Good Technical Writing Skills can Advance Your Career
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Regardless of the size of the organization your work for, you need to be able to write technical and scientific documents successfully. Poorly structured material, or material that wanders off topic, can give the impression that the writer is poorly qualified or unprepared. Neither is a trait that an employer wants. The obverse is a well-written document, be it email or manual, that contains all of the information that the reader needs when the reader needs it. Effective technical and scientific writing skills will ensure that you stand out in any work environment.
Employers are paying closer attention to writing skills of potential and existing employees. Your writing skills will be evaluated when you apply for a job and each time you are considered for a promotion. A Berkeley University survey shows that 86 percent of employers hold a poorly written application against a job applicant. In a separate survey of 64 top American companies, 50 percent acknowledged that they weigh writing skills heavily when considering promotions.
In today’s workplace of information overload, clear, concise, and effective communication is vital. People don’t have time to read book-length emails nor do they have the patience to scour your work for buried or hidden points. If you doubt the importance of effective written communication and the impact that it can have on a person’s perception, read an email from a colleague, client, or supervisor. Break it down paragraph by paragraph. Look for the information that you need, then evaluate your personal feelings afterward. Compare that to a time when you felt lost after reading an in-house communique and how you felt about its author.
In short, solid writing skills are essential to the daily function of a business, whether large or small. If your emails or reports don’t clearly express the ideas that you need to communicate, you’ll be seen as an obstacle. When you communicate clearly and effectively, your work will stand out, clearing the way for more important assignments and eventual promotion.
