No matter what industry you work in, professional writing skills are essential. Whether you're a cashier, an accountant, or a tour guide, you need some level of writing abilities. You never know when you will need to compose an email, send out a memo, or write a new resume.
Why are writing skills so important? In lower and upper-level positions, you need to be able to write well. At some point in your career, you will need to send an email to someone or write a few paragraphs. When that time comes, your writing could make or break your career.
This is because communication is one of the most important details when it comes to the workplace. If you have poor communication, you will miss out on opportunities, be responsible for mistakes, and cause confusion. For a business to be smooth and productive, all of the employees need to have effective communication.
In many cases, your writing is how people perceive you. It's often a first impression, and one that matters. If you send an email full of grammatical errors or typos, you come across as unprofessional and disinterested. You need to make efforts to improve your writing skills, or you could make an impression that's impossible to overcome. You make your job harder by not having quality writing skills.
There are a few simple ways in which you can improve your writing skills. For starters, edit your work. Never send an email or document without reading it over. It's helpful to read it out loud to identify any issues with your writing. At times, things look good on paper but sound awkward when you read them.
If you failed an English class, you could still be a good writer. These days, there are tons of editing tools designed to make your writing sound better. You can pay for some of these tools, while others are free.
Grammarly is an excellent resource and is available in a free or paid version. You can copy and paste your text and go through the editing suggestions. There are several other editing tools, and a quick internet search will direct you to the available resources.
One of the biggest mistakes people make with editing tools is to assume there's no need to read the document after using the tool. While an editing program is useful, it is no substitute for human eyes. You should always edit your work yourself after using an editing tool.
If you want to become a better writer, you can't rely solely on editing software. But people often accept every suggestion made by the software and don't pay attention to why the changes need to be made. As a result, they never improve their writing.
When you use an editing program, pay attention to the suggestions and try to figure out why your original content wasn't appropriate. In the future, you won't make the same mistakes.
Although grammar matters, the content is also important. There are no tools that can check the context of your writing, but this is easy enough to do on your own.
For instance, you should always make sure you include content that's relevant to your topic. If you title an email "staff changes," you should be sure the message actually contains information or questions about the staff changes.
The accuracy of the content is also crucial. If you include statistics, make sure the numbers are right. Also, check titles, names, and dates for accuracy. Sending out the wrong information could cause major troubles.
In this day and age, people want you to get to the point. An employer, manager, or client doesn't want to read through three pages of text to discuss a simple topic. You should try to be as concise as possible.
When you're concise, a few things happen. First, people pay more attention to what you have to say. Short paragraphs keep the reader's attention and reduce the chance of them missing the point. Secondly, there's less opportunity for confusion. The more you write, the more unclear your message may be. Finally, less text gives you fewer opportunities for mistakes.
As with everything in life, practice makes perfect. If you read a lot of professional articles, blogs, and other documents, you can learn from your peers. Make a note of common phrases and terminology, and try to incorporate them into your own writing.
You don't need to go out of your way to practice your writing skills. Every time your boss asks you to draft up a memo, take on the task with gusto. Spend a little extra time following the tips above and be open to criticism. If you have to send out a particularly important email, you can ask a trusted colleague to review it.
Another way to practice writing is to start up your own blog. If you don't have a lot of time, spend one hour each week writing and posting a blog post. Keep it relevant to your industry and post it on your LinkedIn or social media.
If you have the time, you can invest in a writing course. Some courses are free, while others are paid. You should look for a course that is geared towards professional writing and find one that seems relevant to your industry.
When you update your resume, you may be able to add the course to your education or certification. Every step you take towards being a better writer is a step towards a better future. Your professional writing skills will help you advance in your company, change careers, or take on new opportunities.
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