Writing skills in the workplace
Throughout your time in education you’ll learn a number of skills to equip you for the future. In this blog we’re going to look specifically at writing skills and the role they play in the world of work.
From drafting emails to summarising meetings and typing up documents, a lot of time is spent writing in the professional world. Strong writing skills will help you communicate effectively with those around you, allowing you to put forward your ideas and suggestions in a concise way.
Putting your writing skills to work
Emails
The amount of time spent writing depends on the role, but there are generic ‘admin’ tasks that you will no doubt do on a day to day basis. It goes without saying that emails are part of office life, and you might find yourself sending and replying to emails on a regular basis. But not all emails are the same. An email to a colleague is usually written in a very different style to one being sent to an external business contact. When writing in the workplace, thinking about your audience and their expectations is very important.
Reports
Whether you go on to work in insurance, finance, marketing, property or something else entirely, most organisations write reports at some point, and you might find yourself assisting with these. Good writing skills are essential so the information can be displayed in a concise way, enabling the reader to quickly understand what is being reported.
Memos and notes
Whilst it seems so simple, it’s amazing how easy it is to take a message and forget to write down the name of the person who called. Whether it’s about a missed call or information about a meeting, the notes you leave need to make it clear to the recipient what the situation is and if they are required to do anything. A messy post-it note without a name or phone number isn’t useful to anyone.
Presentations
There may be times when you need to create a presentation in the workplace, perhaps for a team meeting. Whilst some people might create presentations that are quite technical, content should be the number one priority. Strong writing skills will allow you to create materials that people can understand and gain the information they need.
Your future career
No matter which area of work you go into it, there are a countless number of roles that require excellent writing skills. We’ve listed a few below to give you an idea of what these might be:
- Financial/business journalist
- Lawyer
- Insurance underwriter
- Technical writer
- Website developer
- Press officer
- Social media manager
These are just a few examples. There are loads of other roles where writing skills are a must. The good news is, it’s never too late to enhance your skills even further so you’re ready for the future.
If you’re in Year 12 or 13, why not put your writing skills to the test by applying for our annual essay writing competition?
Run in partnership with the Worshipful Company of International Bankers, you’ll answer the question: “Do banks still need branches on the high street?“.
To express an interest in the competition, please ask your teacher to email tom@thebrokerage.org.uk
Read all about the 10th anniversary of the essay competition.
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