Post by Riverra Jackson, SPHR CDSP

LI network, I need your help for a moment. I'm going to be honest, as a Black woman, I have been tone policed for most of my career. I have also matured enough to acknowledge that sometimes I can be a little too abrupt with some folk. For example, I will speak to you and get right to the point. I'm not really one for exchanging trivial "niceties". "How are you today? Did you sleep well last night?". I also do not sing when I talk, which can be a problem for some. Anyway....like I said, I have matured and I am truly open to feedback. Here's what happened - earlier today I received an inmail from someone sending me her resume and asking me to consider her for any positions I had open. I responded with these exact words, "Please check profiles prior to sending outreach messages. We're in the same position." Her response was to tell me that I "didn't have to be so mean and rude about it. Hopefully people you contact are nice to you and not rude or mean". Real talk - was I rude and mean or was she being overly sensitive? I really want to know because I'm baffled! Shoot I could have been like Martin and said, "I ain't got no job" (IYKYK)