When you write, reserve you for direct address. That is, use you only when you are addressing the reader of your message, for instance, in an e-mail to a specific recipient or when writing instructions for an assumed audience: You will find references at the end of the book. Avoid the impersonal you in situations that require specific words identifying people, situations, or occurrences.
Poor: You must pass several exams before being allowed to practice accounting.
[Here you is impersonal: The reader is not necessarily a future accountant.]
Improved: Future CPAS must pass several exams before being allowed to practice.
Rephrase the sentences below to avoid the impersonal you.
- If you are a healthcare employer, you should consult OSHA publications to learn about workplace safety to help avoid common accidents.
- You can add veterinary coverage for employees’ pets to infuse more compassion into your benefits packages.
- You may not achieve salary parity with men if you don’t advocate for pay equity.
- Interning at a legal firm can give you an advantage if you want to pursue a career as an attorney.
- Using platitudes and clichés when giving a talk can make you sound insincere.
- When Bleinheim LLC was hiring, the firm required you to take a series of psychological tests to determine if you would fit into the corporate culture.
- Before the writing seminar, you were supposed to complete a self-assessment form.
- To improve an organization’s culture, you can ask your Human Relations director to develop workshops or one-on-one coaching for management positions.
- If you ask for an accommodation due to a medical condition, you may be able to telecommute.
- You have to be careful about pre-judging others, especially if you work for an organization that deals with different kinds of customers.
