'Unrefined' words / phrases

[brideyb]

I'm a little... rough around the edges

But I want to be seen as more sophisticated and grown up at work (prof services) and socially. I catch myself saying things that my colleagues never do and want to train myself out of it in order to progress and be seen as a shit together adult. My vocab seems to be stuck in my teenage years, I can't think of the words right now but I know I do it - things like ' cool' and ending a call with see yaaaa laterrrr'

Middleclass Mumsnet and senior professional woman - what phrases do I need to cut out?

@ILoveShula
Well exactly re Margaret Thatcher ( I didn’t know she was ever known as Hilda, but the elocution lessons).
However, I do think some of your shibboleths would probably just require too much concentration to justify any effect. I may be wrong.

She was known by her middle name until she went to uni, I think.

I haven't mentioned any shibboleths. One person I worked had often as a shibboleth.

There’s a difference between northern accent and grammatically incorrect and inappropriate phrases though? I have a northern accent - nowt wrong with that.
You don’t expect a legal advisor to call to update you about court and say - the barrister was well good, it were dead close but we won. I’m sorry but as someone listening to people in office making calls like that I did cringe as I thought it was unprofessional and if I’d been a client I wouldn’t have expected that language from a solicitors firm.

Be yourself OP. You clearly got the job by being you.

Some of the suggestions will help if you really want to tweak a bit but I have visions of the Bridget Jones scene at the book launch which would be a disaster!

Being great at your job coupled with being authentic will win every day.

@ILoveShula
You say uni?
Bloody hell!

@Dixiechickonhols

There’s a difference between northern accent and grammatically incorrect and inappropriate phrases though? I have a northern accent - nowt wrong with that. You don’t expect a legal advisor to call to update you about court and say - the barrister was well good, it were dead close but we won. I’m sorry but as someone listening to people in office making calls like that I did cringe as I thought it was unprofessional and if I’d been a client I wouldn’t have expected that language from a solicitors firm.

Exactly

@EsoNoSeHace
Well why don’t the public school types fit in with others?
Why is that the bench mark?
Public schools are not bastions of all that is admirable.

It’s ok for us all to be just US.

@ILoveShula
You mean anyone pronouncing the ‘t’ didn’t get the job?

The ‘upper classes’ have no more value as a human being than any other human being.
They certainly don’t warrant emulation.

@ShrinkingViolet9

Avoid referring to yourself as 'myself'.

I would add don't use "I myself..." as in, "I myself would never do something like that."

The "myself" is superfluous.

Or in an email...

"Please reply to myself".

@RickOShay
I think this would be better addressed through economic measures. I’m all for stronger unions, collective action, taking away their charitable status and more equal society.
However, OP probably can’t wait for the revolution.

Not quite that bad but they'd get points deducted.

I do say uni but only because it is what everyone I know says. I didn't use the term when I was a student.

Please try to avoid starting sentences like this:

"So..."

Yes I agree. However I think that it does society and all its members no favours to keep holding the public school types as an example to aspire to.

I remember when we were applying for undergraduate degrees, my mother and my friend's mother would call a polytechnic a polytech, whereas we said poly.

Let’s move forward. Hilda Margaret Thatcher in power over 40 years ago.

Your post doesn't make much sense, @RickOShay.

@ILoveShula
Points deducted? In an interview? For pronouncing the ‘t’ in often? I think I’m going to be sick.
I had better hide this thread.

I think the English romanticise the upper classes.

Every thing they say and do is somehow safe and acceptable. I think that everybody has their own voice and values and should not be made to feel somehow lesser because of how they speak or live.

@RickOShay

Yes I agree. However I think that it does society and all its members no favours to keep holding the public school types as an example to aspire to.

A good education is aspirational in my opinion

What do you mean @whistlers
A private education is only available if you can afford it.

@RickOShay

What do you mean *@whistlers* A private education is only available if you can afford it.

Generally a private education is of a high standard and that's why 'public school types' are sometimes looked up to

@EsoNoSeHace, not sure about in interviews. He considered it a mispronunciation.

@RickOShay, the pp said good education not private education.

The thread wasn't about sounding upper class, it was about appearing professional.

Does that sit ok with you?
I think a pp mentioned public school types @ILoveShula

Don't ever use the term 'my bad '. Instantly marks someone down in my book as it's very 'street'.