Q: I write press releases at a publishing company, and I thought I was good at it. They are sent as part of a mass mailing system to promote each book. I received a reply from one of the people who received it criticizing me for what she thought was a stupid and obvious grammar mistake in my letter. Maybe I'm not the greatest with grammar, but people make mistakes. I think it was so rude of that person to point it out to me. I sent her a rude reply in return, saying "Sorry you're having a bad day." I told someone about it and that person had a totally different opinion, so I want to know what I should have done.

A: It's best to separate the purpose of the email — to point to a mistake that a writer should not have made — from the harsh manner in which it was worded. Let's also look at your sarcastic response as a third issue.

You are in a job that requires writing. The public relations field requires creative thinking, but it also requires accuracy. People do make mistakes, and in nearly all publications, readers can find occasional errors, such as typos, that turn an intended word into a meaningless word that slips through proofreading. Blatant grammar errors are another situation. If you haven't grasped all the rules pertaining to grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation, keep a basic grammar book on your desk for periodic study. Learning doesn't end just because one completes a course or a program or earns a degree.

Books get published with minor errors most likely due to production schedules and committed release dates. Your press releases should typically be one to two pages long, which means you should have time to proofread them. Copy that contains serious and obvious grammatical errors speaks to the writer's ability to understand proper grammar.

Perhaps the email you received was harsh, but despite that person's mood, she took time out of her work schedule to show you the error so you could learn from it. If you resent mistakes being shown to you, you are going to have a difficult time moving forward in any job. Your rude response also reflects on you. It was unprofessional and any good boss would not accept such behavior from an employee. You are representing a reputable company and you need to maintain a mature and proper attitude. You are sending press releases to gain attention for your company's products. A rude response to someone who could help your company's clients could incite that person to go inform your boss of your lack of writing skills and your nasty behavior. What you can learn from this experience is that constructive criticism is designed to help you, even when its delivery might not be as kind as you would like.

Does One Add a Minor Job to the Resume?

Q: I was laid off after several years at my first job in my field. I wasn't making a lot of money but it had potential. I sent out resumes and networked, but when nothing came up after two months, I took a minimum wage job at a pizza chain taking orders and as cashier. People can tell I don't belong there, but I took it because I wanted a job with immediate income and no serious responsibility. I am looking for work in my field, but I have not added this job to my resume. It's been about five months now and I'm wondering if I should add it or say I'm unemployed when I interview.

A: The length of time you work at the pizza place will ultimately determine whether you add it to your resume, but for now, leave it off. When you interview in your field, you can mention you're working temporarily to stay busy while you pursue jobs since your layoff. Working at a pizza place while job-hunting shows you have strong work ethics, so don't degrade the job. Taking it also shows you don't have that "entitlement attitude" that employers commonly see. You want to portray yourself as a positive professional who has much to offer.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @TheLindseyNovak. To find out more about Lindsey Novak, visit the Creators Syndicate Website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Lisa Brewster