In my current call centre job, I am not doing the things I wanted to be doing post-degree. But little editing things keep finding their way into my job.
Last week, one of the girls was trying to find a customer's record and they told her they had a hyphenated surname. She placed them on hold and leaned over to ask me, 'Is this one a hyphen?'
She was using an apostrophe. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.
When I showed her where the hyphen was on the keyboard, she said 'But that one is a dash!' I explained that hyphens are a type of dash and forced myself not to talk about en-dashes and em-dashes. Not everyone I interact with is an editor with extensive knowledge of punctuation standards, and that's okay. If it wasn't, the job I am searching for would not exist.
The second thing at work I keep thinking about is how poorly worded some of our communications letters are. We keep getting confused customers ringing in because 'What do you mean I won't be covered after *insert date*?!' No, no, it just means that is when you are paid up until, you'll be covered after that as long as you pay your next bill. Sorry for the confusion.
The new year at university kicks in this coming week and I am taking the editing unit online while I work. I guess I have made the right choice in doing that unit first, and hopefully I can get a job that utilises my editing skills properly sooner rather than later.
How are you all going?
- Bonnee.
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*Tries to think of a smart-ass answer to the question "How are you going?" but gives up because Friday/brain dead*
ReplyDeleteMy previous boss was a former newspaper publisher/editor, so we had very high standards at the office. I shake my head when I see what passes for "professional communications" from some of the folks around us. Yes, we make mistakes, things slip through, but some people don't appear to give their work a second glance, let alone a third.
Good luck with your uni course(s)!
Gosh. I was aware that some people don't have a clue what to do with apostrophes, but I had no idea that anyone literate wouldn't be able to recognise one.
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