Writing as a professional skill - does it matter if you write poorly?
Are you so benighted as to believe that good writing is only valued by professional writers and English teachers? Read the following statements from business professionals:
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When we consider hiring an associate attorney, we insist on a writing sample before a face-to-face interview. So much of an attorney's work is in writing that the ability to write accurately and concisely is a necessity.
Joel Brownstein, partner
Borins, Setel, Snitzer & Brownstein
Attorneys at Law
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Yes, certain positions don't require proper written English. However, I doubt if many students want the college experience to culminate with "do you want fries with that?"
As a retired human resources professional, with 34 years experience, I have read cover letters with atrocious grammar and spelling errors; also, many with little understanding of words in context. An example that I will never forget: About 20 years ago I was the Director of HR for a 650 employee printing company. We were searching for someone with 6 years in printing. An applicant proudly wrote in her cover letter that she's been printing since she was 6.
Certainly, for someone seeking an administrative position, the cover letter and resume are reviewed for typos, grammar, and spelling. It is of the utmost importance that these documents be without errors. The same would hold true for any managerial position, as creating reports would generally be a requirement. Spelling errors are very troublesome, as spell check should be available and used. Not using this tool suggests laziness and lack of attention to detail. When many resumes are received, someone charged with identifying candidates cannot read every one carefully. Those with errors are generally round filed.
In this digital age, when young people use abbreviated spelling when texting, it is more important than ever to know how to write professionally.
Evelyn Drozen, PHR
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For students considering careers in financial services, I want to stress how vital language and writing skills are to your success. A misinterpretation of intent, whether verbal or written, can result in substantial losses or penalties for clients, as well as loss of goodwill for the firm you represent. In addition, students who will be engaged in marketing services and products must be able to paint verbal pictures to demonstrate complex financial vehicles. Frequently, high net worth clients will judge you based on your ability to communicate at the level of the corporate or professional prospective client.
Alan L. Kranitz, CLU, ChFC
President, A. Kranitz Associates, Inc., Financial Services
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Proper spelling, grammar and writing skills are important, if not critical, factors when considering a prospective employee. This is especially true if the candidate will be representing our company when dealing with clients and applies to both written and verbal communication.
I have personally rejected a business whose solicitation letter contains spelling errors or is grammatically incorrect. This "first impression" leads me to believe they are unprofessional and incompetent. Although this conclusion may be untrue, their communication skills immediately convey this message.
Ellen Levine Loffredo
Regional Director/Executive Vice President
Fantastic Sams Regional Office/DIR Corporation
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I served for 23 years as an executive for American Express. The last posting was 13 years in Singapore as Regional Head, Regulatory Compliance for Asia. I had 31+ Country Compliance Managers reporting into my office. Since US Regulatory Compliance overseas involves communicating with high level central bankers, regulators, US authorities (American embassies, intelligence offices, law enforcement), Interpol, FBI, European Central Bank, and many other government agencies, it is imperative for managers to have excellent communication skills (oral and written).
The search for acceptable Country Compliance Officers involved assessing candidates' language skills. These included both local language and, in particular, ability to communicate in the English language (spelling / grammar), in part due to a heavy emphasis on accurate report writing.
As part of the assessment process for recruitment, regional executives of American Express looked not only at candidates' subject matter expertise / experience, but also respective grades in both local language and English as a second language. The underlying philosophy was that if management recruits could not clearly document thoughts in writing, they would effectively drain and strain resources in the regional executive offices. In this competitive world for excellence and accuracy in the work place, executives such as myself have little time to correct the spelling and grammar of subordinate managers.
I believe that at management level, most Fortune 500 firms would maintain similar standards for recruitment. We look to educational institutions to do what is needed to ensure a high standard is maintained. Indeed, I find it most embarrassing to find foreign university graduates having a better command of the English language as compared to America's indigenous student population.
Jeffrey Pasler
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A successful executive needs to have top notch management skills; the soft skills necessary to develop their direct reports; and the ability to create memos, letters, and business documentation that are properly written and enhance communication in the workplace. Many times, the first impression that a business executive makes is through his/her written correspondence. The ability to communicate properly in written format must be re-emphasized to all professionals wanting to have a successful career and advance up the corporate ladder.
Sharyn Weinfurtner, Human Resources Consultant, PHR
Employer Services Corporation
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In my career I was responsible for reviewing applications, interviewing candidates and recommending hiring for a government agency employing several hundred people in the Buffalo area. Those candidates providing written statements containing spelling and grammatical errors were immediately rejected. Ghost writing was not uncommon. Therefore, those passing this initial screening had to demonstrate in the interview process that they possessed a command of proper language usage. Since all of these positions required direct communication with the public, anything less was unacceptable.
anonymous government official
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