Take My Word For It

WHRO Public Media

60-second practical career advice to help write, speak, and lead with confidence.

  • Avoid the Word Thing
    “Hey, can you hand me that thing?” “Did you receive the thing I sent you?” “Do we have our things ready for the meeting?” The word “thing” can mean, well, anything. That’s why, as a general rule, let’s the word “thing” from our writing and speaking. Instead, replace the “thing” with the actual noun in question…
    2 December 2019, 5:02 am
  • You can always send your photos to the media
    Let’s say your company had a big grand opening for a new office location. Sadly, no members of the media attended to spread the news. That’s OK. Just be sure you do this next…
    25 November 2019, 5:18 am
  • Tell reporters they did a good job – build the relationship
    If you read a moving article in the newspaper or watch a compelling story on local news, do the unexpected. Tell the reporter and earn this key contact in the media…
    15 November 2019, 11:59 am
  • Elevator pitch – what and why
    The best elevator pitch – in other words, a quick summary about what you or your company is all about – has two main parts: What and Why…
    8 November 2019, 10:35 am
  • When to pick up the phone instead of email
    Ever been in a back-and-forth email chain with someone and the conversation takes too long to resolve? When is a good time to “pick up the phone” instead of emails and texts?
    4 November 2019, 5:05 am
  • Feedback from a Recruiter
    Let’s say you went through a recruiter to apply for a job. In the end, the recruiter emails and tells you the company went with someone else. What’s your next move?
    28 October 2019, 4:22 am
  • Informational interview email outreach
    Are you in the job market and need to set up informational interviews? Before you fire off requests via email, you must do something first…
    18 October 2019, 9:22 am
  • Name-drops in email subject lines
    Do you need to email someone you don’t know to seek a career opportunity? Here’s a great tip…
    11 October 2019, 9:09 am
  • How long to wait before a follow-up email
    As we send emails to open doors in our careers, how long should we wait to follow up with people who don’t respond to our first message?
    7 October 2019, 9:50 am
  • Don’t capitalize college majors and minors
    Did you know you don’t capitalize your college major or minor? While a degree in, for instance…
    30 September 2019, 4:28 am
  • Eliminate pronouns
    Have you ever received an email in which the person wrote, “Hey, did you get that yet?” To which you reply, “Did I get what?” Pronouns slow us down…
    20 September 2019, 10:16 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App