Words can come back to haunt you, especially when they are written down.  

 

I'm not referring to gossip or the sharing of confidential information. This is not about speaking out of turn, or saying the right thing at the wrong time. It's not even about using the appropriate words. It is about selecting the correct word to relay your meaning.

There are several words I see used incorrectly on a regular basis: loser and looser, and advice and advise. Each has their own meaning and they are not interchangeable, yet people continue to use them incorrectly. Obviously, the similarity in spelling must contribute to these errors -- it's changing one letter - but that should not matter.  

 

Know the meaning of the words you use. If you aren't sure, look them up. A dictionary and a thesaurus can be extremely helpful when writing anything, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Your choices reflect your intelligence, knowledge and attention to detail, all of which reflect your professionalism.   

 

We all make mistakes - it's the effort you put forth to review and correct them that makes the difference. Spell check is helpful but it won't catch real words that are used incorrectly. Proof reading is vital.  Read your words forward, backwards and out loud. Ask another person to do a read through. Don't assume your message is accurate the first time through.

Your words do matter when it comes to your professionalism.