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My Supervisor at work Used caps to put EMPHASIS on things I shouldn't do as critique. Should I let her know she's basically raising her voice at me?
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In a professional environment, as long as you know what it means, I wouldn't say anything about it.
She probably has problems with people NOT READING her emails and is tired of getting questions she already ANSWERED in the email.
Heck I do it on this forum because people seriously DONT READ.
Heck I do it on this forum because people seriously DONT READ.
That's not something worth raising a fuss about. Everyone interprets the tone of text differently, so her intention may simply be to make it standout and more memorable.
OP
OP
It's tricky to be sure, but I'm also an intern, and don't want to come off as a doormat.
I also need to be careful, as I can be scathing and don't want to get myself in trouble.
Edit: Shadow222, yeah that's what I also considered.
I also need to be careful, as I can be scathing and don't want to get myself in trouble.
Edit: Shadow222, yeah that's what I also considered.
I am not sure what your next move is if you're like "boss it kinda seemed like you were yelling at me in that email" and then she's like "yeah, I was, don't fuck that shit up"
You should let it slide, not worth risking your working relationship over some CAPS.
If she's doing it in person though...
If she's doing it in person though...
this list of critiques is probably getting longer as we speak
One of my coworkers has to do cataloging, in which the info is usually entered in all caps. So she just leaves caps lock on all the time. Everyone complains about how angry and rude she is when she messages people, because she'll be like "HI, COULD YOU PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK THE ORDERS FROM LAST WEEK BEFORE I PUT THEM IN THE SYSTEM? THANKS."
tbh it's kind of hilarious
tbh it's kind of hilarious
Many people at my job, and elsewhere for that matter, use all caps to emphasize things.
ESPECIALLY since most people are replying to email from their phones these days. Much harder to bold text from your phone then from a laptop.
Truly making something out of nothing here.
ESPECIALLY since most people are replying to email from their phones these days. Much harder to bold text from your phone then from a laptop.
Truly making something out of nothing here.
It's just a couple words? Not like whole sentences?
yeah +1 for let that go. Never heard anyone interpret a few words emphasized that way as "raising their voice" at the reader. Better to show you can take criticism in the manner it is intended than to come off as precious.
yeah +1 for let that go. Never heard anyone interpret a few words emphasized that way as "raising their voice" at the reader. Better to show you can take criticism in the manner it is intended than to come off as precious.
In a work environment, caps is no different than using bold.
Honestly, if you bring this up to her, saying things like "you're basically raising my voice at me", she's gonna roll her eyes, and blacklist you mentally, at the very best.
Honestly, if you bring this up to her, saying things like "you're basically raising my voice at me", she's gonna roll her eyes, and blacklist you mentally, at the very best.
I'm generally providing instructions rather than input on someone else's actions, so I do tend to emphasize words like "not", "don't", or basically anything that can easily be interpreted as the inverse. I obviously try and avoid inverse statements, but sometimes you have to make a point in instructions that certain things are to be avoided and emphasizing that can be important since some people might miss the inverting word or phrase.
It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that you'd want to make your life harder about now does it?
Because ten to one shes not going to take kindly to your critique so unless you are perfect at your job or have connections above her head I'd keep it to myself
Because ten to one shes not going to take kindly to your critique so unless you are perfect at your job or have connections above her head I'd keep it to myself
I've been known to do this in our company IM since I work in a terminal-based environment where everything is capitalized and case-sensitive, so I'll be working and have Caps Lock on and forget to turn it off before the IM.
Yeah, better let it go, especially after knowing that last part. ;)
Also, it isn't being a doormat when you refrain from advising her how to in your opinion properly type.
I've worked with a ton of great people in a professional environment that couldn't craft an email to save their lives. Or, alternately, maybe they just don't care on the level you do.
My former Director, whom I adore and respect the hell out of, had random ellipses, constant missing punctuation, etc.
My current Director doesn't have the best English skills and asks me to help her proof her emails and such all the time.
Writing and spelling as correctly as I know how is important to me, but as much as it pains me to say it, not everyone puts the same weight on it.
I wouldn't say anything. Put the email in the context of your relationship with the person.
My former Director, whom I adore and respect the hell out of, had random ellipses, constant missing punctuation, etc.
My current Director doesn't have the best English skills and asks me to help her proof her emails and such all the time.
Writing and spelling as correctly as I know how is important to me, but as much as it pains me to say it, not everyone puts the same weight on it.
I wouldn't say anything. Put the email in the context of your relationship with the person.
Unfortunately, as an intern you're not really in a position to critique her unprofessional business communication. But yes, using caps like that is abrasive and shouldn't be done.
I don't think trying to raise it as an issue is going to get much done for you. Caps are an acceptable form of emphasis, even if they're less clear in meaning than italics, which far too few people use. Also, is the supervisor older? Older people are just bad at conveying tone in text in general, if they didn't grow up online. Ultimately though, I think making an issue of it will do less to convince people you're not a doormat, and more convince them that you're sensitive and picky. You're right that there are smarter ways to do it than caps, and caps can be read as rude, but it's also not an argument you're likely to win.
especially if your future plans involve progressing past being an intern
Never correct a supervisor on anything. The chance that they take it into earnest consideration and not as a slight is less than 1%.
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