Learning how to write effectively is often under-prioritized for most high school students. Students typically don’t put their English class at the top of their priorities, and they forget how important writing is to their job prospects. In addition to this, many high schools do not adequately prepare their students to be effective writers because they teach towards test-taking quotas to receive funding.
Although strong writing skills are typically associated with fields such as publishing, most other careers require these skills. For example, a lawyer’s argumentative skills come from communication and writing expertise. Any science-related fields require written material for their research. Even in banking, the ability to write frequent and effective reports is needed. No matter what you choose to do, your ability to write plays a large role in your chances of getting into college and being successful after college. In this blog, you will learn the specifics of why writing is so important.
Succeeding in college
Admissions essays
While students at competitive high schools are pushed to perfect their SAT scores or take AP classes, not as much attention is given to helping them perfect their college admissions essays. These admissions essays and supplements are just as important for highly selective colleges, if not more important than the academic material you turn in. When an admissions officer has to choose from a pool of thousands of students with near-perfect SAT scores, your admissions essays become a deciding factor of your admissions decision and can set you apart from other strong applicants. Your written material will tell the admissions officer why you are passionate about what you want to study, why you believe you would be a good fit for the school, and explain any issues with your academic and extracurricular materials.
Research
No matter the major, research is an encouraged and valued activity in both graduate and undergraduate school. At many schools, research opportunities abound. For students who under prioritize developing strong writing skills, research proves that they are absolutely essential. Research involves not only the research itself but a research paper and a research proposal. Without a persuasive proposal that concretely defines your plan and the benefits of the study, you will not be able to receive the funding for your research. You must be able to write a good research paper that is able to effectively communicate the study, your analysis and interpretation of the results, and your argument about the topic. It also needs to be able to demonstrate your interaction with any source material.
Dissertations or theses
A thesis or dissertation is required by many fields to be able to receive a graduate degree or qualification in that subject. A thesis will typically be about 50 to 100 pages and take about one or two years to write, which requires incredible effort and attention to detail. Whether or not you are able to write a high-quality paper decides whether you receive the degree you’ve spent years and money working towards.
Literature reviews
A literature review accompanies a thesis, dissertation, or research paper. It is essentially a review of other written material about the topic you are choosing to research and write about, and it shows that you understand how the studies and research you have done affects and is affected by other’s writings and research. This is a necessary component of your paper because it ensures that you are contributing an original argument, study, or perspective to your field.
Writing is used in all jobs
Online presence
In the 21st century, your online presence matters. Employers will do a background check before hiring any potential employees, and this includes any social media. In professional accounts, such as LinkedIn or Twitter, your ability to express ideas or information will be judged by your employer. This will be the first impression they will get of your semi-professional and casual writing skills.
Cover letters and resumes
Cover letters or resumes showcase your ability to write persuasively in a concise manner. A cover letter is a short, one-page letter to your potential employer explaining your main qualifications and reasons for wanting to work there. A resume outlines any credentials and achievements that would make you a good fit for the position. These are your employer’s first impression of your professional writing skills, and a well-written one makes the difference between ending up in the wastebasket or with an interview.
Emails
Emails, or any other form of written communication with your bosses and co-workers, are much more important than you’d think. If you are communicating any kind of information, you must be able to do so in an easy to understand manner. The last thing you or your boss wants is to have to email you back with questions because your email was hard to understand. While this style of writing is more casual, it is still important to maintain semi-professionalism and avoid any grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes. Such mistakes come across as lazy or unqualified, characteristics that employers in a highly competitive job market have no time for.
Reports and Executive Summaries
Many jobs require job reports over the activities you conducted in your job over a certain period of time. For example, portfolio managers at banks are responsible for investment and loan decisions for individuals or other companies. They write reports every time they make one of these loans or investments as well as a yearly report. Reports such as these are common and sometimes come with executive summaries. Executive summaries summarize a report or group of reports so it is easier for your boss or colleagues to read. They can also summarize business or project plans and proposals. Again, communicating this information effectively is of the utmost importance.
Business Case
Like a research proposal, a business case explains the reasons or asks permission for beginning a project. To receive approval from your superiors, you must effectively communicate the plans, costs, benefits, and timeline for this project, as well as write persuasively. Business cases are mainly written material but can also be an oral presentation. In this case, the communication skills needed to achieve the goal of approval are similar to those in writing.
Sources
2011-2021, (. (n.d.). Writing Skills. Retrieved January 18, 2021, from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/writing-skills.html
The Importance of Writing Skills in the Workplace. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2021, from https://sopa.tulane.edu/blog/importance-writing-skills-workplace
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