I probably should’ve listened to my eighth grade English teacher when he told me that it would go a long way if I spent some time improving my writing. While it took me six years to listen to his advice, taking the time to become a better writer has completely changed both my college experience and me, personally. It has also been a huge help in landing a job after graduation.
Add a SKILLS section to your resume
This is an easy way to highlight abilities you have that can set you apart from other candidates. If you know how to code, use Salesforce or can speak multiple languages, this is a great space on your resume to sum up what you can do. For me, one of my most marketable skills is writing.
Writing is applicable to almost any job field
Think of the amount of emails people write today. No company wants poorly written emails attached to their signature. Maybe you want to do marketing; think of how carefully crafted words are used to market products and services, and writing helps you pick those words. Even fields like medical research use writing, and I’m sure the project would like your skills to help the results be published.
Writing is also about more than just words on a page; it’s about understanding tone and persuasion. Think of the advantage you would have in negotiating with clients or presenting a big proposal if you had perfected the art of persuading your audience with words. That has been the major focus of my writing – understanding who I am talking to and how to get them to understand my viewpoint.
Strengthen your writing
At my university, I have been fortunate enough to be a part of the Minor in Writing program we have, where I’ve been able to develop a portfolio of difference pieces and projects to present to employers. I highly recommend you check out if your college offers any programs in writing that you can get involved in. If you don’t have any, take an extra English class, ask teachers to challenge you and help you improve or even consider joining an on-campus magazine or newspaper as a contributor. You can build your own portfolio of writing samples through these opportunities and become a better writer!
A lot of employers out there are looking for “soft skills” from college students that show that they are smart and quick learners. During interviews, I have had employers tell me that they are impressed by my wide variety of writing experience, but also that they are constantly amazed by how many students applying for positions just do not know how to write.
Simple as that: Writing can set you apart as an applicant. (You just need to put in some time to make sure you are good at it!)
