Well, if we're going to be fair, that list would take up far more space than we have for one blog post, so I'll just hone in on one for today. You're welcome. :)
It's no secret that I'm a bit (ahem) of a Pinterest junkie, and I love exploring all kinds of topics on there. I use it as my own personal search engine.
This week I was doing some research and brainstorming on the topic of freelance work, since to a degree, that is what I do these days. I looked at posts written by people who worked in all sorts of fields, learning how they managed different aspects of running their own businesses out of their homes.
I happened upon one site (and I'll leave all identifying information out of this description, because my intent is not to be ugly toward its author) that utterly baffled me. No, it left baffling far behind. It flabbergasted me.
Here are some general things you should know first:
* She self-employed (obviously...it was freelancing research)
* She seems to be quite financially successful in what she does
* She seems to have a fairly decent following of other entrepreneurs who learn from her
* She has a plethora of innovative and helpful ideas to share
* She seems genuinely interested in helping others be successful too
It all sounds good, right? In many ways, it was. I read several posts and learned some really helpful information.
But here's what I just don't get.
Her site was saturated with foul language. I'm not saying sprinkled with it. I'm saying soaked. All the words. (Yeah, even that one.)
I realize I'm almost through the ripe old age of 39, which probably practically qualifies me for fuddy-duddy status, but that choice just blows my mind. It's her professional work space, and to me, lacing every other sentence with a high-ranking four letter word isn't professional. In fact, in this instance, it was actually distracting. I had trouble sometimes picking out the teaching information because of all the additives.
Obviously this decision isn't causing her to hurt for business. According to what I read, she stays extremely busy and can even afford to be choosy about who she works for. But if I went in search of someone to work for me, I think this issue would be a huge turn-off for me.
Truthfully, it's not even about the fact that I would prefer not to have that language in my everyday conversations, but rather it is a reflection on the level of professionalism. (I do have friends whose conversational language choices don't always match mine, but I have observed them professionally and in those settings they choose other words.)
So that's what I don't get...and I guess I say all of that to say...what about you? If you were looking for a service of some kind, and you looked at someone's business page (whether website, Facebook or other source), would you feel uneasy if you found it saturated with all the words? Would that impact your opinion of the professional quality you would receive?
I'm just curious! It's not the first time I've run into this, although I think this is the most extreme example I've found so far.
1 hour ago
10 comments:
There is a time and place for fouler language...maybe those who invest in her favor that style?
I'm older than you are and definitely have arrived at the fuddy-duddy stage in life. I cannot stand foul language. If I considered using a professional and then read/ heard foul language from him or her, I would definitely reconsider using that person. To me, it's a character issue. Doing more reflection, I think it would bother me more if it was a person's written work that I saw saturated with bad language. It's easier for me to give grace to someone's spoken words; written words are more deliberate and can easily be changed before submitting the work.
Those are idle words, distracting, and totally unnecessary! So, that's my opinion! :)
That would completely change my will to work with that person. I don't like foul language, esppecially from women. I think that is so rude...
I used to read a blog from a writer I admired and even had her link in my blog, but then I realized that almost all of her posts had foul words here and there. It was not saturated, but it was bad, so I just deleted her link from my blog and stopped reading her's.
I run my own freelance graphic design business (Blue Llama Design), and foul language isn't even on my radar, both personally and professionally. I think using those colorful four letter words makes one seem ignorant and immature. I could never even fathom using foul language around my clients. It's so unprofessional!! Plus, I have a daughter...and I want to be a godly example for her in my actions and my speech :)
I definitely agree with you Bekah. I view that as a mark of an extreme lack of professionalism. I would run the other direction from her services. It's good to know that so many others agree.
Yeah, bad language would definitely be a turn off for me! I agree, it's not professional.
Tamar, you said "there is a time and place for fouler language" ..... Curious when and where this would be?
Turn off to me. It’s not something I’m use to at all.
I will admit that I don't always have the "cleanest mouth" as it were, but professionally I would never consider using that sort of language. Nor would I want to work with someone who used it regularly. I do understand that it can slip out and I have a co-worker who uses it once in awhile but that is in team meetings and I would almost guarantee that she never uses it with clients.
Does this all sound like I'm justifying? All this is to say that a website peppered with that kind of language would turn me off from hiring someone professionally as well.
Post a Comment