Right: “moot”.

As a disclaimer, I once again reiterate that I know I make mistakes too. I just want to point out that some mistakes are particularly annoying, and may reflect poorly on the person making the mistakes. It’s just smart to put the odds in our favor by avoiding these mistakes, and presenting ourselves in the best possible professional light.

Okay, my cranky rant is over

My Questions for You:

Do you think that poor grammar can negatively impact one’s chances of financial success?

Are there any such mistakes in particular that bother you?