Weekend satire - why is everyone still "reaching out?"
Editor's note: McCrabby wrote about this topic a year ago, but this week seemed to generate a lot of "stupidspeak" in McCrabby's life and business. So, we decided to update an old post and dust it off for new publication. Here it is. And... Don't forget to sign up on the left under "Join This Site." We're trying to get a couple hundred, and it's free... Thank you.
Dear McCrabby…
Editor's note: McCrabby wrote about this topic a year ago, but this week seemed to generate a lot of "stupidspeak" in McCrabby's life and business. So, we decided to update an old post and dust it off for new publication. Here it is. And... Don't forget to sign up on the left under "Join This Site." We're trying to get a couple hundred, and it's free... Thank you.
Dear McCrabby…What I want to know is how and why has "reach out" replaced "call" or "contact" or "email" or any one of a number of more descriptive words?
Nowadays, as I search for work, I'm often hearing "I'll reach out to you when an opening is available," or "Reach out to me if you have any questions about this job offer." Just yesterday, I was on the phone and when we ended our call, the other person said, "I'll reach out to you next week." Why not just call me back?
What gives? If I contact you, will I contract some dreaded disease? If I email you, will you ignore me (probably)? Is it maybe a matter of political correctness? Is it now a faux pas to "give me a call?" Whatever happened to calling anyway, Mr. Hiring Manager?
McCrabby, if you would like, you can respond here, call me, or contact me by email. However, if you only reach out to me, I can't guarantee I'll reach back.
Cliff, with cliches up the wazoo
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Hey Cliffie:
Glad you reached out. You're right. This hasn't changed, and in fact, it's gotten worse in McCrabby's eyes..
This has been a McCrabby pet peeve for a couple years now. "I'll reach out to you next week" goes into the same category as some of those time-tested phrases like "you go girl" or "my bad" or one of my all time favorites, "you know what I'm saying?"
Of course, I know what you're saying; Unless you're speaking a foreign language or talking with your mouth full, I know what you're saying (I may not understand or listen, or CARE... but I do know).
There is one more that drives McCrabby to distraction: "I could literally (fill in the blank; i.e. "eat a horse" "kill that SOB" or "jump out of my skin"). REALLY? LITERALLY?? How about, "I literally screamed my head off?" Ouch
But, we digress. McCrabby agrees with you 110 per cent; is in your camp, on-board with you, in the same boat, and sharing your pain. McC hates cliches, but you need to go with whatever floats your boat, quit crying over spilt milk, and remember that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him quit using tired cliches.
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| Don't reach out to random contacts |
By the way Cliffie, McCrabby likes your writing style, so we probably won't be publishing anything else from you as McC can't stand the heat. You know, you win some, lose some, so don't let me take the wind out of your sails, but keep your head up and your eye on the ball. You know what I'm saying?
So Clif, until we hear from you again (and steal your ideas for our own) we hope you'll walk on the safe side of the road, while the wind is always at your back.. And always remember that if you give 110%, that's ten per cent more than ANYONE else will give. Literally.
Good luck with your job search.
Have a great weekend,
McCrabby
Would you join our site now? We'd love to see you.. You can sign up on the left where it says "join this site") so we can see your picture. And follow us on twitter (@curtmacrae), where we don't post much, but we'd love to see you there. McCrabby